THEOSISJohn Chrysostom
These expressions should not be interpreted lightly, but rather in acknowledgment of their origin from a heart in distress. Had the speaker not expressed such sorrow, he might have appeared detached from the essence of humanity.
This utterance does not come from the wicked, but from one in anguish. Observe his actions: like a man enduring a painful surgery who, unable to resist the doctor’s interventions, lashes out at those around him without malice, Job, weighed down by the fear of impiety, rebukes his own existence rather than God, channeling his pain into self-accusation concerning his moment in time. It is not creation that he condemns, but the day of his birth.
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He asserts that he possesses authority over his own time; he does not curse God's creatures, but rather his own day: "Perish the day in which I was born; let darkness and the shadow of death envelop it." Similarly, Jeremiah laments, "Woe is me, O my mother, that thou hast borne me a man of strife and contention in all the earth! I have not lent or borrowed, yet all curse me" (Jeremiah 15:10). He declares, "Cursed is the day in which I was born" (Jer. 20:14). Such expressions of sorrow stem from the saints to illustrate that they did not live according to their own desires but traversed a path filled with numerous trials and struggles. Jeremiah mourned for himself, voicing, "Woe is me, O my mother, that thou hast borne me." He experienced suffering as a man, yet as a beloved of God, he persevered. Likewise, Moses, the revered lawgiver who received the divine commandments and first delineated the path of righteousness, speaks to God amid his profound sufferings, stating, "Lord, thou sayest that I have found favor in thy sight. If I have found favor, take my life from me; I cannot endure the burdens of this people. A little longer, and they will stone me" (Exodus 33:12-13; Ex. 17:4). "Am I to carry this people as a mother carries a child? I alone cannot bear them" (Num. 11:12, 14). Even while expressing profound sorrow as a mere mortal, he refrained from speaking blasphemy but rather articulated the struggles of his nature. In the same vein, each prophet voiced their lament. Habakkuk cries out, "Why do you allow me to see injustice and witness the suffering of humanity?" The prophets confronted unrighteousness and could not endure it; hence Habakkuk exclaimed, "Destruction and violence are before me, and strife rises" (Hab. 1:3, 4). "The ruler demands, and the judge accepts bribes" (Micah 7:3), leading to the destruction of justice. In similarly dire circumstances, the righteous suffered and expressed their burdens within this world. However, do not allow these examples to undermine your determination; do not question whether you are superior to Jeremiah, who condemned existence. Do not turn these healing words into wounds. They serve to instruct you on the challenges they faced and the numerous dangers that pervaded their lives. Should you wish to understand how to respond, look to what follows grace. The prophets endured much, as did the apostles; some mourned in their suffering, while others remained resolute even amid trials. Consider Paul, who endured hardship without tears, was beaten yet remained unbroken, tempted but defiant. He proclaimed, "We also rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint" (Rom. 5:3-5). In another instance, the apostles, after being beaten, "went away from the Sanhedrin rejoicing that they had been deemed worthy to suffer disgrace for the Name" (Acts 5:41). Thus, the experiences prior to grace should not dictate our actions post-grace. We are called to learn from their exertions and maintain our faith. Job, despite cursing his day and suffering internally, does not surrender his soul to wickedness but endures physical pain without wounding his spirit through blasphemy.