Job 3-4
This passage explores suffering and the meaning of life. Job is in profound agony and wishes to end it all. Job’s friend reminds him that there is a reason for his life and that he should continue to trust in God. This verse should be read with Genesis 14-15.
Summary
Job curses the day he was born. He is in so much pain that he wishes that he were dead. Job wishes he died in his mother’s womb before he was even born. Job asks why life is given to people who are in misery and are unhappy. Job exclaims that he is in so much misery and pain that he cannot find peace.
Eliphaz, one of the three friends that stayed with him, reminds Job that he has comforted many people who needed words of wisdom. Job has supported others when they needed it. Eliphaz states that Job should continue to trust in God because he is innocent and honest people never die. Those who are evil are not strong enough to withstand God’s consequences, and they will perish without wisdom.
Sidebar
Oh Job! He is suffering so immensely that he wishes for death. Poor health could be considered the ultimate suffering. I hate to think of anyone feeling so low that they wished for death, but many of us have been touched with this notion, whether it be someone we care about or ourselves. The current emphasis on mental health today is key. We learned in Genesis 4 that God wants us to get our mind right. Although it is so difficult when enduring immense suffering, we must always try. We must continue to have faith in God.
Eliphaz reminds Job that he is alive for a reason. Job has been there for others, so if he died in the womb, where would they be now? In the book the five people you meet in heaven, Eddie is distraught at the end of his life because he felt as though it amounted to nothing. The five people he meets in heaven reveal that we are all connected, and we all have a purpose in life. We are here for a reason, so rather than wish for death even when times are difficult, trust in God that our life has purpose.
Job’s friend Eliphaz also states that if you are innocent, you have nothing to fear from God. I want to reiterate the message from Job 1-2: Suffering is a tool to help contribute to a more meaningful life and enlighten us. Eliphaz says that the evil will perish without wisdom. Perhaps the good people who suffer are learning how to be even better to continue to live in God’s domain.
Intention
If you are feeling depressed, acknowledge that it’s okay to not feel okay in that moment. Try talking to someone you trust and/or a therapist. Exercising, even walking, can lead to a better mind frame. Try eating well and avoid alcohol and drugs. Meditate. Pray to God. Have faith that your life is meaningful.
