The Lodestar

When God turned the heat on Job, he lost everything, including his health. His first reaction was to curse the day of birth. He just wished he had not been born to see the calamities he faced (Job 3:1—10).

Job’s friends were not kind to him with their words. They were trying to help him understand that his suffering is God’s chastisement for his sins, so he must repent to receive his healing. However, Job was so self-assured that he believed he had not done anything to deserve this suffering.

Though all three friends of Job were unanimous that Job might have done something displeasing to God, their speeches were not utterly false, but there were gems of wisdom in their words. Though sarcastically, Eliphaz, his friend, suggested that even in deep distress, he could find consolation in God, whom he trusted.

People blame each other and themselves when they are in distress. However, exploring the cause of suffering does not alleviate the pain but only explains it.

Eliphaz is trying to lift Job’s spirit, suggesting that his survival depends on two aspects of piety. The first is the reverential fear of God, and the second is his integrity. Those who live giving God the due place in their lives, and that too by maintaining their integrity, can then, even in times of distress, count on God’s help, despite what the rational explanation for the reason for suffering may be.

When life’s trials leave you without answers, do not waste your strength chasing explanations. Instead, reaffirm your reverence for God and hold fast to your integrity. Take a moment today to examine where God stands in your life — and renew your trust in him, knowing that His presence, not the reason for your pain, will sustain you.