Theology of Suffering: Part Two
Meet Job, a good guy, loved God, healthy, wealthy, and wise. He personally turned from evil and prayed for his family just in case sin sneaked into their lives. Many theologians believe Job was the first recorded book of the Bible which makes it crucial to understanding and preparing for suffering. Right from the beginning God alerted us to several things we’d need to remember when going through any dark valley.
First of all, Satan is introduced in the first two chapters, a fascinating account, subsequently God permitted him to take his best two shots at Job. Satan’s power and authority was limited, it didn’t include death, but it did include suffering. God lifted His hand temporarily from Job’s physical life to strengthen him spiritually. Faith is often tested and suffering can expose your heart condition.
Next, Job’s response to losing his family and wealth is our first key: worship.
He said, “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!” Job 1:21
He recognized that all he had was God’s goodness, yet sometimes He permits Satan to test our faith in a variety of ways, but never can he kill a believer. Only God decides when our earthly life is over and we continue living with Him in heaven.
Eventually Job’s wife and three friends questioned his attitude and he fell into depression; can you identify? They basically told him his suffering is his fault because ‘bad things happen to bad people and good things happen to good people’. That false creed caused Job to begin to justify himself believing he didn’t deserve what’s happened, it was unfair, and made a case before God.
Apparently this very long story brought God to His limit of patience and He spoke to Job in Chapters 38-42 not about his suffering, but about His sovereignty. We can also make our case before God, that’s how children and parents operate, however, parents make the final decision. In His interrogation God exposed Job’s self-righteous heart which brought this man of integrity to his knees in humility and repentance. That’s another key.
The theology of suffering includes pain, physically, emotionally, or relationally, so we have to be on alert, not allowing it to cause self-justification: It’s not my fault! Job never blamed God, but he did have an attitude. Been there?
In summary, let’s remember that Satan prowls around watching you, but humility will disarm him (1 Peter 5:6-11). When suffering hits, and it will, find ways to worship your Creator. He wants a relationship with you so talk to Him. Also, be careful who you’re listening to, God was angry at Job’s friends, and required he listen only to Him. Finally, remember that suffering is temporary, physical life constantly changes, but eternal life is what grounds us. As a believer in Jesus, it’s our final hope.
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