By David ReayTuesday 14 Jun 2016LifeWords DevotionalsFaithReading Time: 0 minutes
Transcript:
Read Job 5:6-7
6 But evil does not spring from the soil,
and trouble does not sprout from the earth.
7 People are born for trouble
as readily as sparks fly up from a fire. (NLT)
This seems like a pretty pessimistic statement from one of Job’s friends. He is saying that trouble is part and parcel of being human. In its context, he may be implying Job’s troubles come from his own wrongdoing—a suggestion God himself refutes later on.
But it is undoubtedly true that troubles are part of life. And so it is true that worry is part of life. What seems to happen to those who worry most is that there has always got to be something to worry about. One threat is removed and another replaces it. One anxious prayer is answered and another anxious prayer is uttered.
It seems we are born not only for trouble but for worry. For many of us, there a number of sources of anxiety. So a totally anxiety-free period is impossible. One issue is dealt with, another arises. This can be so because life is complex, and usually problems have various layers and are not dealt with simply. It can also be so because we are predisposed to worry. If we don’t have anything to worry about we feel naked and ignorant.
It is good to remember that the God who delivered us from one threat can deliver us from another one. It is good to remember that while Jesus promised that his followers would have trouble, he also promised them joy and his constant presence. We have no need to worry about that.
Blessings
David Reay