How to Deal with Suffering: Lessons from Job

Every one of us has probably wondered why there is so much pain and suffering on earth. The explanation seems to remain beyond our grasp, especially when we are the ones in agony. Can we get any answers at all? The book of Job tackles the subject head-on, and from its pages we can glean a few principles to help us make sense of this baffling mystery.

You probably know the story of Job. Life was good. He had wealth beyond measure and a large, happy family. Then one day, he lost it all. What’s more, his health soon deteriorated to the point that he wanted to die. All his worst nightmares had come true, and then some.

Job’s friends arrived to comfort him, and a series of conversations followed as they tried to make sense of what had happened. Because they differed in their interpretations, their debate grew increasingly heated until another friend appeared on the scene and rebuked them all. Finally, God himself addressed Job.

Here are a few observations that came to me as I read through the book:

• Job never learned the reason for his suffering. The scene in heaven where Satan expressed doubts about Job’s faithfulness, and God let him test it, was never revealed to Job. His agony had a purpose, but God never explained it to Job. Instead, the veil that covers what happens in the spiritual world remained fastened shut before his eyes, and it was only pushed back for a few seconds in the first two chapters for our benefit.

•  God didn’t cause Job’s suffering. Satan did. Sure, God allowed it, but he was not the one who brought death and destruction. Job was wrong to blame God, and in the end, he repented of his accusations.

•  Both Job and his friends were wrong in their analysis of what happened. The friends assumed that Job had committed a major sin that incurred God’s wrath, whereas Job vehemently defended his innocence and accused God of mistreating him.

•  Human understanding and knowledge are minuscule compared with God’s infinite wisdom and power. When God addressed Job, he asked him a long series of questions that Job could not answer. The statements Job had so confidently declared only a little earlier only proved his complete ignorance, which he readily admitted.

So what are some applications for us today as we grapple with the same questions that tormented Job?

• • Don’t analyze the “whys” too much, because we may reach the wrong conclusions. We should be cautious about the reasons we give for suffering, especially those of others. We would be wise to remember the limits of our understanding. It also wouldn’t hurt to be humble about whatever opinions we may hold. We don’t want to be rebuked like Job or his friends, do we?

• Remember that God is good. He is the sovereign Creator of the universe and infinitely more powerful than we could ever imagine. He desires our well-being, not our misfortune. I don’t know why he doesn’t explain more to us, but he has his reasons.  

• Trust God despite everything. Amid his doubts and anger, Job still said, “I know that my Redeemer lives,” and “after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God.” Although severely tested, he never wavered in his faith in God’s salvation, even as he was bewildered and confused. Trusting God is a decision we make even when we don’t understand what’s happening.

When all was said and done, God lifted Job out of his despair and restored to him twice as much as he had lost. We may never experience such a dramatic turnaround, but the conclusion of Job’s story reveals a crucial truth: suffering won’t have the final word. God will defeat all suffering and evil. For those who trust God, suffering is temporary and will come to an end. How we look forward to that day!