The Puddleglum View

 As believers in Jesus Christ, we grow to know His way is truly the way of wisdom and peace.  However, it takes us our whole life to totally rest in that.  I'm reading Job for the umpteenth time.  I can say, there is not a book of the Bible that I don't totally love to study.  Sometimes I go into the study apprehensive that I'll not enjoy certain books (I have my favorites).   But within a day, I'm hooked and looking forward to it each morning.  

Matthew Poole of one of the commentaries I use and this will be my second time to do Job with him.  Already, I'm finding new things to ponder and I'm just in chapter three.  For this post I am using verse 25: "For the thing I greatly fear has come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come to me."  Many times throughout my life, I've heard this quote about hypochondriacs: "Well, So in So, is still enjoying poor health."  Hadn't thought about it in a long time but as I read Poole's comments about Job in verse 25, that quote came to mind.  And I'm also old enough to have heard conspiracy theories for many, many years about this and that, from food to war, and that also fits Poole's comment.  I call it the Puddleglum view of life, and Christians should not be exhibiting this kind of outlook!  

Poole writes: Job had never enjoyed solid and secure comfort. It's as though Job says,  'Even in the time of peace and prosperity, I was full of fears considering the variety of God's providences, the course and changeableness of this vain world, the infirmities and contingencies of human nature and life, God's justice and the sinfulness of all mankind.  And these fears of mine were not in vain but are justified by my present calamities. So that I have never enjoyed any sound tranquility since I was born, and therefore it hath not been worth my while to live, since all my days have been evil and full of vexation and torment either by my fear of miseries or the suffering of them.'

This rings true to me even though I may not express it outwardly.  I see my anxiety about life exactly as Job/Poole express it.  As I said at the beginning of this post, "it takes our whole life to totally rest..."  But, oh, how thankful I am to recognize myself as I study, instead of thinking it's for someone else.  I'm amazed at how God works in us in all our moments, to change us and continue the process of our sanctification.  And I'm extremely thankful, He uses us, warts, Puddlegluming and all.