We’re reading through the book of Job. Yesterday we finished the story of what happened to Job. Today we start a long series of speeches. Job is the first one to talk.

1 After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day he was born. 2 Job spoke up and said:
3 “Let the day on which I was born perish,
and the night that said,
‘A man has been conceived!’
4 That day—let it be darkness;
let not God on high regard it,
nor let light shine on it!
5 Let darkness and the deepest shadow claim it;
let a cloud settle on it;
let whatever blackens the day terrify it.
6 That night—let darkness seize it;
let it not be included among the days of the year;
let it not enter among the number of the months!
7 Indeed, let that night be barren;
let no shout of joy penetrate it!
8 Let those who curse the day curse it—
those who are prepared to rouse Leviathan.
9 Let its morning stars be darkened;
let it wait for daylight but find none,
nor let it see the first rays of dawn,
10 because it did not shut the doors of my mother’s womb on me,
nor did it hide trouble from my eyes.

11 “Why did I not die at birth,
and why did I not expire
as I came out of the womb?
12 Why did the knees welcome me,
and why were there two breasts
that I might nurse at them?
13 For now I would be lying down
and would be quiet,
I would be asleep and then at peace
14 with kings and counselors of the earth
who built for themselves places now desolate,
15 or with princes who possessed gold,
who filled their palaces with silver.
16 Or why was I not buried
like a stillborn infant,
like infants who have never seen the light?
17 There the wicked cease from turmoil,
and there the weary are at rest.
18 There the prisoners relax together;
they do not hear the voice of the oppressor.
19 Small and great are there,
and the slave is free from his master.

20 “Why does God give light to one who is in misery,
and life to those whose soul is bitter,
21 to those who wait for death that does not come,
and search for it
more than for hidden treasures,
22 who rejoice even to jubilation,
and are exultant when they find the grave?
23 Why is light given to a man
whose way is hidden,
and whom God has hedged in?
24 For my sighing comes in place of my food,
and my groanings flow forth like water.
25 For the very thing I dreaded has happened to me,
and what I feared has come upon me.
26 I have no ease; I have no quietness;
I cannot rest; turmoil has come upon me.”

REFLECTIONS

I won’t always comment on the passage, but today I think it would be good to. Job chapter 3 is by far the darkest chapter in the book. But at the same time, it is a priceless treasure, because to every Christian believer who is suffering with depression and despair, here is a God-given assurance that your faith is real.

Job’s response to his suffering in chapters 1 and 2 was inspiring. But it might leave you thinking that if you’re a genuine Christian, no matter what you go through, it shouldn’t affect you. You should be able to say, “The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. May the name of the Lord be blessed” (1:21)—and carry on with stoic calm.

But Job’s genuine, persevering faith in God included chapter 3 as well! Genuine believers in Jesus may go through times of deep depression and despair – and not because of some hidden sin, not because their faith has failed. You don’t need to make your depression worse by feeling guilty for it. Job 3 assures you that your faith in God is real and precious, even if the only words you can find right now are “why, Lord?”

In fact, Jesus himself, when he was on the cross, cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34). The Bible tells us that Christians share in Christ’s sufferings (Romans 8:17). Perhaps believers who go through something like Job 3 are those who share most deeply and intimately in Christ’s suffering on the cross.

For those of us who aren’t at the very bottom just now, Romans 12:15 tells us to “weep with those who weep.” Pray for whoever you might be called to weep with at the moment—or just pray with your eyes on the cross of Jesus. And if you need to call one of the ministers or a close Christian friend, do that now.