Job - as in the Bible

Lately I've been feeding my questioning, dare-to-be-different mind by reading Job and Amos, from the Old Testament. Amos I'll get to another time, but I ran across something about Job that I found very reassuring. I first read the Book of Job several years ago, and it became very apparent to me that Job was not a lovely example of longsuffering and faith, as I had heard in church and Bible classes. I think the favorite line is "Though he slay me, yet will I trust him" (13:15)

What about "Will you (God) never look away from me, or let me alone even for an instant?" (7:19). Or "God assails me and tears me in his anger and gnashes his teeth at me" (16:9) or "I cry out to you, O God, but you do not answer; I stand up, but you merely look at me. You turn on me ruthlessly; with the might of your hand you attack me" (30:20-21). He was a doubter, he got mad at God, hopping mad, more mad and hurt and pain-blinded than I've ever been. He doubted God - constantly.

The thought that struck me today was this, a quote from Soren Kierkegaard: "The secret in Job, the vital force, the nerve, the idea, is that Job, despite everything, is in the right." We know this because God says so, "My anger burns against you (Eliphaz) and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has."

In other words, faith and doubt are not opposites, as I've heard so often. Doubting God is important, essential, even relational. Maybe it's like the mortar between bricks, it cements the relationship, as long as it doesn't break you. Then, even when it does, how many people have I heard say, "I turned away from God - but God found me."

So doubters - keep doubting, just don't stop engaging God. Bring what you have against him to him, and see what he does. He may do something, he may do nothing, but what do you have to lose? Dignity? Overrated.

And you are full of bright faith, joy and loving wonder, be patient with those of us who still love God, but just need to be mad for awhile. God is bringing me back around. After all, there's a season for everything, right?