Suffering: A Study in JobSample

What does it say?

In response to Job’s questioning of the Lord from Chapter 3, his friend Eliphaz mistakenly assumed that Job must have sinned and was being punished by the Lord.

What does it mean?

Job’s well-meaning friend Eliphaz talked with him about God’s holiness and righteousness, concluding that God is just and would not cause the righteous to suffer without reason. From his viewpoint, God’s blessing was equated with righteousness, while suffering was related to sinfulness. Therefore, Eliphaz felt that Job must have sinned. While there are consequences to sin, not all suffering results from personal sin. The sheer presence of sin in the world has caused decay and death since Adam and Eve. Eliphaz had a hard time understanding how God could permit suffering without cause. He called on Job to repent from his sin so that God would restore him.

How should I respond?

We can all think of people who seem to prosper, despite their rejection of Christ. You may also be able to name friends who love and serve the Lord, yet they have had to suffer unimaginable pain. Some have deeply influenced our lives because they chose to praise God despite their suffering. Who in your life has shown faithfulness to God despite their deep suffering? What can you learn from their life to fortify your heart for the season of suffering?