Humbly stubborn

Into each of our lives comes heartache, perhaps a rough blow to the soul. Mostly these heartaches pass, through a period of mourning, with hope in God and the restoring support of family and friends we get over it in time. Yet some along their journeys come across an unresolvable heartache, perhaps one or more debilitating events that seem so unfair, unbearable, and even unconsolable.

Job had more than a few of these blows. How did he respond after he had lost his home, wealth, and family? In his mourning he questioned why these things had happened, but from God there was no reply. Friends who came to console him, for days said nothing as they tried to comprehend the magnitude of Job's pain and loss. Only then they began to share their theories and advice...

There was much truth in what Job's well meaning friends said, though none of that advice applied to Job's situation. Job was seeking to find answers, find the truth behind his affliction. In the midst of his heartache, was he able to find the answers and purpose he so sought? Was he even capable of move on with his life until these issues were addressed?

Job sat in the dust. In deep depression and apathy he questioned the purpose of his life. In his pain he states that it would have been better if he were a stillborn, never too see life at all. Is this be the speech of a man with hope? Was he above his circumstances or did he succumb to his circumstances?

Job was humbled beyond what most of us would ever experience along our journey. Yet he was defiantly stubborn, not by waving his fist at God in his self righteousness, but by wresting with understanding and finding a purpose to his fate. Job was crying out for hope, which had been dashed in his life. A deeper heartache is hard to find.

In his wrestling did he resolve the critical 'why' question? Did he find new hope? Though God did eventually address him, all questions may have not been resolved. But one word from God, His address gave Job hope to move on. And as he did, his life was blessed again.

What are the struggles we wrestle with? Do we have a right to stubbornly seek an answer or resolution to our heartache? Or should we humbly accept our fate without resolution? Ignoring the pain and pulling ourselves up by our own bootstraps? Many ignore the pain, and march on as a good soldier in battle, which eventually can lead to a callused heart.

Every person needs resolution to heartache, and if needed to stubbornly seek it, for without resolution true hope cannot be restored. The resolution need not be an answer to our 'why' question, but an understanding of God's will and sovereignty within our pain. As with Job, we should never stop acknowledging who God is, but in humble stubbornness seek resolution to our heartache, which in turn can bring restoration of hope, regardless how painful the process may be.