July 28

Even to-day is my complaint bitter. My stroke is heavier than my groaning. - Job 23:2.

THIS is not always the case; sometimes our “groaning” is much “heavier “than our “stroke.” This often induces God to employ severer measures, and to resemble in his dealings with us the father of a proud child, who, when he finds him crying for nothing, sometimes makes him smart that he may cry in earnest.

We have all things “given to us richly to enjoy,” and yet are prone to murmur and repine, and if a trial befall us, however common to man, or however alleviated, we become all uneasiness in ourselves, and occasion distress in those around us by our sighs and our lamentations. In some this may be considered as a natural infirmity arising from a morbid constitution. In others this is a moral infirmity arising from pride, and unbelief, and discontent, against which it becomes us always very carefully to guard.

But there are some whose “complaint” is indeed “bitter,” and whose stroke is heavier than their groaning, real mourners, deep sufferers, who if they mourn do not murmur. They can hardly be considered as “groaning;” if they open their mouths it is only meekly to say, “I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.” See this good man before us, how well might he have said, “I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath; he hath led me and brought me into darkness and not into the light.” Behold him one day in the possession of more than heart could wish, then suddenly despoiled of all, deprived of his substance, of his servants, and of his children, bereaved of his health, covered with sore boils from the crown of his head to the sole of his foot, railed at by his wife, abandoned by his relations, misunderstood and condemned by his friends, sitting among the ashes, scraping himself with a potsherd, his head bare to the pitiless storm of adversity.

As we look at him let us resolve never to say again, when we are afflicted, “Behold and see if ever there was sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted in the day of his fierce anger.” Ah, we shall do well to compare ourselves with others. Those who have lost some property should compare themselves with those who have lost all. Those who have been bereaved of one child, should compare themselves with those who have been bereaved of five. Those who are walking on crutches should compare themselves with the bedridden.

There is no situation in which we can be placed that is incapable of being worse.