Stay Connected

This weekend we hear from Job, a short excerpt in the middle of one of his responses in a long, existential dialogue with three friends. It’s important to understand the Book of Job as a literary work meant to convey certain universal ideas and not a historical account of an actual conversation.

These six short verses succinctly summarize so much of what many of us struggle with daily. The monotony of daily life, feeling like cogs on a wheel trapped in an oppressive system, kept awake at night by our thoughts, time itself rushing by faster and faster before we have a chance to see happiness again. Perhaps it’s some consolation that folks in 500 B.C. had many of the same problems we do today.

We often talk about how we respond to God’s generosity or love, and the good things we experience. But perhaps more often we’re defined by how we respond to adversity, suffering, disappointment, and pain. The Book of Job provides a process for us to emulate. Job enters into honest dialogue with friends and with God. It takes a while (42 biblical chapters) but these relationships eventually bring Job back from the brink of despair (even with the help of some intercessory prayer!), and he’s restored and able to live out a content and long life.

Unfortunately, our response to suffering and confusion, sometimes understandably trying to protect ourselves, is to turn inward and isolate ourselves from others. This seems to be getting worse with what is becoming an epidemic of loneliness. We cannot heal ourselves. As illustrated in the Gospel story of healing this weekend, we need the empathy of others, and we need God’s grace.

Let’s keep our eyes open for those going through a time of despair or suffering, and make the effort to reach out to them. And for ourselves, in our struggles, let us be at least as wise as Job, reaching out to those who care for us when we need someone to listen, and never stop talking with God, even in our darkest moments.