WHERE THERE S ' A WILL THERE ' S A WAY •••
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Stress touches my heart
READ : Job 3:1 tot 26
REV . CAREL BOTMA
IS IT POSSIBLE TO REACH A POINT IN YOUR LIFE WHERE YOU CURSE THE DAY ON WHICH YOU WERE BORN BECAUSE YOUR LIFE HAS BECOME SO UNBEARABLE ?
Let ’ s start by saying that this actually happened - in the life of Job : “ My life disgusts me - I hate my life so much it makes me want to vomit .” This is what Job ’ s words mean when translated directly from Hebrew .
The reason for the above is the terrible losses which Job suffered . If your local newspaper had to write about it , the headlines would probably be the following : “ Esteemed farmer loses everything ”, or “ Successful businessman in ruins ”. The article would expand on the marauding raids on his farm , livestock and herders killed by lightning and the tragic death of his whole family in one house . The whole town would be astounded by such an article and would talk about it for weeks . As if this is not enough , a new article appears a few weeks later - about the same man .
This time his health is failing . He has not only lost everything he ever owned , but his whole body was now covered in painful sores . He is now sitting on the rubbish dump , scratching his sores with shards from broken pots . “ Why is light given to those in misery , and life to the bitter of soul , to those who long for death that does not come ?” ( Job 3:20 ). So much misery that a person curses the day on which he was born ?
I am sure that many of us will understand what Job is saying - people holding a job which is always exposed to a variety of potential losses of what we have . In fact , no one can depend on stability these days and we are all very vulnerable , irrespective of our professions . Anything can happen with our resources at any given time . A sword of Damocles hangs over your head , which could change your life irrevocably at any time . It would be understandable to wonder why God placed you in your profession or your walk of life if your life is just trouble , misery , uncertainty and fear - so much so that life disgusts you !
The question is : How does it happen that , despite traumatic losses , a person ends up on an emotional rubbish dump with Job ? It is difficult to make it applicable to Job ' s situation . However , from a psychological point of view , it can be explained .
Keep a lookout for the aswer to the above in the next edition .
SENWES Scenario • OCT / NOV 2016 53