From the way I read Job's story he's a misunderstood man.

The picture we have of him is of a man who was resilient, steady, totally faithful to God in all circumstances, and so on.

Get the picture? He's portrayed as the perfect man during his lifetime.

However, when you really get into his story in the Bible, it tells us of a man very much like ourselves.

Yes, when things went well, really well for him, he was spiritually strong. However, when life fell apart so tragically for him, he discovered that he could be weak like the rest of us.

I have no interest in marring anyone's image of Job. He was indeed a great man in many ways. His sincere and noble efforts to stay loyal to God under the rod of affliction have been an inspiration to God's people of every age.

We read of the remarkable testimony of God to Job after he lost his wealth and children, "In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing." Job 1:22 (NIV)

Under extreme circumstances Job did not stumble. Yet, the time came when he was physically afflicted following the other disasters, and after a week or more of such suffering he spoke the words of our verses.

Some of us have come to the place in our sorrow that we wished we had never been born, or that we died at birth. We think—like Job—that our lot in life is too much to bear.

Did Job have infinite patience to go on in his suffering with out ever complaining?

How did he do it? He didn't!

He finally came to the place where he thought enough was enough. He should have died at birth instead of living to suffer as he did.

Are you there yet? Have you decided that you've had all the suffering you can endure?

Welcome to Job's club. He wasn't the man with infinite patience. He clearly expressed frustration at sorrow upon sorrow being heaped on his head.

Yet, Job finally came to the place after all his suffering where he was able to say, "Then Job replied to the Lord: 'I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted. You asked,' "Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?" 'Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.'" Job 42:1-3 (NIV)

May you find grace today to struggle on until the Lord breaks through the storm clouds and you find peace of heart and mind.

Persevere and the Lord will certainly come to you and bless you for seeking to remain faithful.