Man is Born Unto Trouble Job 5:7 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO
Job 5:7 says that man is born unto trouble as the sparks fly upward. You are not getting through this life without trouble. And the sooner you realize this, the better. Man is born unto trouble. Man has trouble with:
Temptations – we are troubled by temptations continuously – you find victory in one area one day, wake up the next only to find temptation coming at you from a completely different direction – you get over that one through Jesus Christ and wham – the one that was working you over the other day is back again – all of this is common to man [1 Cor 10:13] – and Jesus Christ is always the answer – and sin is never the answer – escaping temptation strengthens you and makes you more Christ-like [1 Pet 5:10].
Relations – we are troubled in our relations – you faithfully serve the Lord and your children go astray – or your siblings go astray – you raise a wonderful family and your friends turn against you – you serve the Lord faithfully and your church splits – you live for the Lord and your co-workers despise you – the trouble is always there somewhere – Jesus said that he did not come to bring peace but a sword [Matt 10:34-39] – his own friend lifted up his heel against him – his disciples forsook him – and the world for whom he died rejects him – welcome to the life of Christ.
Occupations – we are troubled in our jobs – you stand for ethics and you get fired or squeezed out – you work harder than anyone on your level and the other guy gets the raise – you are constantly pressured to join your co-workers in social behavior unacceptable for a Christian – you stand for the Lord and everyone gives you the cold shoulder – you work and barely make enough to pay your bills – your job is “breaking” your back – but remember that our employer is truly Jesus Christ [Col 3:22-24] – Jesus’ job was to leave his riches and glory and die for all mankind.
Unappreciation – we are troubled in our own hearts because we are not appreciated by the people from whom we seek appreciation: parents, spouse, children, employer, employees, students, relatives, neighbors, fellow church members, and others – well, not only was Jesus not appreciated, he was hated [Jn 15:18].
Botheration – we are troubled by all kinds of things that bother us – a spouse’s habits, children misbehaving, stressful days, traffic, insomnia, uncertainty, news, politics, aging, failing health, worry, maintenance on our houses and cars, you name it – Jesus didn’t have time to rest [Jn 4:32-34], was constantly surrounded by needy people, and didn’t even have a place to call home [Lk 9:58].
Lamentations – we are troubled by sickness, death, fears, a family member in jail, a family member’s addiction, a lawsuit, a catastrophic loss, a lost loved one, and so many more – Jesus was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief [Is 53:3, 1 Pet 5:7].
Expectations – you have busted financial expectations, marital expectations, physical expectations, spiritual expectations, expectations for your children – you face disappointments weekly if not more often – Jesus died for all and is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance [2 Pet 3:9] and yet most of them wind up in hell [Matt 7:13-14].
The trouble with most men is that rather than turn to Jesus Christ for the strength, grace, wisdom, and humility to handle these troubles, men succumb to them. The troubles are there to make you better and make you a better minister [2 Cor 1]. Job certainly improved after his horrible ordeal. But rather than look to the Lord most men try to:
Insulate the trouble by cushioning the blow – mothers do this for their children thus enabling the bad behavior that is prolonging the trouble – just what the devil wants – let them fall [Lk 15:17].
Isolate the trouble by seeking protection – a person who has been hurt in church will stay away from church to keep from being hurt again – just what the devil wants – go back to church.
Inebriate the trouble with drugs and alcohol – men do this to escape but the trouble never goes away – just what the devil wants – face it without the aid of drugs and through Jesus you will find a way to correct that particular trouble in your life.
Intoxicate the trouble with entertainment, recreation and distractions – men do this so they do not have to face the truth – just what the devil wants – get into your Bible and get into fellowship with Jesus and you will find rest for your soul.
Conclusion: Jesus has been through every bit of this and if you will trust him in trouble, your fellowship with him will be better than you could ever imagine and you will find that every trouble is met with a divine grace that strengthens you in times of trouble. You find that without the trouble you would never find the grace or the knowledge of God to the degree that you do in the trouble. You will truly thank God for the trouble rather than question him and hide. You’ll get stronger in the Lord, you’ll become more Christ-like, and you’ll realize that it took trouble to get you there.