A Fever in My Soul

I have been preparing to speak on the book of Job. Job is about suffering. It will be part of a series I am calling The Three Great Philosophies. It will be a 5 week series on Ecclesiastes, Job, and the Song of Solomon. Very cool. Anyway, I came back from India sick. I don't get sick very often so I guess I kind of store it up. I had a fever of 103 for a day and a half. I felt like Job. I was laying in my bed feeling like every part of my body hurt. I felt terrible but what was happening in my body was pretty amazing. There was a war going on. That's what was causing the heat. My body was battling some invaders. It must have been a fierce battle. It made me think of my soul and the battles that go on there. There are times I feel lousy in my soul. But it is those times that a battle could be raging. Grace fighting my old tendency to try to justify myself. Sin trying to gain control and the Holy Spirit all decked out to fight for me. It sounds a little goofy but I think there is truth there. I read Job and I see a man who is in the battle of his life. It is not a physical battle as much as he suffered physically. It was primarily a spiritual battle. I have a friend who just lost his job. It is not a physical battle he is fighting right now. It is a spiritual battle about trust and God and love and faith. My friend has a spiritual fever and the battle rages hot. I stand and pray with him and wait to see if I can encourage him some to keep fighting the fight and remind him the fever will not last forever. Night lasts for a time, scripture says, but joy comes in the morning.