The Book of Job unveils many of the problems that we encounter and fall prey to at one point or another. But, did you know that Job’s troubles are all-inclusive and there is no doubt that we will all face similar problems because of the commonality of human nature? Yes, we all can go through grieving the pain and death of loved ones; rejection; mental, emotional, and physical abuse; bankruptcy and financial setbacks; sickness and disease; failed marriages; abandonment by friends and family; betrayal; toxic relationships, judgmental criticism; loneliness and isolation; depression; suicidal thoughts . . . “and the band played on.” The latter is taken from the blockbuster big-screen hit, The Sinking of the Titanic, referencing the band playing while the ship sank. In similar ways, we can deliberately mask and downplay impending calamity that can be associated with anosognosia or the condition of denial. Are we taking our troubles for granted or do we see the signs?

Human fate follows the course of the demise of the world due to the downward spiral of human dignity and self-respect. The decline in our humanity causes ambiguity about God’s imminence in the circumstances of life, thus affecting the faith perspective. Is God in or out in this situation? Nevertheless, every human being will be allowed the opportunity to encounter a divine purpose at some point that must be identified. When that happens, a problem arises that poses two choices concerning which way to go. We call it “fight or flight.” But there are more than two choices when we are faced with trouble. The other choice is to wait and weigh your direction.