Job Chapter 7. We all have value and purpose?
Job continues to speak which turns into a prayer or conversation with God.
Job talks about his misery and how it makes the nights seem so long and they drag on. He feels his days are limited and sees no hope for the future. He prefers death. He wonders when God will help. He wonders if there is sin in his life and if so what is it? But the one statement I want to focus on is when he said his life seems to have no meaning.
His health is so bad, and he is so out of commission, it's hard to feel valuable. It's hard to feel like he has anything to contribute to life.
I've been sick for what seemed like a long time and felt like I had little to offer in life but there are those who are elderly and are confined to a home or Care Center. There are those who are so sick that they are confined to a bed and have constant doctor appointments. Their sickness goes on every day and they understand how it feels to see no hope for the future or truly can relate with Job on feeling one's life has no meaning to it.
1. If someone truly feels there is no meaning or purpose in life, what can you say? Obviously we want to say yes! You still have meaning and purpose! But that meaning or purpose may not be defined the same way God defines it for us. For example:
– I think our world tends to define meaning and purpose based on one's ability to use one's body and mind. So if we can't use our bodies or mind then what good are we?
– if this is our premise for determining meaning and purpose then we set up ourselves to Great discouragement and danger.
2. Here's a new thought. Perhaps meaning and purpose is better defined, not by how we're able to use our bodies and minds but rather defined by how God can use us to further his kingdom. Let me explain:
– if meaning and purpose is defined based upon one's ability to think with their minds and use their bodies, then there are invalids and elderly that we would say have no meaning and purpose in life. They are useless. To me this is dangerous and results in people pursuing senicide or some other form of taking someone's life.
– if we define meaning and purpose based upon how God wants to use us to further his kingdom, then perhaps we could say the invalid and elderly person with minimal functions has a meaning and purpose which is to help us learn how to love those who are less fortunate. It teaches us how to love those who have minimal use with their minds and bodies. It teaches us to be better followers of Christ because our love is not limited to one's ability to move and think but our love goes to all people regardless of their function ability. It helps us further the kingdom of God.
– their meaning and purpose helps us to make real our meaning and purpose.
So what's going on with one's life? How can God use you to further his kingdom? Don't base it upon merely your ability to move and think. Sometimes our lack of ability to accomplish a task enables someone else to step in and use their gifts for the Glory of God.
How ironic that we are studying Job during a pandemic.
Job certainly knew what it was like to suffer and feel pain and despair. While we may also have to go through some dark and difficult times in our lives, we don’t want to give up hope, but persevere instead. We can hold on to hope and trust that the Lord will work things out together for good as I thought about today from Romans 8:24-28.
For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And He who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.