Cover to Cover: The Story of the Bible Part 3Sample

Peace in Your Suffering: Job

The book of Job wrestles with the question, “Why would a good God allow bad things to happen to innocent people?” It begins with a scene in heaven, and we watch as God points out his servant Job to Satan, commending Job’s righteousness. Satan, however, accuses Job, claiming he only loves God because his life is easy. In response, God permits Satan to inflict suffering in Job’s life to test his faith and character.

In a series of devastating blows, Job loses his livestock, his servants, even his children, and finally, his health. Job first responds by worshiping God, but as the suffering continues, he begins to question God. Job asserts that a world in which the innocent suffer is proof of an unfair God. Three friends who have come to be with Job in his suffering counter this argument, claiming that Job must have done something bad to deserve his suffering.

However, both arguments are wrong. Job is innocent, but this does not make God unjust. Instead, out of love, God uses Job’s suffering to refine his faith.

After Job and his friends express their opinions and accusations, God himself confronts Job. God never directly addresses Job’s questions; instead, he questions Job. He says, “Where were you when I laid down the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding…Have you ever in your life commanded the morning, And made the dawn know its place?...Do you know the ordinances of the heavens, Or do you establish their rule over the earth?” God goes on in this manner, listing question upon question, pointing out all the things in the world outside Job’s control and beyond his comprehension.

In doing so, God suggests that maybe the reason for Job’s suffering is beyond his comprehension. So, Job never gets his question answered about why God allowed him to suffer. Still, after seeing the sovereign power and superior wisdom of his Creator over creation, Job’s perspective is reframed. He repents and trusts God again.

Job’s story reveals that we do not serve a score-keeping God who operates within our degree of comprehension. Instead of figuring out the reason for our suffering, we can instead fix our eyes on God and his infinite power and wisdom. God’s ways are above our ways, and we can’t always understand his plan.

Do you ever question if God’s power is directed by love when hard things happen to you?

When you doubt God’s love, look at Jesus’s life: He did not stand aloof and apathetic to our suffering but entered into our pain himself. Jesus came to Earth as a man and then demonstrated his love for us by sacrificing his life! This was the greatest act of undeserved suffering. Christ lived a perfect life, yet he endured humiliating torture, a brutal crucifixion, and separation from his father so that suffering, sin, and death would not have the final word for your life. When you suffer, remember this unmerited love.

Your suffering doesn’t disprove Christ’s love; his suffering proves it.

God’s grip on you is strong and secure. All you have to do is go to him. He will embrace you in his deepest being and never let you go.

RESPOND: Take a moment to bring God the doubts and fears you experience in times of suffering.