Job 15:17-24. More of Eliphaz' speech to Job. Here, Eliphaz warns that the wicked man is always in distress. All his years are filled with pain. His ears hear terrifying sounds. Even in his prosperity "the destroyer will come upon him." Such a man does not believe he can come out of the darkness, "distress and anguish terrify him; they prevail against him, like a king prepared for battle."

This is what we do to ourselves when we live in persistent sin, that is, when we are wicked. We are constantly looking over our shoulders, never able to relax. We feel the anxiety and distress all the time, we can't even rest. We try to find ways to alleviate the pain - working more, acquiring "stuff," drugs, alcohol, psychology - but none of it really works or gets at the heart of the problem - our sin.

So we can start to feel as if we will never "return out of darkness" and that we are "destined for the sword." But these are lies - we can always return from the darkness, and we are actually destined for eternal life! It is so simple (it is not at all easy, but it is simple)! 

Just turn to God! Repent, confess, accept his mercy. Do it over and over again if you have to - he knows our weaknesses. He knows if we are really trying, and he will pour out his mercy, love, and comfort on us. All we have to do is return to him to come out of the darkness.