Readings for today: Job 1-5
Suffering poses one the greatest challenges to faith. Why is there so much suffering in the world? Why is there so much suffering throughout history? Why do good people suffer? Why do innocent people suffer? Why does suffering seem so arbitrary? Why do some suffer greatly and others suffer not as much? It’s a puzzle. A riddle wrapped in a mystery. An enigma that has haunted humanity from the beginning. You may or may not know this but Job is the oldest book in the Bible. The first one written chronologically. And it’s fascinating to me that the problem it seeks to solve is the problem of suffering. Suffering is a universal condition. One we all experience. And the problem of suffering is one we all think about and wrestle over. I’ve traveled the world and no matter where I go, people want to know why suffering exists. They want to know how a good God could allow suffering. Is He good but powerless to act or is He all-powerful but perhaps doesn’t care? These are questions that cut to the heart. Furthermore, many of my atheist friends point to the fact that suffering is not something that just impacts the human race. The history of the world is full of incredible suffering. The mass extinction of most species - some 99% according to scientific estimates - seems astronomically high if there is a good God sovereignly reigning over all He has made.
The temptation is to try and talk about suffering on a philosophical level. Over-spiritualize what is a deeply personal, deeply painful experience. This is the mistake Job’s friends make. But Job refuses to allow his suffering to become abstract. His words are raw and honest and heartbreaking. Though he does not sin, he still faces reality. Though he does not blame God, he does demand an audience. Job seems more than willing to accept evil from God, not just good. He seems more than willing to accept that the Lord gives and takes away. He still praises God in the middle of his grief and pain but he also refuses to let go. He wants answers and in this way, Job represents all of us. I believe it’s why this book holds such wide influence across human cultures and even other religious traditions. No matter what perspective a person holds, there is something about Job that is deeply compelling.
As you read this book, challenge yourself to sit in the ashes with Job. Allow your own experience of suffering, whatever that may be, to shape how you read and respond to the words of Job and his friends. Don’t rush past the pain. Don’t try to avoid the tensions raised by Job. Don’t offer easy answers to the questions he poses. Just sit with him. Listen to him. Let your heart break with him. And let the Lord speak to your own experience of suffering as you let Job be your guide.
Readings for tomorrow: Job 6-9