Why Doesn’t the Lord Level With Job?

Poor Job! Everyone turns against him: friends, wife, and even the Lord. At least it seems that way. At the town dump he struggles a long time with doubt about God’s presence, doubt about himself (what had he done to deserve this?), and doubt about whether or not his life is worth living. It wasn’t fair!

How like us. Life can bring such devastation, we can’t even talk about it.  Like Job for seven days and nights of silence,  veterans I’ve known refuse to talk about their combat experience. Who would understand? Would you? Would I? They’re probably right. We couldn’t appreciate the depth of despair such experiences force on them.

If only God would level with Job–and with us. Why do we have to go through such misery? Why do we have to endure such doubt, such isolation from those we love, and such alienation from the God we need? Job’s experience portrays about the worst series of disasters to befall a person: loss of possessions, employees, children, health, and wife’s support. And without any word of explanation. What does it mean?

In the absence of any clear explanation (even the Lord’s speech doesn’t give Job the answer he wants) we also must piece together our experience to make sense of it for ourselves.

About Grose

Gordon Grose loves most to write, speak, and preach on the message of hope from the book of Job. Using drama, video, and PowerPoint, he has preached and presented this message of hope to churches around the country. Grose pastored three congregations 25 years, then served 12 years as a pastoral counselor in a Portland, Oregon counseling clinic. He now serves with Good Samaritan Counseling Services, Beaverton, OR. A graduate of Wheaton College (IL), Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Brandeis University, and Boston University, he comes from a rich and varied background in theological and counseling training. In 2015, Gordon published Tragedy Transformed: How Job's Recovery Can Provide Hope For Yours, a book about turning to Job for hope after tragedy. If you have experienced life challenges or personal tragedy, visit his Transforming Tragedy (gordongrose.com) blog to learn more. TragedyTransformed.com provides a sample of Gordon's speaking as well as an opportunity to purchase copies of his book.
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