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Job 30:20-31 – Praying through the Bible #165 – A Prayer of Felt Betrayal
Silence. A silent stare. A turned back. Aggression. Resignation. Contempt. Confusion. Disappointment. Restlessness. Disease. Ignored. Cast out. Which of these hurts the most? The answer might depend upon the definition and direction of hurt.
Job is praying. Again. “Again” is painful knowing that if he had been answered the first, second, third, fourth, or fifth time, Job could accept, if not be satisfied. Why doesn’t God just say something!? Jesus prayed thrice, accepting the silence as no. Paul prayed three times, receiving a verbal answer, “my grace is sufficient for you;” so he too ceased praying. Job keeps praying, and keeps getting no answer. Notice the progression:
- Silence – “I cry out to You for help, but You do not answer me” (Job 30.20a).
- A Silent Stare – “when I stand up, You merely look at me” (30.20b).
- A turned back – “You have turned against me with cruelty” (30.21a).
- Aggression – “You harass me with Your strong hand. You lift me up on the wind and make me ride it; You scatter me in the storm” (21b-22).
- Resignation – “Yes, I know that You will lead me to death — the place appointed for all who live” (30.23).
- Contempt – “Yet no one would stretch out his hand against a ruined man when he cries out to him for help because of his distress” (30.24).
- Confusion – “Have I not wept for those who have fallen on hard times? Has my soul not grieved for the needy?” (30.25).
- Disappointment – “But when I hoped for good, evil came; when I looked for light, darkness came” (30.26).
- Restlessness – “I am churning within and cannot rest; days of suffering confront me” (30.27).
- Disease – “I walk about blackened, but not by the sun;” “My skin blackens and flakes off, and my bones burn with fever” (30.28,30).
- Ignored – “I stood in the assembly and cried out for help” (30.28).
- Cast out – “I have become a brother to jackals and a companion of ostriches” (30.29).
- Depression – “My lyre is used for mourning and my flute for the sound of weeping” (30.30).
Which hurts the most is, none of the above. The deepest hurt is perceiving all these are caused by someone loved and trusted for no cause. Betrayal might be the most painful experience a human can endure. Sadly, God suffers it daily. Don’t betray God falsely thinking He has betrayed you.
Prayer Challenge: As with Job, there is much we don’t understand. So pray that understanding will not be your consolation; but rather God will be glorified.
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