My days are past, my purposes are broken off, even the thoughts of my heart. Job 17:11
Once the trial had begun, Job's health deteriorated nearing the point of death. The enemy was not permitted to take Job's life, but he was able to smite his body and this writer believes he smote him until death was believed to be near.
Job's heart was still very much alive and continued to experience the devastation of the trial. As he neared the trial's end, he viewed his life as if all the days were past or behind him. As he tried to look forward, he saw no plans: all that he had planned had been lost. Plans for his family dissolved before his eyes. All wealth to pursue other purposes had been stolen or killed. Nothing in the future waited for him. No longer were there even new dreams. The trial seemed to prove that everything in the past and future were lost. Job's only consolation was to get to the end and right quickly. No plans: just death. No hopes or dreams: just death.
However, he could not have been any more wrong in his views. Soon, there again would be laughter. Soon again there would be children born and wealth to finance plans and dreams for himself and the family. But until that time, Job needed to experience life when it appeared to be hopeless and in that state continue on in faith. By continuing on in faith, he was no longer living a life for his hopes and dreams, but instead living life for the sake of what faith wanted him to pursue. This is the outstanding Old Testament example of dying to self.
If your trial has crushed your hopes, plans and dreams. Remain faithful to him. With your own purposes dissolved, it is time to live for his plan. Bringing you to this point is one of the purposes for the trial. Without this decision, the trial and your efforts are in vain.
#trial
#death
No comments:
Post a Comment