The Holy Guardian Angels (Memorial)

Who can say to him, “What are you doing?”

Job has suffered the loss of almost everything he held dear and cannot understand the reason for all these terrible trials. After all, he had always been faithful to God! His friends try to help Job make sense of his suffering, yet their attempts to comfort him fail to explain his situation.

In his own grappling to understand his plight, Job reminds himself and his friends of the strength of God’s creative power and the awesomeness of his works. In the face of such power and majesty, Job asks, “Who can say to him, ‘What are you doing?’” (9:12). Job recognizes his littleness before the Lord. God is mighty, the creator and sustainer of the universe. Who are we to question him?

Yet how many times, in the midst of our own suffering, have we asked God this same question: What are you doing, Lord? Of course, it’s not wrong to ask, but Job is right that we shouldn’t approach God in an accusatory way, as if he owes us an explanation. Instead, we can trust that he will somehow bring good out of our trials and use them to help us grow close to him. So rather than asking why, we can ask how: How should I respond to this situation? How are you working in me in this hard time?

God will answer us as we take the time to listen. Perhaps he will show us how we can depend more on his grace. Or we may find that the patience required of us in a certain situation leads to a greater closeness to Christ. As we endure a trial, he may also increase our sense of compassion and love for others.

It will take until the closing chapters of the Book of Job for this righteous man to express himself fully to God and for God to finally answer him. This will lead Job to a much more profound faith. We don’t know how our own situations will be resolved, but we do know that God can use everything we experience to help us grow in our faith. So don’t be afraid to ask him how he is forming you through your suffering. But then wait prayerfully, with Job-like patience, for his answer.

“Lord Jesus, give me the grace this day to respond to my suffering in a way that leads me closer to you.”

Job 9:1-12, 14-16
Psalm 88:10-15
Matthew 18:1-5, 10