How to Survive When you are Alone

False Conviction

How do you respond when the whole world is against you...and the whole world is wrong?

In the late 1980s a man from Ada, Oklahoma named Ron Tomlinson was tried and convicted for murder. Ron spent 11 years in jail for a crime he did not commit. Ron was released from Prison in 1999 and died in 2004. John Grisham wrote about Tomlinson's life in the book 'The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town'.

Imagine what it must have been like to be treated like a murderer by the police, the judge, your friends, and even your own family? 

He must have felt completely isolated and alone.

Job's Isolation

Job felt the same way when confronted by his friends. He explains it like this in Job 6:2, 'I have heard many such things; miserable comforters are you all. '

Job was accused on all sides by his friends. Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar who only understoood suffering as punishment from God. Job knew suffering as the result of his righteousness.

Job's Hope

Fortunately, Job held out one hope. He knew there was someone who understood his misery and innocence. God. Job expressed this hope in response to Eliphaz, 'Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and he who testifies for me is on high. '

Job held on to the fact that God knows all and would, in some way, redeem him.

Your Hope

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where everyone is against you and you don't know why? You know you are innocent but everyone around you believes otherwise? Where do you turn?

There is only one place. There is always a refuge. His name is the Lord.

May you trust in him. May you find comfort in his presence when no one else is there. And may he restore you. Amen.

Job 15:4 4  (Eliphaz) But you are doing away with the fear of God 

and hindering meditation before God. 

Job 15:20-21 20 (Eliphaz) The wicked man writhes in pain all his days, 

through all the years that are laid up for the ruthless. 

21  Dreadful sounds are in his ears; 

in prosperity the destroyer will come upon him. 

Job 15:31 31 (Eliphaz) Let him not trust in emptiness, deceiving himself, 

for emptiness will be his payment. 

Job 16:2 2  (Job) “I have heard many such things; 

miserable comforters are you all. 

Job 16:19-21 (Job) 19  Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven, 

and he who testifies for me is on high. 

 20  My friends scorn me; 

my eye pours out tears to God, 

 21  that he would argue the case of a man with God, 

Job 18:2-3 2 (Bildad)  “How long will you hunt for words? 

Consider, and then we will speak. 

 3  Why are we counted as cattle? 

Why are we stupid in your sight? 

Job 18:5 5 (Bildad)  “Indeed, the light of the wicked is put out, 

and the flame of his fire does not shine. 

Job 19:2 2  (Job) “How long will you torment me 

and break me in pieces with words? 

Job 19:24-26 24 (Job)  Oh that with an iron pen and lead 

they were engraved in the rock forever! 

 25  For I know that my Redeemer lives, 

and at the last he will stand upon the earth. 

 26  And after my skin has been thus destroyed, 

yet in my flesh I shall see God,