God Asked Job to Do What?!

I don’t think we get to decide which books of the Bible are more important than others (feels like that’s above my pay grade ), but if we did, I would put Job pretty high on the list. As brutal as parts of the story are, Job’s psychological arc is both relatable and helpful when life goes inexplicably sideways. In a nutshell, it sounds something like this:

Job (abridged): “Doin’ great God. Wait, what the heck God? I didn’t do anything wrong! Why is this happening to me? Look at all the good I was doing! Don’t You see I’m suffering?…Okay, okay. I get it. You are God and I am not. Sorry about all the questioning. I trust You.”

This journey from questioning to trust when life doesn’t make sense is often the hardest journey of faith we ever take. And, one we all get to (John 16:33, James 1, Romans 5, Ecc. 3, Matt. 5:45)

However, aside from Job’s unimaginable suffering, the sourest grapes in the story are Job’s three buddies, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. These well-intentioned men start out trying to comfort him (Job 2:11-13) but quickly fall into one of mankind’s oldest traps…trying to explain God.

Buddies (abridged): “Dude, this is not good. What did you do wrong? What sin are you hiding? Just confess so God will let up. No one suffers like this unless they seriously messed up. Stop being so arrogant. What did you do? This is not how God works.”

Adding insult to injury, Job’s buddies poke his wounds with their words, attempting (as so many of us do) to explain why God does what He does. Sadly, their explanations were not only wrong, but they hurt their suffering friend who said, “…miserable comforters are you all!” (Job 16:2)

Then God Asked Job to Do What?!

Assuming you’ve made it this far, this is where my jaw dropped. When I finally got to the last chapter of Job, I was pumped! The end of Job’s suffering was at hand! Except, not yet?

In a plot twist I had not noticed before, God addresses Job’s buddies. “I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has” (Job 42:7). Yikes. Then, before He does any physical restoration of Job’s suffering, God asks for something incredible. “My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly” (Job 42:8b).

Now, while we can read ahead and know God “…blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the first” (Job 42:12). Job did not know that. Job, still in a state of severe pain and suffering that he did not know would end, was asked by God to pray for his buddies, his hurtful friends so that God might have mercy on them. And he did. Unbelievable.

May we consider…

In the midst of our suffering, God may ask us to pray for someone who added to our suffering. (Matt. 5:44-45)
If you’ve ever been a crummy friend, God has a way back to Him for you.
In this story, God shows mercy upon both innocent and self-inflicted suffering.
It is tempting to offer well-intentioned explanations for God, particularly in the face of suffering. Be very careful with this. We may be wrong or cause more pain.
God decides who, when, and how situations are redeemed. The timing and order may not make sense to us.
Sometimes God lets us in on what He’s doing and sometimes He doesn’t. Faith is accepting both.

As my journey through Job has finally ended, I find myself even more aware that I do not, nor will I ever, fully understand this God of ours. Oddly, how freeing that is.

Originally published September 2024, updated for freshness and clarity.

For more of Anne’s mental health and faith content check out her blog, Bible studies, and speaking engagements!

Photo by Samantha Sophia on Unsplash, used with permission.