Job 6:8-11 -- On Hopelessness and Happy Endings

"Oh that I might have my request; and that God would grant me the thing that I long for!
Even that it would please God to destroy me; that he would let loose his hand, and cut me off!
Then should I yet have comfort; yea, I would harden myself in sorrow: let him not spare; for I have not concealed the words of the Holy One.
What is my strength, that I should hope? and what is mine end, that I should prolong my life?"
Job 6:8-11


This is interesting, because it seems to show a little bit of the type of thinking that we all engage in from time to time, swallowed up in our own sorrow.  Even if we don't all long for destruction, I think we can all relate to Job, and understand what it is to feel out of control and hopeless.

The thing is, the story of Job is the story of us all.  We all lose things that matter greatly to us as Job did, and we have to suffer through pain and trials as he did.  The Lord isn't going to protect us from experience and sorrow, because we need to learn the things in the world and in our lives.

The glorious and hopeful part of all of this is that the END of the story of Job is also our story.  Job didn't see the future when he was praying for destruction, and so he couldn't know for sure that God was going to make everything right--but God did.  And even though we can't know for sure that God is going to make everything right for us--God will.

The key is faith.  We have to trust that God loves us just as much as he loved Job... and that after our trials come infinite blessings, so large that they drown out all sorrow.  That is definitely what happens at the end of our story.  Today, let's take God's hand and walk with him, trusting in that last page and the happy ending to come. :)