Anguish and Affliction

“‘And now my soul is poured out within me; days of affliction have taken hold of me. The night racks my bones, and the pain that gnaws me takes no rest.'” Job 30:16-17 (ESV)

I don’t know how much more I can take. Have you ever said that? Have you ever felt that way? Job became weary from his arduous journey with adversity. His soul was now in anguish and his days of affliction had gained more ground. Job’s emotional stability had been capsized by the violent waves of pain. His image had been altered and his self-worth had been placed on the clearance rack. Job hit a low point.

Living in a world polluted by sin and infested with our fallen condition generates an environment far from paradise. We live on a broken planet that stems from the Fall of man. The earth is cursed and humanity combats the presence of sin, sickness, and sorrow. God redeems us from our sin and re-creates us to be like Christ so that we can be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. God allows us to remain on this broken planet to join Him in restoring fallen humanity. God entrusts us with the task of sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ. He is our hope, our peace, and our future.

God dispenses grace to match our need. When you spiral down into the depths of despair, God’s grace is distributed in proportion to your deficit. The Apostle Paul advanced through adversity by accessing the grace God supplied. “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Cor 12:9 ESV).

Riding HIS Wave,

Stephen Trammell
Lead Pastor
Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell