That God waits out our anger in patience helps us work through our emotional pain. God’s patience, however, represents a passive response to us. Is there anything active he does to transform our tragedy? Or to help us transform our tragedy?
For 25 years our son and daughter-in-law experienced extreme weakness with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. She also endured Multiple Chemical Sensitivities during that time. Because it gave her severe physical pain, even when she couldn’t use paper, our son would write Scripture on cloth strips to help them memorize. Those verses sustained them during many years of incapacitation. By providing his word, God transforms an impossible life into a tolerable one. One day, of course, we long for physical healing.
In Job’s case, God also demonstrates grace. Out of the crucible of suffering, God speaks to Job. That’s what Job wants all along, but by the time his fourth instructor in wisdom gets through with him, Job feels God would in no way speak to lowly him. By that time we also feel God would never speak to Job or to us. That God speaks to one person in his pain, however, without condemnation or ridicule, or without crushing him gives us hope.
God patiently awaits the right moment to speak to us in grace.
