Suffering’s Response (#162 of 365+)

“At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: ‘Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the
LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised’” (Job 1:20-21)

Anyone who has experienced the sudden death of a loved one can attest to the fact that, at its worst, grief looks a whole lot like anger. It becomes a raging flood inside that you can’t control. You cry out loudly in pain and—unless someone holds you back—you might break something or even harm yourself.

Multiple calamities struck Job’s household all in one day. He lost incredible wealth (all his oxen, donkeys, sheep, camels died or were stolen) and there was a great loss of human life (almost all his servants and every one of his children died). Upon hearing of his children’s fate Job responded by tearing his clothes and shaving his head. These were common ways people in his culture expressed powerful emotions like grief and anger.

Even though he was a godly man his next response still seems a bit premature. His attitude suddenly switched to worship. I’m not entirely sure how he got back on track so quickly but I have a hunch. I picture him, after tearing off all his clothes and shaving his entire head and face, lying on the ground in the fetal position—completely naked and bald. He was crying. He was distraught. Nothing could soothe him. Then he saw a reflection of himself, maybe in a shiny bronze vase, and the Spirit of God spoke to him in that moment. Job realized he looked much like he did on the day he was born.

“‘Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised’” (Job 1:21)

Job was reminded how everything he had acquired since birth, everything he had just lost, had been given to him as a gift from the Lord. One day in the future he would die and take nothing with him. Nothing was his to keep. It all belonged to God. The fact he had prayed and sacrificed often on behalf of his children, and entrusted them to the Lord from an early age, probably helped him to receive God's peace in the midst of this storm.

Lord, I want my response to pain and suffering to be more like Job’s. Help me maintain that perspective. I entrust you with my life, my marriage, and my child. Thank you for all the wealth that fills my life. May I be a good steward of everything for the short time they’ve been given to me. Amen.