The Pit of Despair

 

"At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship." -Job 1:20 NIV

What is your most painful memory? Think about this. Have you ever found yourself in a desperate place? When you cry out, "Why, God? Why did you allow this to happen?" or "Why haven't you changed my circumstances?" Have you been there before? Perhaps for some readers, this is not a distant memory but a present reality! A broken marriage, a financial crisis, or the unexpected death of a loved one are all enough to throw us into our own pit of despair. None of us are exempt from pain. And pain is a topic that the Scriptures do not shy away from discussing. In fact many (if not all) of the Biblical "heroes" experienced long dark valleys. Jesus is the foremost example. Of whom the Bible says, "He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain" (Isaiah 53:3). Therefore if our Heavenly Father did not spare His Son from enduring pain, rejection, and despair, will we be exempt? So if the Christian life is not a "pain-free" ride, what must our response be? How can we continue to follow Jesus, without changing our view of Him, becoming bitter, or worse turn back from following Him? It is this question that we seek to answer today. So take this journey with me as we search the Scriptures and find solace and hope for our season!

Pain is NOT the problem...

I think many times in life, we spend too much time, energy, and resources focusing on the wrong "enemies". Things which will ultimately, never solve our problems. Perception can be a powerful thing. Whether for good or evil, our perception of a situation will have a dramatic impact on both our emotions and actions. During painful seasons, we will think or say things such as "God, if you could only fix/change _________ (fill in the blank) everything would be so much better!"But what if the pain that you are so desperately trying to be rid of, is the very instrument that God is using to transform you? Pain can be an awesome tool for change in the Potter's hands! 

So if pain can be a good thing, and unavoidable, what do we do with it? First we must change our perception of it! We must submit our will to God's providence, trusting His plans for our life. The truth is our lives do not belong to us. If you are a Christian, and have given your life to the Lord, then it is no longer your own! If so, we need to trust the journey God chooses to take us through. We are often ignorant of our wrong choices and shortcomings and how they are affecting our lives & those around us. So our loving Heavenly Father, knowing the importance of transformation in our lives, will allow trials to both refine and test us. During this time of suffering, it is imperative that we yield our needs/wants to the Lord in obedient submission. 

But first...The Word 

It always amazes me to think about how costly negligence can be. If left unattended, even a minor cut or bruise can turn into something much more painful and costly. The Christian life is no exception. Just as our body gives us indications of pain to point out problem areas, painful seasons have the potential reveal to us a part of our souls that require special care and attention. Pain always points to a deeper soul issue. Our job is to work with the Holy Spirit to uncover these specific areas and allow Him to do the transformational works He chooses. For this very reason, a reliance on the Scriptures is absolutely crucial. When the Old Testament priests came to the Tabernacle, the Law required them to go through certain rites before entering the Holy Place. One of these was washing their hands and feet in a laver (Ex 30:17-21). Now this was a peculiar looking laver for God was specific in His instructions to Moses that the it should be made of mirrors all around it (Ex 38:8). So every time the priests and levites came to the laver, they would first see their own reflection in it. 

Similarly the Bible tells us to look at ourselves (our souls) in the light of the Scriptures. The Word of God is that mirror to the soul (James 1:22-25) which will show us areas of our lives that need correction & readjustment. But God's Word isn't only a mirror, it is also a laver! As we meditate upon the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit does the work of washing us with the water of His Word (Eph 5:26). Therefore during moments or seasons of pain, we must invest time in God's Word to both reveal the source of the issue and wash us from it! God uses painful moments/seasons to transform us. But we must work with Him by spending quality time in His Word. Because change happens as we sit at His feet, learn from Him, and apply what we learned to our lives. 

Lift up your hands!

What's your knee-jerk reaction to pain & suffering? If I'm honest with myself, my instant response is to complain and grumble. But the sad truth is that complaining does absolutely nothing to change my situation. In fact most times it will leave me feeling depressed and hopeless. Out of all the Bible characters (other than Jesus), Job stands out as a man who endured deeper trials & pain. In one day, Job lost more than most will in an entire lifetime! Job, finances, and children all gone over the course of a few hours. Yet what is most impressive was Job's response to extreme suffering--- "Then he fell to the ground in worship." Despite having lost everything he loved, Job worshipped! How many of us can say that? Not only did Job worship the Lord but two verses later the Bible records the following, "In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing." Job knew a lesson that we all must as well---our response to suffering should be reverent worship! Godly suffering places no blame at the feet of the Master, but knows the true character of God and His unwillingness to harm His children but rather mold and discipline them (when needed). Worshipping God during times of suffering is the direct result of experientially knowing the character of God, understanding the true purpose of suffering, and being rooted in the Word. Only then can we honestly worship...even when it hurts the most!

Food for thought:

Dear Reader, suffering is a part of the Christian journey. The Lord never promised us a pain-free life. He does, however, promise to be with us (Matt 28:20) and invites us to rest in His ultimate victory over this world! (John 16:33) And though none of us want to experience suffering, please know that this same suffering allows us to experience the comfort that Jesus brings. Please read the following passage slowly and contemplatively. "For as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ." (2 Cor 1:5) Know that the Lord really does love you & never leave you...even to the end of the age!