Job Confessing His Presumption to God Who Answers from the Whirlwind by William Blake

Faith in a world of suffering

Job is one of the Old Testament’s most enigmatic characters. One moment he's rich and prosperous, the next sitting in the dust and covered with sores. He loses his family, his wealth, and his standing in society. His exasperated wife suggests he should just curse God and die. His friends, misreading the situation, believe Job’s suffering is punishment from God. They think it's all his own fault, he must have sinned greatly and so must confess and repent.
 
Christians - who believe God is loving - wrestle with the reality of suffering. In a world reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic, shaken with uncertainty and with rising tensions among nations, we turn to the book of Job for answers. As we look at this story we consider:

• The search for answers - an introduction to Job
• Who's on trial?
• Life's not fair
• Friends aren’t always helpful
• The Complaints Department
• God’s wisdom