Job's Mental Trials

"I cry out to you, O God, but you do not answer; I stand up, but you merely look at me. You turn on me ruthlessly; with the might of your hand you attack me. You snatch me up and drive me before the wind; you toss me about in the storm. I know you will bring me down to death, to the place appointed for all the living. "Surely no one lays a hand on a broken man when he cries for help in his distress. Have I not wept for those in trouble? Has not my soul grieved for the poor? Yet when I hoped for good, evil came; when I looked for light, then came darkness. The churning inside me never stops; days of suffering confront me." (Job 30: 20-27 NIV)

"Lord God, you are simply toying with me," seems to be a modern way of summing up what is the substance of Job's dire complaint. And, oh how many of God's people, like Job, have felt the same way! No doubt every child of God, unless he dies quite young, has come to a point in life where he has "questioned God" and God's governance, both of the world and of him as an individual Christian. They all feel and sense that God is at times making them a "plaything," and seems to enjoy seeing them suffer.

Yet, at the same time, they know deep within themselves that Lord God is just and good, and would never treat his people in such a manner. So, the conflict is in the inability to properly "interpret" events as they happen, either in the world or in the individual Christian life. They know not how to "reconcile" what seems to be living contradictions. "If God loves me," they often say to themselves, "then he..."

They fill in the blanks of the above sentence with such extenuations as these:

"then he would get me out of this mess," or,

"then he would not let me suffer in pain like this," or,

"then he would answer my prayer."

But, how feeble is human sense of the divine workings! How faulty is his "interpretation" of events and circumstances in his life! How often does he "misread" divine providence! How often does he fail to discern the will of God, and fail to discover what God is really doing, as opposed to what it seems like he is doing.

The Book of Job's life and sufferings is but the record of a man who not only suffered greatly, but also the record of a man who struggled deeply with his faith in view of seeming divine injustices.

Not only may we translate in modern slang some of the above word's of Job as a complaint about Lord God "toying with" him, but also as one in which he complains that Lord God is simply "jerking him around." In a recent popular movie, where divine providence was an aside discussion between a cop and a gangster, the gangster said to the cop - "Don't you think that God is a puppeteer and we are just puppets on a string?" The cop replied - "yes, but you have to admit, God has a strange sense of humor." Again, many of God's people have times in their lives when they struggle with reconciling events that seem to say "God does not love me" with the conviction and past experience that has made them say, "God does love me."

The problem of evil! The most difficult question for every believer in God! (The problem of evil is a serious problem for the atheist also, but that is not the central point of this study)

Even for the Christian, it can be difficult, even though for him it ought not to be all so difficult. The Christian difficulty is more with the reason why God allows the good, or the innocent, as infants seem to be, or the Christian, to suffer and experience evil, and not so much with the seeming difficulty of why God allows the evil or wicked to suffer.

Job felt like God was being "ruthless" in his treatment of him. He compared how God was (seemingly) treating him in his condition with how other men treat such a one. Human beings have a modern saying that says - "don't beat a man when he is down." Yet, Lord God, to Job in his greatest sufferings, seemed to be doing this!

The view of God by Job in his deepest sufferings! How clouded was his judgment of things at that time! Oh yes, he also had great faith and understanding in it all, but he also manifested a deep weakness in the understanding of his faith.

Lord God had a "sufficient reason" to do as he did in regard to Job, but Job did not have "sufficient information" to make a valid judgment, although he thought he had searched out the matter completely, and so now cries out in his spiritual desperation because he has no answer from God as to his soul searching questions about the why of his sufferings!

Earlier in Job's initial sufferings he exclaimed, with great faith, -

"Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him." (Job 13: 15 KJV)

His faith held on to God when his reason could not see any logic in what God was doing. "I am going to continue serving God even if he kills me!" That is what Job says.

"Yet when I hoped for good, evil came; when I looked for light, then came darkness. The churning inside me never stops; days of suffering confront me."

Disappointment is one of the most difficult things to try the faith of the Lord's people. To receive ill when we are expecting good is a severe drain on faith. It often brings initial doubts about God or about our standing with him. It also begets deep questions about God's character and the manner of his dealings with men. Notice these deep questions that came up in Job's mind in the midst of his sufferings.

"Why died I not from the womb? why did I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly?" (Job 3: 11)

"Wherefore then hast thou brought me forth out of the womb?" (Job 10: 18)

"Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power?" (Job 21: 7)

"Then Job answered and said, I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God? If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand. He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?...Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not. Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou? If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him. How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him? Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge. If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice. For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause. He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness. If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead? If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse. Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life...For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment." (Job 9:1-4, 11-21)

Job sought to understand his "predicament" in light of what he knew to be true about his God. He sought to interpret the events of his life, to "make sense of" what was going on in the world and in his own life.

"Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this." (Ecclesiastes 7: 10)

Job did not seem to follow this wise practice. He was trying to "figure out" why things were better with him formerly than now. His main concern however ought to be with his own standing with the Lord in the here and now and not be complaining how "times are harder now" and use such a line for an excuse for lack of faith and faith activity.

Friend, are you in severe trial like Job? Do your inner "churnings" bring you to question God as did Job? Then I pray that you will follow Job's example and hold on to faith in God, in his love, mercy, and goodness and not "judge the Lord by feeble sense."

"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding." (Proverbs 3: 5 KJV)