There's a huge difference between Job's initial response to suffering and his response a few weeks later. Immediately after his wealth was stripped from him, his 10 children killed, and his health broken, Job expressed his complete faith in God. "the Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised" (Job 1:21).

What an inspirational response! Anyone reading the first chapter would have to conclude, "That's a great man of faith." Job handled it well.

But several weeks later, Job's attitude wasn't as upbeat; his faith wasn't as evident. He begrudged the day he was born. He was so miserable he wished God would take his life. "Oh … tha God would be willing to crush me, to let loose his hand and cut me off!" (6:8-9).

Job was fighting despair, and we can understand why. His pain was unbearable. His friends were undependable. His God seemed illogical and unresponsive. Job complained, "This doesn't make sense—I have been faithful. I don't understand why god is punishing me!"

I once received a deep bruise in an automobile accident. A year later that spot on my forehead was still tender to the touch. It took almost two years for me to completely recover. Job discovered that deep emotional wounds also take a long time to heal. Job's pain was ongoing. His wealth wasn't restored in a week. His health didn't return after a few days. His grief wasn't over in a month or a year. And he didn't seem to be getting any better. It hurt just as much weeks later as it did initially—maybe it hurt more.

He said in chapter seven, "I have been allotted months of futility, and nights of misery have been assigned to me" (verse 3). "My eyes will never see happiness again" (verse 7). Job was in a frustrating, lonely, depressing situation—one Jill Briscoe calls "God's waiting room."

Some of you reading this article can identify with Job's experience. When tragedy first struck, you were determined to be a positive witness for Christ. You knew trouble came to Christians and you reacted in faith. You said the right things about how you were trusting God and God was lifting you up. And he was. People complimented you on your inspirational faith.

But now months have gone by and you're a little embarrassed to admit some of the doubts you've had and some of the bitterness you've felt. Your friends think you handled it well and that it is over for you. In fact they've forgotten about it and you resent the fact that they seem so happy and don't even notice that you still hurt.

Job's honest expression should be a source of comfort for you. Here is the man God singled out as the paragon of virtue, but following his initial spiritual adrenaline rush, he experienced dark moods and battled ongoing depression. He expressed complaints; he argued with his friends. He was frustrated about the injustice of it all.

There is comfort in knowing you are not alone. Remember, you are encompassed about by a great cloud of witnesses who went through the same dark tunnel and emerged victorious on the other side. You can too if, like Job, you will hold onto your faith and determine not to grow weary in doing good. Ray Edmonds wrote, "Don't doubt in the dark what God has told you in the light."

Copyright 2004 by Bob Russell.  No material from Bob Russell may be copied, reproduced, republished, uploaded, posted, transmitted, or distributed in any way, except that you may print or download one copy of the material for your personal, noncommercial home use only, provided that 1) you retain all copyright, trademark and propriety notices, 2) you make no modifications to the materials. For any uses other than this, written permission is required. (Southeast Christian Church; c/o Preaching Office Manager; 920 Blankenbaker Pkwy., Louisville, KY 40243. Additional books and materials are available through The Living Word Ministry  www.livingword.org.

This article first appeared in The Lookout, Nov. 7, 2004