Buried Treasure

I was reading the book of Job today and I found this very interesting, encouraging passage right in the middle of a rant.

Job 10:10 "You guided my conception and formed me in the womb. 11 You clothed me with skin and flesh,and you knit my bones and sinews together. 12 You gave me life and showed me your unfailing love. My life was preserved by your care."

Wow! What an awesome moment of encouragement. This is the kind of stuff you send to someone when they are feeling really down and discouraged. It's so uplifting! But if you read the surrounding verses you'll quickly realize Job was not in a happy mood when he wrote this. He surrounds these verses with phrases like, "I am disgusted with my life. Let me complain freely." and "even if I’m innocent, I can’t hold my head high,
because I am filled with shame and misery."

So this got me thinking, if Job is so distraught how can he say such uplifting things? Then it hit me. Truth is truth regardless of what mental state I am in. Even when I am depressed I can still know truth and declare it. Even when I am confused truth stands out in my thoughts. The truth that comes from a relationship with Christ sinks deep into our spirit. It cannot be dried up. It sits murmuring and moving, churning and rolling, even in our weakest times.

Chapter 10 of Job is proof of this. So the next time you find yourself wallowing in self pity, quiet yourself and try listening to the truth. It's there even if you refuse to believe it at the moment. Find encouragement in people around you but also look deep inside at the things you know to be true. The well of Christ in your life is not too shallow to sustain you through your darkest times. In fact it is deep and wide, deep and wide, there's a fountain flowing deep and wide.