“Thou hast granted me life and favour, and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit.” (Job 10:12 AV)
It is amazing how many times Job utters statements of hope amid his despair, only to forget them as he continues his complaint. He makes this statement and doesn’t realize just how true it is. He is processing all that he has gone through. He is not suicidal, but he does wish he had never been born. He has almost given up and does not realize the reason he has not given up is stated above. It is God that is keeping him from the ultimate sinful decision. He speaks this truth and does not take the time to meditate upon it. God has preserved his life. God has given him friends and a wife. God will restore all that he has lost. There will be more cattle. There will be more camels. Others will come and work for him. God isn’t done with Job just yet. Even though his life as he knew it came to an end, God still loves him and desires to bless him. What Job needs to do is stop and think really hard about what the Spirit led him to say. His hope is in God. Not in an explanation.
I have been there. Once in my life, I suffered from deep depression. I didn’t want to live. I was willing myself to stop breathing. Too many losses and failures all came at the same time. I felt I could not continue one more moment. But God got me through it. I cannot remember those days of recovery. I cannot remember the steps that I took. All I knew was one bright sunny day, I saw the puffy white clouds and my destination any way I could get there. What should have been a beautiful day to me was a day of darkness and hopelessness. Then over the months that followed, slowly the LORD brought me out of it. Just as Job said, He preserved my spirit. It was low, no doubt. But it was not extinguished. It was empty, but it still remained. Over the months and years that followed, God became the light and life of my spirit. Not every day was a good day. Over the months and years that followed, there were more good days than bad days. Slowly and steadily, God was able to take my empty spirit, sustain it, and build it back.
What I am trying to say is if you are a saint who struggles with despondency, God can sustain your spirit. He can! I know He can! Our Father is far more capable of getting you through the deep waters than anyone else can. He can feed your spirit. He can heal your spirit. He can repair your spirit. He can grow your spirit. Like Elijah in the wilderness, God meets us where we are. He will sustain us with a trickle of water enough for the day. Ravens will bring bread from heaven a little at a time. Over the weeks, months, and years that follow, you will notice an upward trend. GOD DID IT! Job didn’t stay in the spirit which he expresses above. He came out of it because he realized as bad as his circumstances were, his friends had it a whole lot worse. Their remarks required sacrifice. Job offered sacrifice for his friends because sin lay at the door. Not Job! He never did sin with his lips. Even in his despair, he chose to trust God. This was his saving grace. God met him, strengthened him, and used him to help others. Listen, no matter how difficult life may get, God is always bigger. He will maintain your spirit if you yield to Him and allow Him to. Don’t give in to the despair that is around you. Sitting and listening to the Spirit is sufficient for the day. He will preserve you. I promise.
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