The Struggle Bus

Have you ever tried to use sidewalk chalk with toddlers? Just last week you may have seen two tiny toddlers running around that looked like me in service. It was my niece Kamiya, who is two, and my nephew Josiah, who is three. For some reason, Nancy Leardi showed them sidewalk chalk, which they had never seen or used before to my knowledge. But Kamiya insisted that we take it home to play with it. Like a typical two-year-old, there are no rules when playing and listening to the explanation of how to use a toy is crazy talk. So, we proceed to color with chalk in my front yard and I would explain that it goes on the ground. Showing her the colors, writing her name and drawing pictures. When it was her turn, she would smile and draw a few lines then quickly veer off to the nearest surface to draw on it too. So we would struggle with understanding that she cannot color the couch or my screen door or the railing on the stairs or her stomach. By the end I gave in an let her go because the struggle was no longer worth it. But such is life with a two-year old.

We begin today with a brief, very brief, summary of the book of Job. The Book of Job is a poetic dialogue in the Old Testament that explores themes of suffering, faith, and divine justice. It tells the story of Job, a wealthy, well known and pious man who is tested by Satan, with God watching. At first glance it almost seems as if it’s on a dare between friends that God allows this to happen. Job loses his wealth, children, and health, everything he’s had, known or worked for is now gone. His friends visit to offer explanations, arguing that his suffering must be a punishment for sin, but Job insists on his innocence. Throughout this extremely difficult time Job remains faithful. After much debate, God eventually speaks, emphasizing the limits of human understanding. In the end, Job's fortunes are restored, and he is blessed with even greater prosperity, highlighting the complexity of faith amidst suffering and the mystery of divine will.

So, where are we within his story, in our reading today?

The passage we have just read is in the middle of Job’s dialogue/argument with his friends and he is directing all of his anger and confusion toward God. One by one each of Job’s friends argues with him and offers a different reason for his current predicament. Job responds in this moment by saying he cannot find God anywhere, no matter where he turns. Job wants a chance to speak directly to God because obviously he just needs to hear him plead his case.

I titled the sermon today with the phrase struggle bus because it’s just a wonderful title don’t you think. But also, because there are moments in life when “the struggle” is all we see, do and think about. I also took the time to define the word struggle for us, so we all begin with the same definition in mind. According to Merriam Webster, struggle as a verb has two meanings. First, it means to make strenuous or violent efforts in the face of difficulties or opposition. And second, it means to proceed with difficulty or with great effort. Struggle can also be a noun, meaning a violent effort or exertion: an act of strongly motivated striving.

I know this is a great topic for a Sunday morning, especially on All Saint’s Day right. Well, this is the beginning of one of the times of the year when we all struggle and begin to panic a little as the year comes to a close. We are ready to be done with what the year has given us, good or bad, and even more ready to move on to the hope that the new year brings. We are in a desperate place ready to let go of all the things that have been weighing on us. So, who better to learn from than Job at this critical moment.

When we think about struggling, we tend to focus on how long or short it was until we reached something better. Not how we acted within the struggle or our conversations with God when we just couldn’t find a way out. Job is in the middle of his most difficult life battle and for us as the reader we can easily focus on the ways he breaks down in the midst of it. But I’m asking us to join him in his suffering and see the honesty and vulnerability in his journey. Because Job takes on every human emotion during this period of arguing and pleading for his innocence. Especially in the initial moments when he loses everything, he cursed the day he was born.

Then we find Job in our passage as he says “Today also my complaint is bitter; his hand is heavy despite my groaning. Oh, that I knew where I might find him, that I might come even to his dwelling!”  Job says, “where is God? Where are you? And since I can’t find you, you will hear my complaint.” Can you blame him?  Not really because no one seems to be on his side or able to understand what he is going through.

The more Job pleads his case, the deeper he enters into a dark place. Biblical scholar Thomas Edward Frank says this about the passage “There is an odd freedom in darkness. Matters are so dark and obscure that Job is not sure God is even watching anymore. Job could, well, do just about anything or become just about anybody. Who is watching? Talk about a test of character…The Christian life presents no greater challenge than finding one’s way forward with integrity and responsibility in the dark.”

Like Job, we too can find ourselves in a dark place. Whether we are trying to understand how we ended up in a situation or struggling to understand our children or spending too much time imagining every scenario of results of the upcoming election. Like Frank said we are “finding one’s way forward with integrity and responsibility in the dark.”

In spite of all he has endured Job continues to seek God, has remained faithful in his arguments and even sets an example for his friends. Even though his search for God is to tell his side of the story and hear why he is suffering. He is still seeking God with the understanding that he is the only one who can change this situation and restore his happiness.  

But why is it a struggle bus? Not a struggling bicycle or struggle Jeep. Because we all struggle, no one is the only person doing this and we constantly get on and off this bus. Meeting new people and seeing old friends who have been there before. Although, I do not want us to stay in the suffering and struggle, so I wanted to give us a good view of the life of Job to learn about the power of persistence and faithfulness.

Getting on the struggle bus is an exercise in persistence, a ride through darkness and discomfort. Continuing to push through.

Getting on the struggle bus and riding all the way through is a belief in the promise of God, not trying to get off early or change course but trusting the driver.

Getting on the struggle bus is an act of faithfulness, complete trust in the author of life.

The book of Job ends with this:

Job 42:10, 12a, 17

10 And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job when he had prayed for his friends, and the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before. … 12 The Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning, … 17 And Job died, old and full of days.

When the dust has settled and we reflect on what we have endured on the bus, what are we left with? On one hand, we can continue to sit in the darkness letting it cloud all judgment. On the other hand, we can see the movement of God coming to our rescue, giving us a reason to look beyond the struggle.

When my situation has changed for good, when my family life is at peace, when the results are in, I’m still putting my trust in the one who has loved me and cared for me all along. I’m still living in the hope of God’s promises being fulfilled in my life. I’m still seeking to be seen and heard by God because I know God has heard my cries.

Okay here the last thing:

Did you know the antonym of struggle is to sail? And do you know what is needed to sail? Wind. The spirit of God moves like the wind carrying us where we are supposed to be. When we have finally hopped off the struggle bus the Spirit falls afresh upon us, ready to show us what God has in store, all we have to do is go with the wind. So remember to be persistent and faithful in the struggle and allow the Spirit to move in new ways and show you where you were supposed to end up.