Caring For Your Suffering Friend (Part 3)
At this point in our series, we have watched book of Job develop beyond the three rounds of debates and several of Job’s own monologues discussing his honest doubts and questions about the fairness of God. In the midst of this, Job begged several times to be able to speak to God, to ask God to his face about his suffering.
The climax of the book of Job is when God answered his prayer and graciously condescended to speak with Job in Job 38-41. This is a beautiful passage where God asked over 70 rhetorical questions that emphasize His greatness compared to the insignificance of humanity. God did not explain everything to Job or even address his sufferings, but he gave Job what he needs: the truth of God’s character. The book concluded with repentance from Job’s friends, Job himself acknowledging God’s sovereignty, and God blessing Job with twice the amount of wealth that he had before. Simply put, the book of Job is less of an apologetic on why suffering happens, and more of a journey to discover who God is, and how to trust Him.
Elihu’s Frustration
“But the anger of Elihu the son of Barachel the Bite, of the family of Ram burned; against Job his anger burned because he justified himself before God. And his anger burned against his three friends because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job. Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because they were years older than he And when Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of the three men his anger burned.” Job 32:2-5
Elihu was the final person to weigh in on Job’s suffering. After listening to the discourse between Job and previous three friends, he was frustrated: both at the three older men who condemned Job, but also at Job’s growing callousness towards God. He had evidently remained silent up until this point because he was younger; the fact that he did speak up is an example that you can be young or insignificant and still share the truth of God with suffering people.
Elihu reprimanded the other men for their harsh responses. Unlike Job’s other friends, he listened to Job and responded directly to Job’s concerns and frustrations. In Job 33:8-11, 34:5-6, and 35:3, he summarizes and clearly represents what Job had shared before. He took the time to listen and understand Job’s confusion, and addressed those concerns directly. Although Elihu didn’t have all the answers for suffering, he was the better example of a true friend to Job. Here are the things he reminded Job about:
God is wise beyond human understanding and Job could not demand answers from Him (Job 22).
God cannot be wicked or unjust in his treatment of people (Job 34:10-28).
It is worth it to pursue righteousness and follow God, even when Job was experiencing unexplained suffering or trials (Job 35).
God is mighty and sovereign and should be praised, even in suffering (Job 36)
Elihu wanted Job to trust in God’s character even when his circumstances distracted him or tempted Him to think wrongly of God. In Job 37:5, he said, “God thunders with His voice wondrously, Doing great things which we cannot comprehend.” Elihu redirected Job to focus on God, instead of on Job’s problems and questions. He was concerned both at the false teaching that Job was hearing from his other friends, but also concerned that Job would become bitter and angry towards God. When we converse with those who are hurting, we should gently but firmly remind them of truth as Elihu did.
Elihu Pointed Job to God
Perhaps the most valuable thing that Elihu did was to prepare Job for what God would soon be sharing with Job. In Job 37:14, he said, “Listen to this, O Job, Stand and consider the wonders of God.” In the very next chapter, God would condescend, graciously, to speak to Job. God’s words in Job 38-41 contain over 70 rhetorical questions that emphasize God’s greatness compared to the insignificance of humanity. God did not explain everything to Job, or even mention his sufferings. This might seem odd to us, but God gave Job exactly what Job needed! Job needed to know the truth of Who God is. This was a loving and personal speech from God and Elihu’s emphasis on God’s mighty character helped prepare Job to hear it.
PRINCIPLE: Redirect to God’s Word and Remind of God’s Character
When we interact with those who are suffering, the best thing we can do is to remind them of God and His Word. Share Scripture with people often; God’s Word is the most powerful tool we have; it is sufficient for all our needs and is a useful tool for every occasion (2 Peter 1:3, 2 Timothy 3:16-17). God’s words in Scripture are what we need most when we are suffering.
In addition to utilizing the Scriptures, we need to remind people of the many attributes of God. Why should we do this? Are theological concepts such as God’s omnipotence or His glory even helpful in trials and difficult situations? We should do this because it is exactly what God himself did in Job! Think of the many attributes of God that you can name: God is sovereign, mighty, powerful, loving, gracious, and so on. These qualities and attributes bring encouragement, hope, and peace—even if our circumstances remain unchanged.
Some practical ways that we can bring others to God’s Word and remind of God’s character are listed here:
Verbally read God’s Word with someone. Let God speak for Himself.
Share songs or devotionals, or other resources based on Scripture. You want to make sure these are resources that use God’s Word correctly, as the goal is to remind someone of the truth. You could even purchase a Bible study to do together!
Share passages of Scripture that relate to different aspects of God’s character: Whether you are sending a card in the mail, a text message, or recording a voice message, share these passages along with an explanation of why you find that particular aspect of God’s character to be comforting or encouraging.
Christians have a unique opportunity to love those who are suffering. Our approach and our ministry should be centered on God’s Word. When suffering people are tempted to doubt or question God, we can remind them of His wonderful character as found in Scripture! It is only these life-giving tools that can truly bring hope and comfort to any situation.
