Dale Ridge church of Christ

Job is a developing character, and it is very insightful to track his growth through the book and learn from it.  Not only are chapters 13 and 14 transitional in nature in terms of Job’s approach in dealing with his main issue of setting the record straight in terms of proving his innocence, they also reveal for us practical ways in which one can cope with and recover from depression.

Job without question suffered from a very severe case of depression, and his recovery pictured throughout the book is never linear in nature nor is it a quick and easy road.  As with any road to recovery in the realm of mental health, Job’s is set with the ups and downs.  At times, he appears to ascend up out of the ashes but only to descend back to the depths of depression once again.  This recurring scenario occurs throughout the book.

Even through all his ups and downs though, Job does present an overall state of recovery which ultimately culminates in a picture of perfect mental health.  Notice these beneficial steps Job takes which greatly help him as he travels along the highway of healing.

He maintains somewhat of a sense of humor.  As Job begins this speech which spans three chapters, he injects a little humor when he sarcastically states to his friends, “wisdom shall die with you.”  He then offers a parody of his friends, mocking them and poking fun at the way they approached him with their supposedly great level of understanding about his suffering (12:7-12).  This is the first time in which Job demonstrates a spark of light in his conversations.  Looking at life in a light hearted way at times is great medicine for overcoming burdens in life (Proverbs 17:22).

He takes on a more positive view of himself.  In his opening response (chapter 3), he used words of self-hatred and desired nothing more that to have never existed.  In speeches that followed, he began to reveal an attitude of self-preservation, demonstrating that those initial words just came from a heart of despair.  Now, as chapter 12 opens, he further shows an attitude of self-care as he begins to speak more positively about himself by stating and demonstrating that he was not inferior to his three friends.

He becomes less absorbed with himself.  Beginning with chapter 3, Job’s frame of reference is primarily inward.  With that, we can certainly sympathize and understand.  Yet, along with his being so self-absorbed comes additional unnecessary distress and depression.  One’s mental attitude is a primary factor in one’s personal state of mental health.  Getting wrapped up in one’s own bad situation and getting caught up in the “poor me” syndrome will only lead to depression.  Only when we begin to take our own attention off of ourselves can we begin to truly begin to recover.

In this fourth speech of Job beginning with chapter 12, a major shift occurs in that Job begins to look more outside of himself (though, at times, he does still concentrate on himself and his problems).  At the beginning of chapter 12, his focus is on his friends.  At the ending of chapter 12, his focus is again out toward God and the world at large.  At the beginning of chapter 13, his attention again goes outward to his friends.  At the beginning of chapter 14, his attention is on mankind as a whole.

He directs more of his focus on the needs of others.  Not only does Job’s focus become more outward, but he begins to show concern on behalf of others.  The acrostic J-O-Y (Jesus first, others second, and yourself last) is very true, and Job begins to show this more and more in his speeches.  While Job had a very limited patriarchal concept of Christ, he does cry out for the need of Him in his life, and with those cries, one can be assured that his much sought after mediator would be first in his life (Job 9:33).  The “O” for concern begins to be more prominent now in this speech.  Though he does speak firmly and reprovingly to his friends (13:4-13), there does appear to be some sense of genuine concern for them (Job 13:11).  Also, in his trial with God, he speaks up for all of humanity and asks God for leniency on their behalf (Job 14:1-6), again further showing that concern for others.

He sets goals for himself.  One very effective treatment method which counselors often utilize with their clients is that of setting goals.  Goals indicate new hopes and possibilities in one’s life.  Also, they give one a sense of purpose and direction.   Setting goals is another important aspect in traveling the road to recovery.  Job’s goal was one of the major things that kept him going during this nightmarish period of his life.  His major goal was to set his record straight on high (13:15-23).

He was willing to do whatever was needful.  Depression often brings with it certain fears and feelings of weakness and timidity.  As a result, one often becomes afraid to take possibly uncertain but necessary risk in order to recover.  Simply put, “a willing mind is a healing mind.”  Job was willing to go to any extent—even to take the greatest of all risks (Job 13:14)—in order that his situation could be resolved.

      He had dreams of a better tomorrow.  One of the highest points Job reached throughout his ordeal is recorded in Job 14:13-15.  Here, Job has a wish or a dream of a possible way his problems could be taken away.  Though we should not live in a dream world, having dreams of a better tomorrow can carry through many difficult times which we might face today—is it not the case that this is exactly what Jesus did upon the cross at Calvary (Hebrews 12:1-2)?

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Filed under: Devotional, Michael Carter on January 12th, 2009