Job 16:7

Surely now God has worn me out,

   You have made desolate my company.

 

On of my client’s clients thought they had an urgent issue. Turns out they just had to change a decision. Again. It’s been rattling around since April, so it’s funny how long it has taken to get a final decision. And how much more work will be required in short order.

‘God’ was also ‘He’ and ’it’. Not sure that is proper at all. ‘Worn me out’ was also ‘made we weary or helpless’. Helpless was our original state, so that did not fit.

‘You’ was also ‘He’ and the once correct ‘Thou’. I learned we allowed thou to drop from our language due to the French, and now we have no plural since ‘you’ was the plural and thou was the singular. ‘Made desolate’ was also ‘destroyed’, ‘devastated’, ‘wiped out’, and ‘laid waste to’. ‘Company’ was also ‘family’, ‘people’, and ‘community’

When I went to my hometown most recently, I realized I was probably never the friend I ever should have been. The drive around town reminded me of a friend’s tragic death, another friend’s brother’s horrific death, and of course my own dog dying. At each of those times, I was scarred (damaged not afraid) for lack of a better term. Not quite like when my parents died, but each impacted me in ways I did not understand at the time.

I could blame my dad for abandoning me or my mom from keeping him away, but as much as they might be responsible, I have come to agree that we each have to take personally responsibility for our choices. Job is frustrated that his circumstances are totally out of his control. Only God could have impacted the events that got him to this point, and he is lashing out. I, on the other hand, am responsible for almost all of my issues, and I am worn out, and my company is desolate.

My friends are not really desolate so much as I am not willing to open up enough to get the help they could provide. I want God to fix me and figure out a way to glorify Him for doing so. I could put in the work or humble myself before others, but right now I am too lazy and prideful to do that. Besides, if God did it, I would be no better for it. I need to overcome my faults and lay it all at Christ’s feet. Maybe then I could be a better husband, father, brother, friend, etc. Here’s hoping I don’t have to suffer as much as Job to grasp for humility before God.

Written 6/20/25, Posted 7/25/25, Job 381