Don't Give Up

I am preparing to film another segment of Women in the Word this week at Better Life TV. I have invited two other women, and we are going to discuss Job’s wife.

Job is well-known for his immense suffering, his unwavering faith, and his eventual restoration. Yet, often overshadowed is Job's wife, who played a significant role in this story.

While her name remains unmentioned in the Bible, her words and actions provide a glimpse into her own trials and tribulations.

Personally, I would not want to be remembered as Job's wife. I think she is seen as a symbol of despair and temptation, but have we ever tried to see things from her side; her eyes; from her experiences as a wife and a mother of all those children who were killed? Chances are we have not. I had not until just recently.

In the Book of Job, when calamity befalls the righteous Job, his wife utters the infamous words:

"Curse God and die."

These words have been interpreted in various ways, but mostly depicting her as lacking faith or as a source of temptation to Job. However, a closer examination reveals the depth of her own suffering.

Before the awful trials mentioned in Job chapter 1 and chapter 2, Job's wife likely had a life of relative comfort and happiness, with a loving husband, children, and prosperity. Yet, when tragedy strikes their family, she is not spared from its devastating effects. She endured the loss of her children, witnessed her husband's physical and emotional anguish, and experienced the loss of their wealth and social standing.

In the face of such overwhelming adversity, it is perhaps unsurprising that she, too, grapples with despair!

While her words may seem harsh and uncaring, they can also be seen as an outpouring of her own pain and helplessness.

She is not immune to the suffering that surrounds her, and her plea to "curse God and die" could be an expression of her own desire for an end to the misery that has engulfed their lives.

Could it be that her words reveal the depth of her own emotional turmoil rather than a lack of faith?

As the story unfolds, Job's wife, like Job, I believe undergoes her own journey of suffering and, perhaps her own transformation.

While she may have initially faltered in her faith, she, like Job, wrestled with the divine plan and looked for answers to the age-old question of why the innocent suffer.

Initially overwhelmed by despair and anguish, she finds herself at a crossroads.

The trials that have befallen her family are so profound that they challenge the very core of her faith and understanding. Have you ever been there? Have you ever asked God why? Why is this happening God? Don’t you care?

Over time, her perspective began to shift. The suffering they endure forced her to embark on a personal journey of soul-searching.

I believe it becomes clear that her earlier words, "Curse God and die," were not an expression of true disbelief but rather a desperate cry for an end to their misery.

She, like Job, struggled to make sense of their suffering and to reconcile it with her faith in a benevolent God.

I believe that as time went on, Job's wife began to grow from a symbol of despair to a symbol of resilience. She learned to find strength in her faith and the love for her husband. Together, they supported one another through their suffering.

I am sure there came a time when Job's wife experienced a moment of revelation. She had to have come to a deeper understanding of the purpose behind their trials.

She must have recognized that their suffering had not been in vain but had served as a test of their faith, a testament to their unwavering commitment to God.

This newfound insight no doubt allowed Job's wife to not only rebuild her own life but also to provide support and comfort to her husband as he continued to endure his own trials. Together, they emerged from the trial of suffering with a renewed sense of purpose and faith.

Job's wife's transformation offers a message of hope and redemption. It shows the potential for any of us, all of us, to find meaning and purpose even in the darkest of times.

Job's wife is a story of a woman thrust into a frenzy of suffering and despair and yet she is also a reflection of the human struggle to cope with adversity and maintain faith in the face of unimaginable trials.

Whether seen as a source of temptation or a figure who grapples with her own suffering, Job's wife adds a layer to this story that I believe we have not paid enough attention to. Her character is worthy of exploration and reflection.

It’s not a short read but I would encourage you to pick up your Bible and start reading the book of Job. It is my favorite book of the Bible for this reason alone: it shows me that nothing happens to me without God’s knowledge and approval. We can trust Him. And whatever else happens, don't give up!

“And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.” Job 1:12 NKJV

by Jeanette Stark – Monday, October 30, 2023