It preaches easier than it lives

Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:
“If one attempts a word with you, will you become weary?
But who can withhold himself from speaking?
Surely you have instructed many,
And you have strengthened weak hands.
Your words have upheld him who was stumbling,
And you have strengthened the feeble knees;
But now it comes upon you, and you are weary;
It touches you, and you are troubled. – Job 4.1-5

Eliphaz comes on the scene here. He is one of Job’s friends who comes on the scene to try and help. I used to think that these friends were not really the best of friends, but the more I read them the more I think their hearts are right and their motivations pure.

Eliphaz reminds Job of what he had done for others. Apparently Job was a great encourager. He never wearied of hearing his friends problems. He had instructed many. He had strengthened and upheld those who were weak and struggling. Job was able to give good advice to others who had gone through hard times, but now, when troubles came to Job, it was different.

‘But now it comes to you,’ Eliphaz said, ‘you are weary.’

Can I ever identify with that. There is an old saying that says ‘it preaches easier than it lives.' The idea is that things that sound so cut and dry from the pulpit when someone is preaching or teaching are not quite so easy to live out when it is real and happening to us.

When I go through things I know what I would tell others if they were me. Why then, can I not apply them to me?

Because, as Job knew, some things preach easier than they live.

And even though that is normal, it is not good. It is a bit hypocritical when we tell others, for example, to live by faith when we have a hard time doing it ourselves. If God’s word is good enough to teach to others, it is good enough for us to apply to our lives.