Explain Your Defense

 

    When you have to defend yourself, it is good to have your case laid out in an organized fashion and not a rant.  If you have time to prepare, then write out all your points on paper and get organized, like for court.  However, real life experiences rarely give you that kind of opportunity.  You have to keep your wits and think on your feet.  Don't let your passion get the best of you, but lay out your points of defense and why it is important to you.

    Job had suffered in ways that most people could not imagine.  His friends came and showed compassion, but now the compassion was gone and it was getting ugly.  They were more or less trying to be polite in telling him that he got what he deserved.  

    Now Job was angry.  He had tried to explain his feelings and they only heard parts of it before coming at him for what they believed as him speaking against God.  It shows that God sees the heart and people can only see the surface or just beneath the surface.  We will never have an in depth perspective.  We sometimes struggle just understanding ourselves, let alone other people.

    Job had just wanted to be heard.  He did not want his friends to fix things and he certainly did not expect their reaction.  Now he was really letting loose because it is hard when it seems like the universe is against you.  He told them that they had a false idea of who God is.  The perspective of who God is can be distorted when a person is in pain.

    Job was letting his bitterness affect his defense where he could not see past his pain.  His thoughts had gone to the fact that God was enjoying his misery.  He knew that God created him, but he did not know his purpose.  He could not see past his affliction and all he wanted was death because it had to be better than his existence.  He was starting to believe that death was just nothingness and that sounded nice.

    When a person is in despair it is normal to wish the person was never born.  Suicidal thoughts may appear, but it does not mean that they would actually do it.  It is a condition that needs to be taken seriously by the person and those around them, but not to the point that it would tip the person over the edge.  The person needs time and people to help them find hope.  

Job 10