Breaking Point

Deborah
Apr 14
4 min read

Series Rest/Restore

Job 9:17-19

Breaking Point

Job 9:17-19 ESV; MSG

As we read the scripture from Job we get the idea Job is not having a good day. We’ve all been there where life is too much to handle and we don’t know how to survive.

Studies show every person comes to their breaking point and they don’t know what to do. In this account in Job we see be his response that Job sees God as his adversary. Job has lost his physical health because of painful sores all over his body, he lost his children, he lost his wealth, and with that he lost his place in society.

In Job 9:17-19 he tells us,“For he crushes me with a tempest and multiplies my wounds without cause; he will not let me get my breath, but fills me with bitterness. If it is a contest of strength, behold, he is mighty! If it is a matter of justice, who can summon him?”

Job is definitely at his low point in life.

Today some psychologists call it our breaking point. Several years ago I came to my breaking point where I was Job. I had pretty much lost everything I’d known.

I understood how Job felt.

I prayed but I wasn’t sure God was listening. Job felt like he had been crushed for no reason.

In the Message it’s clear that Job feels like he has no recourse.

The text in Job 9:17-19 says, ““So how could I ever argue with him, construct a defense that would influence God? Even though I’m innocent I could never prove it; I can only throw myself on the Judge’s mercy. If I called on God and he himself answered me, then, and only then, would I believe that he’d heard me. As it is, he knocks me about from pillar to post, beating me up, black-and-blue, for no good reason. He won’t even let me catch my breath, piles bitterness upon bitterness. If it’s a question of who’s stronger, he wins, hands down! If it’s a question of justice, who’ll serve him the subpoena? Even though innocent, anything I say incriminates me; blameless as I am, my defense just makes me sound worse.”

A modern term is cumulative adversity. It is a difficult time. Losing everything is frightening.

But what Job was too low to see at the time is that he really had not lost everything.

He was not completely alone.

The real point was that while he had suffered many many losses, the one element he still had was God. Job felt like God had forsaken him, but there is another perspective.

Job still had God.

In that moment in time when believers face many losses often there are spiritual blessings that remain. We might not have thought about the spiritual blessings because we have been focused on the physical blessings.

When we come to a point where it’s just ‘us and God’, we can begin to see God has new blessings in store for us.

And so it was with Job. He did need to grieve the losses, but when the grieving was over and Job sat with God, he was given the greatest blessing there is…God’s love for us is more bless-ed than possessions or even good health.

In the end God opened new doors for Job. God opened new doors for me. I would not have seen that door before God cleared the space in my life.

Ultimately the Apostle Paul is right when he wrote in Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

Job’s new life God gave him was even better than it was before! And so was mine!

Deborah/acrazyjourney.com

Spiritual Practice:

Practice Trusting God. Tell God words of trust.