Life Is Short And Difficult…But It WILL Change

“Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not. If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come. Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee…” Job 14:1-2, 14- 15

The title of this chapter may not be real sugary, but honestly, sometimes the only thing we can say during the tough times is, “Thank God, there is a better day coming!” “Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble” (Job 14:1). There you go. There is every human’s biography – life is short and life is tough, get used to it! Wow!

In fact, life is so short, it’s just one series of issues after another, “He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not” (Job 14:2). However, the Christian has this wonderful reassurance - there is a day coming when you are going to be changed. Life will change! 1 Corinthians 15:51 states that we shall all be changed. 1 John 3:2 states when you finally see Him (Christ), you will be changed to be like Him. Praise God! Brother and sister, this present life does not go forever. I’m not going to be here much longer. I’m leaving soon. One of these days I’m out of here. I’m going to be changed!

There is another change besides death. The Christian will be changed to have a resurrection body, “Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee…” (Job 14:15). Someday God Almighty is going to personally call your name, you will answer and rise out of the grave in the very flesh that you have now (though modified, thank God) – and you will see God. As a Bible-believing literalist, I believe in a bodily resurrection. I believe that just as Jesus was raised from the dead, and just as people could actually touch His hands and feel the scars and the hole in His side, so we will be changed and will be resurrected and will be given a new body, hallelujah!

Paul said, “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known” (1 Corinthians 13:12). Yes…known even as we were known. We’ll get a new resurrected body but we will have a likeness to the same old body. It’s really true! We will actually see our loved ones again!

My heart is often heavy. One of my friends has cancer and doesn’t have a hopeful prognosis. Another friend’s son was killed in an auto accident. I feel their deep grief. This world is ravaged by sin and death. It hurts. I know I’m not alone; anyone reading this has been affected by tragedy and heartache in some way. But know this…a better day is coming! I look forward to that day. I long for it. I hope you, too, find comfort from this promise of God.

I close this chapter with a wonderful story that you have perhaps heard before. The well-known hymn, “It Is Well With My Soul”, was written in the 19th century by Horatio Spafford. He lived in Chicago where he had a thriving practice as an attorney. He was intelligent and successful and had significant resources given to him graciously by God. He was also a friend of world-wide Evangelist D. L. Moody. But in 1871 he would begin to experience the fires of testing in his personal life that even to this day, more than 100 years later, we’re still talking about.

A good portion of his money was lost in real-estate investments in the great Chicago fire. Several months before that, his only son had died. After having lost his money and his son, he, his wife and four daughters, planned a trip to Europe coinciding with one of Moody’s meetings. At the last minute, Mr. Spafford could not go with his family and he sent his daughters and wife to go on ahead. Tragically, the ship that they were on was struck by an English vessel and within 20 minutes sank drowning all four daughters.

When his wife and a few survivors got to England, a message was sent back, “Saved Alone.” Mr. Spafford got on the next ship that he could and he began to sail across the Atlantic to get to his wife. The ship’s captain, who had heard of his terrible plight, when he came to the very place that his daughters had drown stopped. There, Mr. Spafford wrote the familiar words, “when sorrows like sea billows overflow my soul, God has regarded my helpless estate, it is well with my soul.” He didn’t say it was well with his life, but he said it is well with my soul!

Sometimes in this life that is all we can really say, “it is well with my soul, everything is all right between me and Jesus.” Life’s not always so good but God is! A better day is coming!