Job 17:1
“My spirit is broken, My days are extinguished, The grave is ready for me.”
It is often difficult to watch someone whose spirit is broken. They had once been so full of life but now seem to be a shell of their former self. They lack enthusiasm, vision, and the will to press forward. As difficult as it may have been to watch Job in this condition, as a reader we can certainly understand why he felt this way. His circumstances had crushed his spirit and brought him to a place where life seemed hopeless.
We live in a throw away world. Once something breaks the tendency is to toss it aside and search for a new and improved model. God on the other hand views things differently. He does not see something that is broken as disposable but as redeemable. In fact, when God is searching for someone to use, He looks first in the broken pile. The psalmist wrote;
Psalms 34:18 “The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit.”
Psalms 51:17 “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart— These, O God, You will not despise.”
When we stand back and view Job from a distance, we realize God allowed great difficulties into His life; partly for the purpose of breaking Job, so He could later accomplish even greater works through his life. While none of us relish the idea of hardship or pain, it is valuable to realize that God wants to meet us in, and transform us through our brokenness. Whatever struggle you might be currently facing, whether it is physical, emotional, or relational, understand that God is using this to work in you. He wants to allow the brokenness to get your eyes on Him so He can meet you in your struggle and transform your character.
Pastor Jim
We have all had experiences that have saddened us. Sometimes the word ‘sad’ is too shallow to describe what we are feeling, we might say we are sorrowful or even consumed with grief. When a relationship comes to an end or someone we love dies, the sadness is often so deep it becomes difficult to manage.
To say that Naomi had been through some difficult times is a colossal understatement. Because of a severe famine throughout Israel, she and Elimelech made the difficult decision to leave their homeland, family and friends, in search of a better life. The road that promised a better life actually led to heartache. Naomi watched as her husband died, and shortly thereafter, each of her two sons died. Widowed, heartbroken and left with nothing, she decided to make her way back to Israel. After such grievous trials, it would be easy to concede, this was the end for her.
Among many of the pagan cultures, it was a common practice to cut yourself as a sign of mourning for the loss of a loved one. This practice served to show others the deep sorrow you were experiencing, as a result of your loss. Moses makes it clear, the children of God are NOT to follow this custom. The reason behind this command was that the child of God is not to mourn like the heathen mourn. Years later, Paul wrote to a group of Christians in Greece, who were dealing with the difficulty of death. He said,
While I do not want to tackle the subject of the eternal destiny of Judas, I do see in him an illustration of how the Christian often deals with personal failure or sin. After the initial pleasure received from sin, we are filled with remorse or guilt. That guilt can become overwhelming and lead to discouragement, depression, and even despair. Too often, we follow the example of Judas, attempting to remove our guilt.
Since the incarnation, this is all the more true. He has seen oppression with the eyes of man. He watched the brutal way in which men oppressed men. He saw tax collectors steal from men, to support their sinful lifestyles, soldiers abuse their authority, instilling fear in the people, and religious leaders manipulate the people, to gain power over their lives and attain positions of prominence.
Solomon is contrasting the physical effects of joy and sorrow. He explains that joy is like a medicine to the body, actually providing a healing element, while deep sorrow can negatively effect our health. Solomon is making this observation, not as a medical professional, but from watching others, as well as from his own personal experience. He came to realize that a joyful heart is much healthier and more productive than a broken one. I think we would all agree. If we had to choose, we would rather be merry than broken. The question is, “How do we avoid a broken spirit and gain a merry heart?”
Jim Gallagher 