The Fall of the Hurdle-Jumper–Job 17:11

Today’s Scripture Reading: Job 15:1-18:21

My days are over. My hopes have disappeared. My heart’s desires are broken. –Job 17:11

I can’t imagine the depth of despair Job felt when he spoke these words.  It’s easy to read Job’s story and move through his losses as if it’s some Hollywood movie.

Friends, this really happened.

Stop for a minute and put  yourself in Job’s shoes.

What would you have done?

What if…

• All your children were dead
• All of your servants were dead
• All of your animals were dead
• All of your food was gone
• All of your property was destroyed

Most of my life I naïvely thought seasons of depression, despair, and hopelessness could be avoided by Christian disciplines (prayer, Bible study, worship) and continual attitude adjustments. (Sounds like Job’s friends. Huh?)

Until…

Everything came crashing down.  I called it the fall of the hurdle-jumper.

As long is there’s enough space between the hurdles to recover, a hurdle jumper can go long distances, but let someone come and place all the hurdles side by side and even the best hurdle jumper will come crashing down.

That’s what happened to me.

In just about every area of my life I experienced a major loss: marriage, home, church, career, car, a great friend, and my Dad–all in a matter of a couple of years.

I said with Job, My days are over. My hopes have disappeared. My heart’s desires are broken. –Job 17:11

This strong “hurdle-jumper” came tumbling to the ground and my misconceptions about depression fell as well. I needed a healing of this mental cancer that had zapped the life and joy out of me.  “I” couldn’t fix me.

That was seventeen years ago.  Through the grace of God, His healing power, and a good medical doctor I made it through that dark time. I’m so thankful for the lessons I learned.  I didn’t realize it at the time but at my lowest God was the closest. As I look back I see those as special times.

Today I vividly understand the power that hope plays in our lives. God is the giver of hope and just like Job we can be sitting in a pile of rubble scraping our wounds, thinking hope is gone forever, while our Heavenly Father is continually saying “Don’t loose hope.  Some things just take a little time.  You’ll understand when You see me face to face. For now just keep your hope in Me!”

And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you. –Psalm 39:7

Heavenly Father, we need Your hope today.  I pray for my friends who feel the way I did years ago, hopeless and depressed.  Touch them through your supernatural power and send the gift of hope their way.

Jesus, remind us of the needs of the hurting.  Show us who we need to call, write, or visit.  Use us as delivery agents of hope today.

In Your Name we pray.  Amen and Amen!

©2013, Dianne Guthmuller

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Job 19:1-21:34