Since our last big question, Job’s friends have heard of the tragedy (2.11), and have come to provide comfort through their presence (2.13). This is so important when people are suffering; just be there.
Don’t worry about having profound insights to share, just be there.
Don’t try to throw a Bible verse at them to fix everything, just be there with them in their grief.
As we move into chapter 3, Job starts a lament and brings up today’s big question – why go on?
“Why is light given to him who is in misery,
and life to the bitter in soul,
who long for death, but it comes not,
and dig for it more than for hidden treasures,
who rejoice exceedingly
and are glad when they find the grave?
Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden,
whom God has hedged in?Job 3.20-23
When he says ‘why is light given‘, he is simply asking ‘why go on‘? Why do my eyes still open? Why am I still living? Why, when I am so miserable, and my life is so bitter, should I go on? Why should I go on when I feel so hedged in, so constricted, when death seems like a better option? Job isn’t, so I read, seriously thinking about committing suicide, simply pouring out his deep and raw emotions (EnduringWord).
Friends – taking your own life is never the answer.
We see in Revelation 9.6 that things will get so bad during the last days that people will seek death. This has to be right up there with the Devil’s greatest lies – death will be a sweet release and you will go to a better place. This is a plague of demonic deception on our world – kill yourself and it will all be better. Job is not seriously considering this (1.8), but sadly many do, and many see it through.
So, why go on?
First, the idea that your life is worthless is a lie. You are made in the image of God (Genesis 1.27), and this means your life has inherent and intrinsic value. Simply being alive is evidence that you matter, that you have worth, and that you should be alive. There are no mistakes made by the Lord, you are no accident.
Second, you are loved. You are known, loved, and valued by the creator of heaven and earth. You are so loved that He personally took action to reveal Himself to you so that you can begin to seek Him and pursue relationship with Him, and He went even further and opened the door to that relationship by sending Jesus.
Light is given, you are alive for this very purpose – to know of, to grow in relationship with, and to be loved by God. Feeling strong emotions is ok (3.24-26), expressing them is ok, talking about them is ok.
It’s ok to not be ok.
Talk to someone about how you feel.
Reach out to someone about not being ok.
If this is how you feel, this will never change the truth that you are loved, that you matter, that your life has value and worth and dignity, and that Jesus died for you. That is why we go on.
James Travis 