In Job he waits seven days, then wishes he wasn't born. Is that the definition of depression? Have you ever been there? His friends say that bad things happen to people that are wicked. In reading Job multiple times it finally occured to me that God doesn't run around waiting for us to falter so He can punish us. It is presumptuous for us to think that. God will punish those that ultimately choose not to follow Him when it is time. More likely our choosing not to follow the path outlined by God makes bad things happen in our lives. God doesn't have to punish us, when we go contrary to His design of the world or give into our selfish nature -bad things happen.

God rather is carrying out His plan for this world. While He is involved in all the details of our lives, and does take interest in us, His main focus is not punishing us for sin, but rather calling us to righteousness. Calling us to follow Him. Working with us to educate us and grow in knowledge. It is a timed process.

Another thing that has come to me recently and a reason people drop into depression is avoiding others. Maybe decisions were made that are unsettling and facing them gets more unpleasant, so depression happens. While I believe God uses depression to draw us to Him, He is the last and ultimately the only place to go. In heaven God wants us to get along with everyone, including those we may try and avoid now. What if they are also in heaven? Are you going to avoid them then? If you are depressed and want to get away from people and lets say you die (God allows you to come home). Later those people will also come home and join you. My point is avoiding people and problems is pointless. Most problems when God is the focus of attention go away, and He certainly can solve any problem we have.

I have to give a small sermon as a church lay speaker the end of this April, well I agreed to. The topic?? Well I have had a week of thoughts and have started putting them together. Its hard to limit these thoughts to 10 minutes, my limit. Going last it will be important that I'm brief.

I think Job's friends have good points, although they seem to be this world focused. They talk about the wicked being punished because of their ways. Of not leaving a legacy. That is so this world focused, and not God's world. Like this is it, the end. One of the things I have often wondered about is why aren't Job's friends right. Why doesn't God punish the wicked (or people who perform wicked acts) as they transgress? God doesn't run around waiting for us to fail so he can punish that I have already said. Maybe God knows there is hope for the transgressor. Well certainly that is something God does know. So the people who perform wicked acts still have hope, maybe they are doing these things out of ignorance. Does that mean society should not punish them? certainly not, but there is hope for their soul. This means that God is interested in relationship with everyone as opposed to making the world right. He can certainly make things fair, maybe not in this life but I would definitely trust Him and His ability.

We like Job's friends are quick to make judgments based on circumstances.

In my reading of Isaiah, one of the references refers to Jesus who delighted in the fear of the Lord. His fear of the Lord kept Him focused on His mission. Its too easy for us to focus on the things of this world or what we selfishly want and not the things of God. We need the fear or respect of God to keep us focused on what He wants us to do. That fear of the Lord is something I seemed to miss over the last few years, and finally I saw it (or discovered it and it is staying with me). I had read that passage seven or eight times over the years. It goes to show that some things need to be thought about for a while to make us receptive to an answer. Growth is definitely a process.