2019 Prayer and Fasting, Day 31

I felt God nudge me to read the following passages yesterday, and they feel like an apt summary of my spiritual life this week:

Job 6:1-4, 8, 24-30 (New International Version)

1 Then Job replied:
2 “If only my anguish could be weighed
and all my misery be placed on the scales!
3 It would surely outweigh the sand of the seas—
no wonder my words have been impetuous.
4 The arrows of the Almighty are in me,
my spirit drinks in their poison;
God’s terrors are marshaled against me. 

8 “Oh, that I might have my request,
that God would grant what I hope for, 

24 “Teach me, and I will be quiet;
show me where I have been wrong.
25 How painful are honest words!
But what do your arguments prove?
26 Do you mean to correct what I say,
and treat my desperate words as wind?
27 You would even cast lots for the fatherless
and barter away your friend.
28 “But now be so kind as to look at me.
Would I lie to your face?
29 Relent, do not be unjust;
reconsider, for my integrity is at stake.
30 Is there any wickedness on my lips?
Can my mouth not discern malice?

Psalm 6:1-6a, 9-10 (New International Version)

1 Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger
or discipline me in your wrath.
2 Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am faint;
heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony.
3 My soul is in deep anguish.
How long, Lord, how long?
4 Turn, Lord, and deliver me;
save me because of your unfailing love.
5 Among the dead no one proclaims your name.
Who praises you from the grave?
6 I am worn out from my groaning. 

9 The Lord has heard my cry for mercy;
the Lord accepts my prayer.
10 All my enemies will be overwhelmed with shame and anguish;
they will turn back and suddenly be put to shame.

You'll notice that, for the purpose of this post, I did cut off a number of verses in each passage. A big part of that is simply in recognizing that I have an audience. As such, this is a time where I would set a personal boundary in regards to the content of my sharing. The verses I am choosing to share are those that I resonate with more than others, but also excludes a few others that reflect the deep, raw, and passionate desperation in which Job spoke his plea to his friends, in which King David also spoke his plea to God, and with which I too empathize. If you care to read each chapter in their full context, I'll link you to the full chapters via Biblegateway.com: (Job 6) (Psalm 6)

I'm going to make a goal of praying Psalm 6 from now until the fast ends on Sunday. I've heard about praying the Psalms, and occasionally I'll pray a few, but I've never really made it a habit beyond that.

One last thing I'll share is that yesterday, while I was driving to the post office from one of my workplaces, I saw three tan Honda CR-Vs from around 2004. (That's the vehicle I currently own.) I was on my way to the post office to mail a check, the next installment of a loan repayment to a couple who lent me money two years ago to buy my current vehicle, after my previous vehicle died. (I've been very, very slow to repay this loan, for various reasons.) Beyond the connection that I just made, I'm not really sure of the significance.  I believe that God was trying to reach me; I just don't know how.