Many atheists would often raise the story of Job when engaging in a debate with me about God's sense of fairness and justice. They can't be faulted for using it as an excuse to defend their stance against God. They’re oblivious to who God is. They do not know the Lord as much as believers do. Besides, even we Christians couldn't help but raise the same question: Can God’s actions against Job be considered fair?
We all know that Job, a man of virtue, was subjected to excruciating suffering that would make anyone lose sanity if one is not anchored in God’s Word. Given his faithfulness and devotion to God, many, even Christians, would consider Job’s bone-splitting torment as something uncalled for.
It would take great wisdom and formidable faith to fully understand His purpose, for allowing a man, like Job, who did his best to walk in righteousness and humility, to experience soul-wrenching tribulations.
Considering Job’s predicament, we couldn’t help but ask: Are we not promised the following benefits for obeying the Lord?
“The fruit of that righteousness will be peace;
Its effect will be quietness and confidence forever.” Isaiah 32:17
Why then did God allow Job to experience such agonizing afflictions?
When answering such a question, it is best to put everything into perspective.
To begin with, Job, for years, before the hard season began, drank deeply of the Lord’s blessings. He was well-respected by the people in his community, immensely honored and held in high esteem by both society’s respected figures and ordinary folks.
“The highest officials of the city stood quietly,
holding their tongues in respect. All who heard me praised me.
All who saw me spoke well of me.” Job 29:10-11 NLT
Job was also extremely wealthy. God blessed him with a vast livestock.
“and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East.” Job 1:3 NIV
Moreover, God put a layer of protection on Job, his family, and his possessions.
“Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land” Job 1:6-22 NIV.
Everything Job had come from God. Job, himself, understood this. And it is for this reason that instead of becoming vengeful and furious when he learned about the death of his children and the utter ruin of all his fortune, he humbled himself before God and uttered one of the most famous quotes in the Scripture.
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
And naked shall I return there.
The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away;
Blessed be the name of the Lord.” Job 1:21 NJKV
He did not question the Lord why such atrocities befell him, as most people do instantly in such dire circumstances. Instead, he accepted his lot. He settled into what was. And for a time, Job sought God for comfort, but the Lord was strangely silent. So, Job kept his mouth shut for days on end until he couldn’t bear the pain anymore. He started to complain to God. He’s still human after all, bound to break when the pressure mounts.
Is it then fair for Job to go through what he went through? Is God fair?
Job’s Suffering Does Not Negate God’s Sense Of Fairness And Justice
First, what God took away from Job belongs to the Lord. So what God gives, He can take away if He so desires.
Second, most would focus on what Job lost, not what he regained after his ordeal. If God had no sense of justice, He would have just allowed Job to rot and die after the latter grumbled about his misfortune. The Lord didn’t do so. Instead, as just in heart as God is, the Lord blessed and gave him back way more than what he’d lost.
There Is Always a Higher Purpose Behind God’s Actions
Third, the suffering of Job is not only meant to test his faithfulness to the Lord, but it is intended for a higher purpose. When God takes away what’s been given, it’s not about grabbing a gift back out of spite or on a whim like most heartless and callous people often do.
God always has a purpose for everything He undertakes.
The story of Job is meant to convey a message of hope to all believers, strengthening our faith even when the burdens we carry become too heavy to bear. Because my friend, God knows ahead of time that countless generations of persecuted saints and everyday worshippers like us will read the story of Job. It is meant to encourage and bring hope to every suffering believer in times past to the present: we will never be abandoned. We will never be alone.
The Book of Job teaches us that even in our suffering, there’s always a glimmer waiting at the end of the tunnel. That is why every child of God lives with hope–for we have a God who will see us through our darkest seasons.
“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:20 NIV
And so here are the lessons God wants to communicate to every suffering believer through the Book of Job.
Lessons Learned from the Book of Job
Building a Spiritual Mindset Rooted in God
The mindset of a true believer isn’t the same as everyone else's. Job's initial response upon learning the bad news from his servant is one of acceptance and humility.
The story of Job makes known to us how God wants us to respond in times of debilitating trials. He wants us to follow Job’s example, his humility when the latter learned the disaster that befell him. I know, we’re only human, but we’re also Spirit-filled.
God has given us the ability to rise above our troubles. When life’s searing hardships heavily encumber us, we press on. In presenting the story of Job, God is holding us to a different standard. We are not of this world, and therefore, our perspective and the way we respond to pain and trials aren’t the same as those who view life through a worldly lens. Easier said than done. I am not here to preach. I, myself, have doubts about whether I could measure up to such a standard. However, I know it can be done because I have read countless stories of fellow believers who remained faithful to God despite enduring soul-shattering trials.
We often think of well-celebrated saints of ancient times who triumphantly endured and overcome tribulations, but tend to lose sight of ordinary, everyday Christians whose suffering is also downright harrowing. I couldn't even mouth the words to describe the pain they go through. You will be astounded at how many believers today wield the sword of faith, encouraging fellow believers even as life’s hardships deeply bruise them themselves. Persecuted Christians in China, Nigeria, Africa, India, Iraq, and in different parts of the globe suffer in silence as they stand firm in the faith.
And then you have those everyday Christians who lost a child, a spouse, or someone who is struggling with finances, but remained faithful in the Lord.
Because, my friend, as you and I know, obedience to God does not mean life will always be easy—but here is the promise. If we remain rooted in His Word, His presence and peace will never leave us. He will send people to rescue us, to provide for us in His perfect time. I have read stories of countless miracles of God’s healing and provisions from Christians. They experienced hardships, but help always came at the right time.
When God Seems Indifferent
We must also consider the fact that sometimes, God would not heal or spare someone from imminent death. But that’s not akin to God’s indifference. Because one thing is sure: the course of a good man’s life rests with God. He has His purpose. Charlie Kirk’s death ignited a revival in the church. His death brought people, both young and old, to Christ.
So when bad things happen—see it from God’s perspective. And since the Spirit of the Lord is residing in every believer, the way we gauge God’s action should be different from how the world sees it.
Life’s Struggles Aren’t Always a Punishment for Sin
When life throws us a curve or a set of searing obstacles out of nowhere, the first thing we blurt out is: What did I do wrong? Why is God punishing me? It’s human nature. We always seek the most justifiable reason behind our suffering. If we deem it unfair, we sulk in the corner and raise our voice in protest to God over our afflictions. The Book of Job proves that suffering is not always a punishment for sin. It is meant to serve as a blueprint for believers. Will we remain faithful to Him when our days are bleak for years on end?
Struggles are also meant to redirect our path or prevent us from wrecking our own lives. Because my friend, life storms aren't always meant to rattle us but to redirect us to the straight path God has laid out for us.
Job may be a good man, a faithful servant of God, but he, too, has a weakness: He, at times, allowed fear to consume him. And this weakness is what the enemy used against him.
“What I feared has come upon me;
What I dreaded has happened to me.” Job 3:25 NIV
The story of Job shows that our lives are in God’s Hand. The Lord made it clear to Job that he has nothing to fear as long as he puts his faith in Him. He’s the one with the final word. He holds the ultimate authority. And therefore, if we truly belong to the Lord, we should never live in fear.
What It Means to Be a Good Friend
The Book of Job also offers us insight into how to be a good friend. When I first read the Book of Job, I couldn’t figure out why God castigated Job’s friends when they were firmly defending God from Job’s complaints. Now I understand.
God got angry with them because they passed judgment based on presumptions. They were quick to judge Job. They did so not from true insight, but from the place of their own self-righteousness.
When a friend or a fellow believer, for that matter, is drowned in unbearable suffering, consumed in grief and misery, we have to refrain from inflicting further harm by behaving like a harsh, scathing critic. We can correct a friend if needed, but we must do so with wisdom and compassion, as Elihu did. He made it clear that the suffering of a believer isn’t always meant to punish but for teaching or discipline. Elihu did not accuse Job of any outward sin, but he set him straight about thinking he was without sin. For no one is good but God.
Let God Be God
Elihu also emphasized God’s sovereignty. We can’t put God in a box. We must “let God be God,” as the late Pastor and Theologian, John MacArthur, once said during one of his sermons. The Almighty has dominion over all and therefore can decide on things as He sees fit. He is infinitely wise, and a greater purpose always guides His actions.
He has the right to strip us bare of the blessings He showered us with if it serves a righteous purpose.
You see– God’s perspective differs from ours.
Fleeting outcomes don’t measure his sense of justice, but by the eternal purpose it serves.
Some Atheists, when arguing with me about Job’s unjust trial, would often assume that God allowed such a thing to happen to Job on a whim, taking that bait from Satan when the latter challenged Him to put Job to the test. But God can’t be fooled. Truth is, the Lord is omniscient. He welcomed that challenge not on a capricious whim but for a higher purpose.
The Story of Job Is Not a Book of Injustice But a Message Of Hope
Suffering is not the absence of God. If there’s one thing that is comforting about the story of Job, it is this: We are never forsaken. Victory is ours in the end, no matter how bleak things get. We will never lose hope even when it feels as though the odds are stacked against us because our God, who is faithful, has made this promise for you and me:
“When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you.
And when you pass through the rivers,
They will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
You will not be burned.
The flames will not set you ablaze.” Isaiah 43:2 NIV
Photo credit: Unsplash/Kelly Sikkema
