Job

I've been working through Job these days, and its fascinating. The story is about humanity -- it is a story about our human need to be heard and recognized, our human craving for justice, our human desire for an explanation of why things in our lives go the way they do. Simultaneously, I'm learning, it is a story about anger and resentment and how quickly the two can multiply and literally eat us alive.

The story begins in a compelling way. Job faces trials with trust; his faith in the Lord, admirably, endures. First, Satan harms his possessions, harming Job's livestock. Still, Job is faithful. Next, Satan sends a strong wind to tear down Job's house, destroying Job's home and killing his sons and daughters. Still, Job is faithful. Job 1:22: "In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing." If my Earthly possessions and my family were taken from me, praise probably wouldn't be my first reaction. Satan continues to test Job's faith. Job's health is at stake and he's in much pain. This proves to be Job's breaking point.

Job curses the day he was born. He curses God, asking where He is. Job curses wicked men and women, questioning justice. Job expresses his anger towards the wicked and does not understand why the wicked are rewarded. Resentment sinks in. The book began with a lack of faith in the Lord and His sovereignty, and by the middle of the book, Job has transitioned to anger about the actions of others.

The book may as well be titled "Sarah." I'm like that. My suffering does not begin to compare to Job's. It's like comparing a marble to a boulder -- to even attempt a comparison undermines what Job went through. But we tend to react similarly, regardless of how big or small our circumstances. It goes like this: Something bad happens. My faith falters. I question God's plan. I question those around me. I resent those around me. I grow to hate those around me. Sadness becomes anger; anger becomes resentment; resentment becomes bitterness; bitterness becomes sadness once again. I'm Job. We're all Job.