Don’t curse the day
After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. ~ Job 3:1
Have you ever wished you were never born? It’s a dark thought and a deeply human one. There are movies where characters make this exact wish, only to later see how much of a difference their life had made. Sadly, this isn’t just fiction. Many people have felt so overwhelmed by grief, loss, or despair that they wonder if their existence matters at all.
I’ve been there, too. I remember a season when I felt like I had fallen so far from hope that the pain seemed too deep to survive. I thought, “Maybe it would have been better if I had never existed.” That’s not something I’m proud of, and I had never experienced anything like Job did, but it’s real all the same. I know I’m not the only one who had felt this way.
In today’s passage, Job finally breaks his silence after seven days of mourning. His words are raw, unfiltered grief. He wished he had never taken a breath. He doesn’t curse God, but he curses the day of his birth. This is not weak faith; it’s honest anguish. God didn’t punish him for it. Instead, Job’s lament is recorded as part of God’s Word, showing us that even the most faithful people can reach moments of deep despair.
Job’s grief was unimaginable, he lost everything in a single day. His children, his wealth, his livelihood. His world collapsed. No wonder he longed for rest from the pain.
This passage shows us that God is not afraid of our deepest sorrow. He allows room for our cries, our confusion, even our depression. Job lets us know that it’s okay to not be okay. It’s okay to grieve honestly and express deep pain before God.
But it doesn’t end there. Though Job cursed the day of his birth, he didn’t curse the One who gave him life. That’s an important distinction. His pain was real, but so was his faith.
Here are some practical ways to navigate through dark seasons like Job’s:
- Talk to God Honestly
Don’t hide your feelings. Tell Him everything. He already knows. Your honesty builds intimacy, not distance. - Invite Safe People In
You don’t have to suffer in silence. Reach out to a friend, counselor, pastor, or mentor. Let someone walk with you. - Write it Out
Like Job’s words, journaling helps release emotions in a healthy way. It’s not just venting, it’s processing with purpose. - Care for Your Body
Eat. Rest. Move. These simple acts may feel small but are powerful in maintaining strength for your mind and soul. - Remember This Isn’t the End
Job’s story didn’t end in chapter 3. Your story doesn’t end here either. God still had a plan for Job, and He still has one for you, too. - Cling to Scripture
Even if you can’t feel it, the truth of God’s Word anchors your soul. Read it aloud. Keep verses nearby. Let His light in through His truth.
Today I want to encourage you especially if you’re walking through a season that feels like Job chapter 3, full of darkness, questions, and despair. Remember this: you are not alone, and you are not without hope. Job’s story reminds us that even the deepest pain is not the end of our purpose. God is patient with your sorrow and powerful enough to redeem every broken moment. The same God who saw Job through to restoration and renewal is with you right now. He is not distant. He is close to the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18), He promises to bring beauty from ashes (Isaiah 61:3). Don’t give up. Your life matters far more than you can see today.
Today’s Scripture reading: Job 3:1-16
1 After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth.
2 And Job spoke, and said:
3 “May the day perish on which I was born, and the night in which it was said, ‘A male child is conceived.’
4 May that day be darkness; May God above not seek it, nor the light shine upon it.
5 May darkness and the shadow of death claim it; May a cloud settle on it; May the blackness of the day terrify it.
6 As for that night, may darkness seize it; May it not rejoice among the days of the year, may it not come into the number of the months.
7 Oh, may that night be barren! May no joyful shout come into it!
8 May those curse it who curse the day, those who are ready to arouse Leviathan.
9 May the stars of its morning be dark; May it look for light, but have none, and not see the dawning of the day;
10 Because it did not shut up the doors of my mother’s womb, nor hide sorrow from my eyes.
11 “Why did I not die at birth? Why did I not perish when I came from the womb?
12 Why did the knees receive me? Or why the breasts, that I should nurse?
13 For now I would have lain still and been quiet, I would have been asleep; Then I would have been at rest
14 With kings and counselors of the earth, who built ruins for themselves,
15 Or with princes who had gold, who filled their houses with silver;
16 Or why was I not hidden like a stillborn child, like infants who never saw light?
Journal:
- Take a quiet moment and write down your answer to this: “Lord, what pain or grief am I holding onto that I need to bring honestly to You today?
- Help me see even one small way that You are still writing my story.”
The Daily Dose 