Life Is But Breath

Note from today’s Bible reading: Job 7-11

Job went from being “the greatest of all the men of the east” (Job 1:1) because of how God had abundantly blessed him to losing everything. This was meant to test his faith in God and whether he would turn against Him (Job 1:9-11).

Near the beginning of Job’s suffering, he expressed a feeling of hopelessness over his condition: “Remember that my life is but breath; my eye will not again see good. The eye of him who sees me will behold me no longer; Your eyes will be on me, but I will not be. When a cloud vanishes, it is gone, so he who goes down to Sheol does not come up. He will not return again to his house, nor will his place know him anymore” (Job 7:7-10).

From Job’s limited perspective, it appeared as if all of his good days were in the past, and the only thing he had to look forward to was death. Though the Lord would eventually deliver him from his affliction (Job 42:12), at this point, he could only see the trouble that had come upon him.

Job stated that his “life is but breath.” James made a similar point about all of us: “Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away” (James 4:14). We will not be around forever. We need to appreciate this fact and act accordingly.

So remember that life is but breath. One day we will pass from this world. No matter what our circumstances are now, let us prepare for what lies beyond this life.