“…days of suffering confront me.” Job 30:27b

With his mind now racing to find a reason for his suffering, Job shared his own personal song of sadness. In it, we find the assumptions of his worldview being turned upside down:

• Only the most depraved of mankind would kick a man when he’s down (v.24);

• Those who sympathize for the distressed and grieve for the poor should be given some recourse when trouble knocks upon their door (v.25).

In our day, we have recently seen the horror of a street person being set on fire by hoods whose lives are bent on meanness and destruction. The fires in California left Americans speechless, especially when we saw how one first-responder’s home was burned to the ground as he was seeking to save the homes of his community. These events mirror Job’s inner conflict between his worldview and reality.

Job’s inner conflict heightened as he described how he had hoped for good, only to be presented with evil; he had looked for light, only to be given darkness (v.26). These are presented poetically, of course, showing just how traumatized Job had been, not only by the catastrophes which had come, but also at the hands of his
own community! Look how he described it:

“The churning inside me never stops; days of suffering confront me. I go about blackened, but not by the sun; I stand up in the assembly and cry for help. I have become a brother of jackals, a companion of owls. My skin grows black and peels; my body burns with fever.” (vv. 27 – 30)

Much has been said of late about the reality and effects of PTSD. Job’s ‘symptoms’ seem to point to the likelihood of having developed such in his life. Physical manifestations which included: stomach churning that could have led to ulcers; terrible bruising from self-inflicted wounds as he mourned the loss of his children
(probably wishing he had been the one to die, and not them); and a weakened immune system leading to infection, causing fever.

The saddest part of Job’s soliloquy of sorrow is found in the absence of sympathy by his own community. He even stood before the assembly to cry for help and was given a deaf ear. Why? They all had the same world view: bad things only happen to bad people. Their world view led them to the same erroneous assumption as
Job’s visitors, that Job must have had some secret sin that led to God’s judgment upon his family and him. Although he had a track record of kindness and compassion, the community was so anchored in their tradition that they could not get past the conclusions of their worldview. We know this is not the case, for Job was being touted as one in whom God found great delight.

The grief of Job’s heart was further mirrored in the last line of his sad song:

“My harp is tuned to mourning, and my flute to the sound of wailing.” (v.31)

The two instruments Job used to convey his sadness are usually sounds of comfort and hope. The harp is often portrayed as a heavenly accompaniment to the joyful sounds of those gathered around Heaven’s throne. The flute is usually scored for soothing melodies which may soar to heights of gladness. When one thinks of mourning and wailing, the first instrument that may come to mind is the heart-gripping sound of the oboe. Of course, wailing could be musically expressed through the trombone as well. The poetic purpose behind Job’s instrument selection may reflect just how bad things had gotten – that even instruments tooled for sounds of joy could only produce the notes of one in mourning.

Every soul is designed by God with the heavenly purpose to bring glory and honor to Him. When our minds and hearts are out of tune, we are like the harp and flute that are incapable of producing sweet soothing sounds of comfort and joy. One’s psychological health can be a strong influence upon one’s physical health. As children of God, we should trust in God’s plan, knowing He is the glory and the lifter of our head… yes, the bad times will pass. I hope none who read this will ever be counted among the crowd that would turn a cold shoulder to one who is truly in desperate need.

As I write this, America is in the grips of a national emergency, facing the pandemic threat of COVID-19. Thousands around the world have died from the effects of this virus. In the months to come, there may be many that will need material and emotional assistance. Will Christians rise to the occasion for the God
appointments to come? Decide today to be the only Jesus some will ever see.

Have a blessed day…