Job 2:9 – His wife said to him, “Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!”
It is easy to berate Job’s wife when we hear her seemingly insensitive words. But think about what she had just been through. All her children had just been killed and her husband was now inflicted with painful sores. Job was not the only one suffering, she was suffering as well. We are sometimes quick to make jokes about Job’s wife and how Satan spared her to torment Job. But she was in pain. She was hurting. I can imagine her asking why and not hearing a response. I can imagine her struggling to get up each day and carry on with life. I can imagine her looking at her husband, loving him but not able to comfort him and he not able to comfort her. She is not unlike a lot of us when we go through difficult times. We struggle with day to day activities, we sometimes get to the point that we don’t want to talk to anyone including God. Just like Job’s wife, we sometimes abandon our faith when times get difficult.
Job 2:10
10He replied, "You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.
Job does a powerful thing in the midst of his hurt, he worships. Notice Job doesn’t ask the three questions we always ask when tragedy strikes.
1. WHY is this happening to me?
2. WHERE is God?
3. WHEN will my suffering end?
It’s not necessarily wrong to ask why, when He was suspended between heaven and earth on the cross Jesus asked, “why?”
Matt 27:46"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
But just as no answer came to Jesus on the cross we have no promise in God’s Word for the WHY, WHERE, and WHEN questions. Here is where we need to reword our question with HOW. HOW O Lord are you going to help me through this? How is this hurt going to strengthen my relationship with you? How are you going to work this out for my good?
Remember, God doesn’t always give us what we want but He always gives us what we need.
God had a purpose behind Job’s suffering, and the same is true for us.
