To Those Who Are Depressed.

If you are depressed. If you are struggling. If you are in pain. If you are in a situation and you have no assurance that tomorrow the sun could rise again, read the following passage, in it’s entirety, knowing that these are words of God in response to a man who has endured more than most have in the history of the Earth.

⁴ Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.

⁵ Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?

⁶ Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;

⁷ When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

⁸ Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb?

⁹ When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddlingband for it,

¹⁰ And brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors,

¹¹ And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed?

¹² Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; and caused the dayspring to know his place;

¹³ That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it?

¹⁴ It is turned as clay to the seal; and they stand as a garment.

¹⁵ And from the wicked their light is withholden, and the high arm shall be broken.

¹⁶ Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? or hast thou walked in the search of the depth?

¹⁷ Have the gates of death been opened unto thee? or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death?

¹⁸ Hast thou perceived the breadth of the earth? declare if thou knowest it all.

¹⁹ Where is the way where light dwelleth? and as for darkness, where is the place thereof,

²⁰ That thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof, and that thou shouldest know the paths to the house thereof?

²¹ Knowest thou it, because thou wast then born? or because the number of thy days is great?

²² Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail,

²³ Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?

²⁴ By what way is the light parted, which scattereth the east wind upon the earth?

²⁵ Who hath divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the lightning of thunder;

²⁶ To cause it to rain on the earth, where no man is; on the wilderness, wherein there is no man;

²⁷ To satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth?

²⁸ Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of dew?

²⁹ Out of whose womb came the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven, who hath gendered it?

³⁰ The waters are hid as with a stone, and the face of the deep is frozen.

³¹ Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?

³² Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons?

³³ Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth?

³⁴ Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee?

³⁵ Canst thou send lightnings, that they may go and say unto thee, Here we are?

³⁶ Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the heart?

³⁷ Who can number the clouds in wisdom? or who can stay the bottles of heaven,

³⁸ When the dust groweth into hardness, and the clods cleave fast together?

³⁹ Wilt thou hunt the prey for the lion? or fill the appetite of the young lions,

⁴⁰ When they couch in their dens, and abide in the covert to lie in wait?

⁴¹ Who provideth for the raven his food? when his young ones cry unto God, they wander for lack of meat.

Job character profile:

• Wealthy and righteous man; under assault by Satan in an attempt to get him to curse God
• God knew Job as blameless and allowed the course to move forward
• Through it all, Job:
  • Lost his wealth
  • His children
  • His servants
  • And developed a sickness
    • It was so horrendous, it made him wish to die from birth (Job 3:11).
• Job was done evil by nature, people, and physical ailments yet… He kept his integrity and refused to curse God.

We find in Job 38 a climax, where God responds with assurance of who He is and all that is held together by His hand. This entire monologue seems to be crowned with the question, “Where were you?”

Often, we find ourselves in the reverse, asking the God of the Universe, “where were you when…”, instead of “God, where was I?” God does not ignore trouble, He works despite the darkness of the world.

In your moments of frailty, know that God is past, God is there, and God is waiting in the future for you with a brilliant inheritance and purpose for those who believe. Have faith and know that His grace is sufficient for the moments of infirmity (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Be still and know that He is God (Psalm 46:10).

God bless!