The Suffering of Job
Job’s story is an impactful passage on human suffering and God’s sovereign goodness that transcends any circumstance. The book of Job shares of a God-fearing, virtuous man who continually turned from evil. Though he was not sinless, Job was counted righteous by his faith in God until the end.
How does Job respond when unexpected suffering comes to him? How does Job’s story encourage us in our own suffering?
In the beginning of Job, we see an interaction between Satan and God, in which the Creator allows Satan to test Job to see if he would continue to follow God amidst suffering. Job would lose his sheep, camels, servants, and children. In response to this loss, Job worshiped God and refused to blame Him. Next, Job would become afflicted by painful boils. Despite Job's tragic sufferings, he refused to speak ill of God, even when his own wife told him to give up his faith.
In the following chapters, Job wrestled with his experiences in suffering, as his three friends tried in vain to comfort and help him in his pain. They could not fathom that Job’s suffering did not result from sin. However, another voice, that of Elihu, spoke into Job’s circumstances with true wisdom: God is greater than man, holy, and just; only He is righteous and sinless.
God met Job amidst his questions, reminding him of man’s place within His created universe. Though mankind is unworthy of God’s goodness, the Creator delights in showcasing His glory to the ones He has made. After Job prayed for his friends, his fortune was not only restored, but it was doubled.
Although God allowed Job to suffer, His hand was there to guide him, and His comfort remained by his side. What we glean from Job’s story is that God’s righteousness is so much greater than our own, that He is worthy of worship despite our circumstances. In 2 Corinthians 4:17, Paul declared that “our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory.”
There is only one truly righteous person who suffered unjustly: Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Help kids see that God is good, and His full worthiness is displayed in Jesus, the only truly righteous One. By faith in His finished work on the cross, we are counted as righteous and granted eternal hope. Pray that your kids will experience God's goodness and place their faith in Him alone.
Christ Connection: In his suffering, Job recognized that God is all-powerful and good. When we face suffering, we can hope in God. God sent Jesus, the only truly innocent One, to suffer and die so that everyone who trusts in Him can have forgiveness and eternal life.
