“Helpless, But Not Hopeless”

Tuesday, May 19, 2020

BIBLE READING: Job 17

“My spirit is broken my days are extinct; the graveyard is ready for me.” (Job 17.1)

You won’t see this verse hanging in anybody’s house. In fact, this type of attitude seems contrary to what you might expect from someone of faith. Faith primarily hinges on hope and with that is assumed one will have optimism and a positive outlook on life. 

Job doesn’t seem to have those things. Job often appeared unstable as he vehemently defended his faith. Even his words about God become very pointed as he wrestled with His sovereignty (see Job 7.11; 10.1-3). And yet, God praises Job for his integrity and faith (Job 2.3). Which begs the question, “How can someone of exemplary faith be so negative about life?” 

Job’s story must challenge our paradigm of faith. 

I think our primary struggle to resolve Job’s attitude with his faith is that we often pretend difficult seasons shouldn’t exist. Life should always be sunshine and rainbows… but we know that’s just not true. Sometimes we hurt and must grapple with the existential question of “why?” It’s the only way we will look beyond the temporal to a bigger solution than what we can see or know. In those seasons, our deepest fears and strongest emotions of negativity often come to light. 

I’m not condoning perennial negativity, but we need to be realistic about life and allow its various seasons to shape us. Job teaches that faith doesn’t exempt us from feeling helpless. In fact, it might amplify those emotions. Trusting God sometimes feels like we don’t have a safety net, and everything is crashing down. There is a helplessness we will experience because we just don’t know God’s plans. 

People turn to God because they are looking for help and hope. Faith is our effort to engage with God to receive something better (Hebrews 11.13-16). For believers, it is God’s faithful and sure promises that propel them forward. These promises are life-changing, but we must remember that hope’s fulfillment is not found in this life. 

This is a hard reality. We will encounter situations outside of our control that drive us to our limits. We will not always be emotionally centered or mentally stable as we deal with the issues of life. But God is patient, gracious and even welcoming as we work through these emotions (see Psalm 6; Hebrews 4.15-16; 1 Peter 5.6-7). 

You may feel unstable, but God doesn’t desire for you to remain that way. Instead, faith learns to anchor itself in God. Hope is stronger when you are weaker (1 Corinthians 12.9). And so, “let us rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation and constant in prayer” (Romans 12.12) and anchor our souls in what we can confidently know about God. 

“I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God.” (Job 19.25-26)

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