sharing our pain

 

Today in the One Year Bible, we read from Job 23:1-27:23. Job is frustrated with God. And he speaks that frustration as he talks to his friends, and as he calls out for God to hear his misery and help him. He expresses what most of us (all of us?) have experienced from time to time - the feeling that God has forgotten us and left us alone. And he does, once more, the sensible thing. He cries out to God for mercy. He tells God that he's upset with Him, while also admitting that he's terrified of Him. And as we know, fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.

Job once again gives us a good example here. He doesn't just blindly say "Oh, well. Things are miserable for me but I'm sure God knows what He's doing." He's frustrated with God, and he tells Him so. Yes, God DOES want us to trust Him. But what He doesn't want is for us to pretend like we trust Him when we're actually afraid. He wants us to share our fear with Him. Share our pain and our sorrow. Share our doubts and let Him heal all of them, in time.

So don't be afraid to tell God how you really feel. Believe me, He can take it. And when you genuinely, truly, deeply share your deepest pains and sorrows with Him, His healing will in turn make you genuinely, truly, deeply well again. Half measures yield half healing. Share all of your pain with God and He will heal your deepest wounds.

God, thanks for teaching us another amazing thing through your servant, Job.