But What About Mrs. Job’s Faith?

My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.

Job 42:5

Job is honored as the most patient man who ever lived. Through the loss of his children, welfare, and health he mourns and questions, but he also worships. He grieves, but refrains from accusing God of malice.

Recently, however, I have become fascinated with the faith of Job’s wife. I affectionately call her Mrs. Job. Few verses reference Mrs. Job, but the most well known might be Job 2:9:

His wife said to him, “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!”

Wow. Those are harsh words to a man who has just lost everything. My heart softens though, when I recall that Mrs. Job has suffered the same losses as her husband. Job’s wealth was her livelihood. Job’s dead children were the same ones she carried in her body; the children she loved and nurtured. Now, when she sees her husband covered in ashes and sores, Mrs. Job can’t comprehend why Job is not raging against God.

I can’t help but wonder what Mrs. Job’s faith was like before these tragedies. Did she join her husband in prayer and worship? Or was her relationship with God a more distant one?

Perhaps she, like many of us, had a simplistic view of God. Maybe she viewed the events in her life as God’s divine grading system, where good events mean God is pleased and bad events mean he is not. Perhaps Mrs. Job struggled, as many of us do, with understanding how a good and loving God could let his people suffer.

Today we have the benefit of hearing directly from God through his Word, which helps us understand who God is, as well as the realities of life in a fallen world. When we are tempted to interpret our circumstances as a divine report card, we need to step back and consider it all in light of scripture. We won’t always come out with easy answers—Job and Mrs. Job never do—but by going directly to our Lord, we open the way for him to heal our hurts.

FOR FURTHER REFLECTION:

When bad things happen, do you see it as a message from God? How does Job’s story help you to deal with the hurts in your life? How would you comfort someone like Mrs. Job?

PRAYER:

Your Word says that you are gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in love. Today, Lord, I just want to spend some time worshiping you. I ask for your forgiveness for those times when I’ve doubted your love for me. May I always remember, in good times and bad, that I can turn to you and you will hear me. Amen.