More Truths from the Book of Job

The book of Job in the Bible is a prime example of learning to trust God in the midst of suffering and misery. It's the story of a man God describes as "blameless and upright," yet God allows him to suffer tremendous tragedies—things that were truly unwarranted due to anything Job had done.

In the first part of this 2-part series, we learned that Satan cannot touch us without God's permission (Job 42:2); that when we feel out of control, we can trust that God is sovereign (Job 1:21); that God's purposes supersede all else (Job 2:10); and that when our support system fails, God will still be there (Job 6:14).

The story of Job has so much to teach us. Let's keep exploring this book and learn more about how God carries us through our suffering.

Truth #5: Suffering isn't always our fault.

"Stop assuming my guilt, for I have done no wrong." —Job 6:29 (NLT)

Job's friends assumed that God only operates by a principle of retributive justice, meaning that those who are wise and God-honoring will only ever have good outcomes from Him—and vice-versa. While Job agreed that sin requires punishment from God, he (rightly) insisted that he was innocent of wrongdoing and defended his integrity.

It's true that sometimes suffering is caused by sin (ours or someone else's), but that's not always the case. When Jesus healed a blind man, people wanted to know what sin had made him blind. Jesus answered that his blindness was not the result of anyone's sin but rather "so that the works of God might be displayed in him" (John 9:1-7).

At one point, Job's young friend, Elihu, finally speaks up (Job 32). Unlike Job's other friends, he doesn't presume to know why Job is suffering. Rather, he suggests that God might allow a righteous person to suffer as a warning or as an opportunity to build character. The one thing Elihu is 100% sure of is that no one has a right to judge God Himself (Job chapters 33-34).

Truth #6: When we cry out, God listens.

"If I were you, I would go to God and present my case to him. He does great things too marvelous to understand. He performs countless miracles." —Job 5:8 (NLT)

When we're experiencing trials, the first one we should turn to is God. He's always available and will listen to us—just as He listened to Job in his greatest time of need (Job chapters 26-31).

Throughout Job's prayers, he expresses agony, confusion, and despair, and even goes so far as to accuse God of being against him and guilty of coordinating all the injustices in the world. Of course, he later realizes his accusations must be wrong because God is omnipotent and full of justice. Even still, Job just can't reconcile why terrible things are happening to him, so he demands an explanation.

Do you express your deepest feelings to God like Job did—or do you hold back? As your Heavenly Father (1 John 3:1), Friend (John 15:12-17), and Counselor (Isaiah 9:6), God is the best person to share your deepest worries, hurts, and feelings with.

Truth #7: We can trust God's will for us.

"Do you still want to argue with the Almighty? You are God's critic, but do you have the answers?" —Job 40:2 (NLT)

When Job demands a full explanation for God's reasons for allowing his suffering, God challenges Job by asking him rhetorical questions that highlight His sovereign authority and Job's limited human knowledge (Job 38-41). God's response is basically, "I need you to trust in My wisdom, character, and power."

Job responds in humility to God's challenges (Job 42:1-6), and God forgives him without further questions. Although Job (and his friends) made impulsive assumptions about God's character, in the end, God approves of Job wrestling with Him and for his honest expression of his deepest feelings.

When we ask God for help, He doesn't always respond as quickly as we want Him to—or in the way we think He should. Maybe His response wasn't what you expected. Maybe He asked you questions or challenged you to trust Him while you're off the easy path. However God directs us, we can trust His response and His timing because we know He wants what's best for us (Psalm 18:30).

A Satisfying End to Job's Story

"The Lord blessed Job in the second half of his life even more than in the beginning." —Job 42:12 (NLT)

At the end of the book of Job, we learn that God blesses Job with additional wealth, a beautiful family, and restoration of his health. None of these things are to be seen as "rewards" for good behavior, but rather as evidence of God's loving generosity. Not every misfortune is discipline from God, and not every gift is because we did everything right.

Ultimately, the book of Job doesn't explain why God allows suffering, but it does reveal how we should respond when faced with overwhelming pain and suffering (Romans 8:26-27). Job understood that God is always good. So he put his trust in Him despite his hardships.

When bad things that happen, our response, too, ought to be acknowledgement of God's goodness and putting our trust in Him—regardless of whether we feel we "deserved" what's happening. Just like Job, we can talk to God about our feelings and know that He cares for us (1 Peter 5:6-7). No matter what God's response is to our many questions, we must remember that, because we're His children, He loves us dearly—just like He loved Job.

"We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them." —1 John 4:16 (NLT)

ALSO SEE:

• 4 Truths from the Book of Job (part 1)
• How much power does Satan have?
• What is spiritual warfare?
• Is it wrong to blame God?
• Is it OK to question God?
• Why does God allow sickness?
• Why isn't God answering my prayer?
• What does it mean to surrender to God?
• Why do bad things happen?
• What does it mean that God is sovereign?
• Why do I feel like I'll never be good enough for God?
• Why me, God?