J.O.B. Job

For a while now I am have been thinking about an intriguing little book in the Bible called Job.

And if you were like me, the first time you saw the title of it, you thought it was called J.O.B. Job.

Essentially it is a unique story in the Bible about a man and his family.

It starts out by telling is about a man called Job and just how blessed he is. 

Large family. Heaps of possessions.

It appears by all accounts that he is super successful!

In fact, and I quote, “He was the greatest man among the people of the East”.

It is event thought that maybe this story predates even the books and accounts of Moses.

But back to the story and why it has made me think so much about it in the last year.

Early on another character is introduced, a protagonist by the name of Satan.

Essentially he challenges God over this man. Telling God that if Job lost all his success, lost all he valued, that Job would look at God differently.

And that is what ends up happening…

This is story quickly becomes the story of a man, a family even, that seems to quite randomly to them, experience huge tragedy and loss. 

It quickly pivots to being a story of the painful journey Job and his wife navigate.

It includes some people called “friends” who appear to console and to counsel Job in his moment of pain.

Here is what I have experience and seen in life…

When tragedy seems to randomly come our way we follow a pattern that seems to mirror what is recorded here in Job’s story.

We question why me? Why did this happen?

And just like with Job, others come around us or pontificate from a far, trying to rationalise and explain away the reason why we are facing the challenge or the deep pain we are experiencing.

We are really good at theorising aren’t we?

Super good and sharing our opinions!

Are we any different from Jobs friends in this story? 

Endlessly pontificating about what God is like, why He does what he does. Sharing through a narrow filter of our own experiences as though they are the only experiences worth considering?

When someone goes through a tragedy like Job, what is it that they really need?

Rationalising and Pontificating?

Bible lecture by way of quoting bible verse ?

Or maybe simple company, care and prayer?

I would argue the later.

In another book in the New Testament it simply states that what is recorded in the Old Testament, where we find the book of Job, well it is there in part of teach us, so we can learn from their experience.

Maybe you are going through a “Job type season” and struggling with the pain and wrestling with your thoughts. And maybe you have become tired and even a little cynical with all the so called well meaning ideas shared by those around you?

My hope you is that find the right friends, more than just mere acquaintances, who will simple sit with you and give you company, show you care and other you prayer. Those who would be willing to simply minister to you without some pathological need to fix you or your situation.

And my final hope, my final encouragement is to hold in to the hope you have. No matter how challenged it my feel or strained it has become due to your circumstances.

Job’s story finishes with God doing abundantly more than he could ever hope, dream or even imagine, along with not discounting the pain he experienced.

May you experience this same change in due season. 

May you experience God coming through in a supernatural way.

And may the God of all hope fill you with all joy and peace you trust in Him. Romans 15:13 NIV

Something to think about…

Stump

Outside my previous office was a stump.

Not of my making. And I guess the tree didn’t have much say in it either…
But a stump none the less.

It looks pretty typical for a tree stump.
Horizontally cut pretty close to the ground.
You can only guess what that tree was like…

A stump is kind of sad really.
A memorial to a life that was there and is now gone.

Here’s the thing. It appears that after all that it is not as dead as I first thought.
Its exisitence while looking bleak, has a glimmer of hope it appears.
For out of this stump are some shoots.

Here’s what I think. 

And here is what I try and remind myself.
No matter how impossible it seems, life can return?

Do you feel like a stump.
Maybe life and what happened to you feels like it cut you off, maybe even in your prime.
Maybe someone or a group of someones cut you down, mulched you up and you have felt finished. Gone. Hopeless.
And yet deep down even among all the pain you have a slither of hope, a morsel of life, just looking for another shot.

If you feel like a stump first I want you to know that you are not alone.
And I want you to know that life can come again the worst of experiences.

Hang on to hope, even it if feels like a stump.

Something to think about…

The unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

I am a sucker for people’s stories told well.

And when I saw the short for the movie with the above name I was intrigued enough.
Not enough to see it when it was released in theatre, but enough for when it came recently to a streaming service.

For me it fitted in to the same story telling as other favourites of mine, like Mr Holland Opus and Forrest Gump. Because stories about other peoples lives can so powerful, they can inspire, they can trigger emotions. They seem to just draw me in, in ways others movies can’t.

The theme all the way through was pain.
Pain many carried and seemed to be unable to shake. 
They all struggled and seemed powerless to over some that pain.
Pain that reminded me of my own and the pain I have struggled to shake.

So through my leaking eyes I wanted to reflect when it finished because the story, the metaphor is so powerful. Every person portrayed had pain.
And every person dealt with it it seems the same way, by withdrawing from others.
And they couldn’t escape it.
It wasn’t working!

No amount of time or distraction was bringing them the hope and healing they wanted.
In the movie I believe in life…
We can carry pain.
And we need others to help us through.
Not to forget, but to loosen its hold on us.

The one thing you are desperately trying to avoid is maybe the one thing you need. 

Reaching out to someone or a small group of someone’s you can love and who can love you back. 

Just one person you can trust and open your heart to could be all you need to release your pain.

Something to think about…

I Quit - no really I did quit

Late last year I quit!

That's right I resigned a role and qualification I have had for some 17 years. 

Something I sacrificed to achieve for over a decade leading to achieving the goal.

Something I studied and prepared for, for some decades.\

This decision process was something I literally agonised over for many months. 

In part because of my pride.

In part because of the price paid to get there.

And in huge part because it had a nagging tinge of defeat in my soul attached.

But here its the thing and few other things I have learned through this process...

Sometimes quitting is an act of cowardice.

And sometimes it is a show of bravery.

Not quitting is sometimes based on fear.

And other times quitting is a declaration of faith.

Here is another concept to consider...

It always looks different out the other side. Always!

Before making this decision, I didn't want to make it because I didn't know what the other side of it would feel like or look like? What the cost my be?

In hindsight it wasn't that bad. 

And actually my perspective has changed. 

Something I could see before the call being made.

No one wanted the make the decision for me!

You need to know in your own heart whether quitting is right.

Get advice. Meditate on the ramifications. Let your conscience help guide.

Before you quit...

Ask your own heart why you think you should.

Ask someone else who won't be guaranteed to just agree what they think.

Ask others who know you best.

Be honest and be brave.

Something to think about...