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We live in a world full of questions, a world that is forever asking ‘why?’ We witness tragedy each day on individual, national and international scales. And together with the whole world we cry out in anguish, wondering if we will ever see justice restored.

As people in nursing and caring professions, we are face-to-face with this anguish on a daily basis. We are at the front line of the battle, and we see pain and suffering take root in many different ways: the young family facing cancer, the elderly person left alone to die.

As Christian members of staff, we often feel we should be better equipped to deal with these situations. We assume that we must have the right answers as to why this is happening. When in dialogue with patients, relatives and colleagues - surely we have something more to say?

But the truth is we often have nothing to say. We could form glib theological answers in our minds, but how on earth could they relate to the real hurt, the real pain, the real grief?

The book of Job thrusts us into a world seemingly out of control. A world where justice doesn’t always prevail. A world full of questions. And as Job’s life becomes one full of terrible pain, grief and suffering - he is not afraid to ask questions:

Why am I still alive, when suffering? Why was I allowed to be born in the first place? Why does God hide from me, and consider me his enemy? Where is my hope?

How does the book of Job tackle these questions?

For the first 37 chapters, we see a human response. Job’s 4 friends Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar and Elihu, each attempt to answer Job’s pleas for help. They rattle off lengthy spiels consisting of their own thoughts, observances and wisdom. They give simple, cold answers to the problems Job is facing.

Job is confronted by the accusation of Eliphaz: You are a sinner, and your arguments are blighted by sin; by the theological prowess of Bildad: God is being just with you; and by the legalism of Zophar - You’re not doing enough before God.

As Job is tormented by their trite and polished answers, the reader realises that human wisdom is not equipped to handle these earnest questions.

Job’s questions seem so familiar to us today. For those involved in any kind of nursing or care work, hurting people often shout their questions at us. How can the book of Job help us as we come face-to-face with human suffering?

The main character of the book speaks at last in chapter 38. The LORD, the God of the universe at last comes to answer Job’s questions.

But the surprise is, that God does not answer Job’s 37 chapters of questions. Instead he asks more. Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundations? Have you ever given orders to the morning or shown the dawn it’s place? Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you set up God’s dominion over the earth?
Who is this God? Job finally sees: I know that you can do all things, that no plan of yours can be thwarted… now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.

Job longs for answers. And the answer God gives is not a long philosophical explanation of the problem of evil. The answer given is God himself - the God who is sovereign over all. The God who calls people into relationship with him. The God whose wisdom far outweighs human wisdom. The God who offers a personal relationship with him as the answer to the problem of evil. The God who allows his creation to relate to him, to be real with him as Job was, and to find hope and true joy (even amid sufferings) in him.

As we live as Christians in a world where there is such a thing as innocent suffering, and where people will shout their questions at us - let us show them our God. He won’t answer their questions - he is the answer to their questions.