19 I should have been as though I had not
been; I should have been carried from the womb to the grave. 20 Are
not my days few? cease then, and let me alone, that I may take comfort
a little, 21 Before I go whence I shall not return, even to
the land of darkness and the shadow of death; -Job 10:19-21 (KJV)
Try to imagine a level of discouragement and despair
so severe that the comforting presence of God begins to feel more like
oppression than blessing. This is where we find Job of the Old
Testament as he poured out his heart to God and made known his complaint.
In his frustration, Job asked God to turn away and leave him alone so
he could enjoy a little peace before he died. Wow, it is hard
to comprehend a follower of God reaching such depths of misery.
God’s Word shows us this stark picture of despair so we might better
understand how down and out people can become when the trials of life
are overwhelming them.
Perhaps you have felt discouragement to the point
of becoming angry with God. You may not have asked God to leave
you alone as Job did, but you felt upset and bitter with the circumstances
of life. Such overwhelming feelings can come upon us as the result
of the stresses we so often face. Rather than become bitter as
Job did (he later resolved his feelings), try instead to see the greater
picture of God’s plan. It is true we do endure trials and suffering
in life. However, we have the comforting presence of God and the
power of His Spirit to guide and help us through. Push through
it, my friends, and do not give up.
In essence, this is what Job did; he pushed through
it. At 52, I have become keenly aware of the need to stay physically
fit and doing so requires discipline and commitment. Many days
when I am working out, I recall the advice of my son, who is a health
enthusiast, about pushing through. He contends that during a workout,
when you feel you have gone as far as you can go, you must experience
the power of pushing through. This is where your body is telling
you that you cannot do any more repetitions of a certain exercise.
However, rather than give up, you push through it and continue.
Pushing through is not to be confused with overdoing it, which is inadvisable.
Instead, it is about finding the strength to do what you were certain
you could not have accomplished.*
There will be times in our lives as we seek to grow
in Christ where we feel we have gone as far as we can go. Christ
compels us to push through to the deeper walk with Him. The typical
scenario of spiritual growth is holding to our faith in the hard times
of life and yes, you guessed it, pushing through with God’s help.
Keep going, keep your faith, be strong in the Lord
and by the power of Jesus Christ push through to that higher, nobler
plane where we walk with God in victory.
God bless you today.
*Be sure to check with your doctor before beginning any new exercise routine.
