Job 16:7-8

7 But now he hath made me weary [la'ah]: thou hast made desolate [shamem] all my company [`edah].

8 And thou hast filled me with wrinkles [qamat], which is a witness [`ed] against me: and my leanness [kachash] rising up [quwm] in me beareth witness [`anah] to my face [paniym]. KJV-Interlinear

7 'But now He has exhausted me; Thou hast laid waste all my company. 8 'And Thou hast shriveled me up, It has become a witness; And my leanness rises up against me, It testifies to my face. NASB

Here is the summary of Jobs physical condition we studied previously, from chapter two.

These are the symptoms of Job's affliction - inflamed, ulcerous sores (Job 2:7), itching (v. 8), degenerative changes in facial skin (vv. 7,12), loss of appetite (3:24), depression (3:24-25), loss of strength (6:11), worms in the boils (7:5), running sores (7:5), difficulty in breathing (9:18), darkness under the eyes (16:16), foul breath (19:17), loss of weight (19:20; 33:21), continual pain (30:17), restlessness (30:27), blackened skin (30:30), peeling skin (30:30), and fever (30:30).

Job has had this condition for quite some time. You recall that when his friends arrived, they all sat quietly for a week before this conversation began. And before that, his friends had to travel to Jobs home, and before that, they had to coordinate their visit with each other. They lived in three different directions from Jobs home. And before that, they had to hear of his affliction. And before that, Job had to be afflicted.

Since Jobs day was not one of cell phones, jets, and hybrid cars, all of this had to have taken some time. Therefore, Job was ill and suffering for quite some time before this conversation began.

He has lost weight and he is in the process of dwindling physically, right before the eyes of everyone.

Thus, Job is exhausted. His company is all but vanished before him. His company refers to the total environment surrounding him. That means his health, his business, his family, his friends, his status he enjoyed in the public view. All of this has vanished before him and it all came crashing down quickly.

This is the humbling power of God over humanity. No matter who you are. No matter what your talent or abilities. No matter what your titles, credentials, background, accomplishments, successes and such, your life exists courtesy of the grace of God, and for no other reason.

And so Job directs his comments to God, as his friends listen in. The credit goes to God and to God alone.

And Jobs obvious physical condition is a testimony to his helplessness.

If you have been around for a long time, then you no doubt have known someone who has gone rapidly downhill in their health or success. Surely you have seen or read examples of this in the movies, or in publications.

Through fault of their own or no fault of theirs, is irrelevant. Life is full of examples of mans helplessness.

This alone should drive people to some form of humility. But often a person has to actually suffer, before they get the point. All of us are at risk. None of us are immune to Gods power over our lives.

God has a plan for each of our lives. Often times, our plans, our desires, our dreams and hopes conflict with Gods ideas for our life. Those who fight to keep their own way, live a rough and disappointing life. Those who yield to Gods will, will discover a phenomenal life ahead of them. And by yielding, is meant, to study the Bible daily, to maintain your fellowship status, to learn, to apply what you learn to your daily life, and thus to grow up spiritually.

You still have to be responsible in life, to get an education, to get a job, to be charitable, to be accountable for all you think and do, to support the Word of God and so forth.

Yielding is not running off to a convent or monastery, running off to the mountains, copping out on society, becoming a hippy in other words, or pretending to be spiritual in public, praying to God for direction, when you are unable to make your own decisions.

Spiritual growth is a maturing process, setting you apart from this world spiritually, so you can stand on your own two feet in life. The spiritual life is not a crutch for excuses, nor is it an escape from responsibility.

The spiritual life is also a life of humility as opposed to arrogance. Jesus Christ controls history, not you.

He instructs, and we need to learn, rather than going through life whining and moaning and selfishly or belligerently complaining about anything or everything.

Set your personal plans aside, surrender to God through your spiritual life and His blessings will smother you in a good way. Fight God, and all you have, can be taken away in a heartbeat.

Whatever your plans are for your own life, Gods plans are better.

Now is the time to post a prayer.