My mom had schizophrenia and our family struggles were great and compounding our struggles came the day when it seemed as if God was piling on greater suffering upon suffering. As a young teen, I was informed that my seven year old brother was run over by a truck and would not live. I understand Job’s bitterness. I have expressed some of the same words Job penned. Job and I and maybe you too have succumbed to the unchallenged worldly assumption that extraordinary suffering is to always be understood as the action of God, specifically a response to sin (Job 7:20-21). For a woman at our church reminded my mother and I that our sins caused the death of my brother. We are often left to conclude God is after us and it is unfathomable.
Job models for me a deeper theological reflection that begins by reminding us of the realities of life. Job models a realistic but incorrect view of God who provides inexpressible suffering. These issues have always left me wondering why God would ever inspire a book to be written that would in so many ways possibly make Him look bad. Yet, I have come to the conclusion that God is helping us process the pain of suffering and He acknowledges our pain and bitterness. How does someone who is angry and feels alienated speak about God or to God? If you have experienced excruciating pain, you too know the difficulty in talking calmly to God, praying, singing cheerful songs, or dealing with a friend who has no idea what you’re going through, while commanding you to repent of your sins. God is not so shallow and He provides us with Job chapter 7. It is honest, realistic, and provides me with catharsis. It does not satisfy all the questions but nothing ever really does. Sometimes venting helps.
So Job is suffering and he expresses himself. Yet, in this uncomfortable speech we overlook an important verse. Job acknowledges that God will search for him (Job 7:21). Job makes a dig at God that he may not be there when God finds him but he knows God will seek him out. Job may not be using what we may call Christian language and it may even be seen as blasphemy. Yet, his words show that his conversation with God is far from over. Isn’t this the beginning of restoring a relationship? We all know God will come after us. We know God is not finished with us yet.