The Paradox Of Job’s SufferingExemplo

Comfort

Paul, in the letter of 2 Corinthians, the letter where his sufferings are described the most, begins by talking of God’s comfort and how it extends to those around.

The silver-lining he highlights is that the greater the suffering, the more the comfort for us and those we influence. While the world is watching Job get stripped of all he held dear, what they cannot see is the comfort that he receives that carries him through. We now see it from his confident assertions – “when He has tried me, I will come forth as gold” Job 23:10b and “after my skin is destroyed, this I know that in my flesh I shall see God” Job 19:26 

So do we assume that the more righteous we are the more suffering we are to expect? Not necessarily. The large part of Job’s life features God’s blessings in every way. 

God stopped the mouths of lions because of Daniel’s righteousness.

My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.” Daniel 6:22

Yet this cannot be the established rule, as there were hundreds of Jews and others thrown to the lions in the Roman era shortly after Christ’s death.

Christ tells His disciples that good and bad things happen to good and bad people.

.. He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. Matt 5:45 b

So while being righteous may invite special spiritual, material, and physical blessings from God, it also invites special attacks from Satan in some way or the other. 

In the next world, of course, the righteous will face a huge advantage that will far out-weigh any disadvantage faced in this world—forever. But we are in this world and are keen to know what’s in it for us here, right now. 

Let us keep in mind that we need to continue to maintain the eternal perspective while trying to understand our present. Paul warns us that:

If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. 1 Cor 15:19

So far, we have seen that there will be blessings and comfort in suffering, which will extend to many others.