Is Suffering Just a Cruel Cosmic Joke?
For many, Job is the archetypal figure of the victim who suffers unjustly. Job undergoes a suffering that comes seemingly out of the blue at the height of his success and spirituality (God praises him before Satan as his best and most faithful subject). He is to be “sacrificed” ostensibly for the sake of proving that God has a loyal subject. Who is responsible for Job’s sufferings is not so clear. Neither God nor Satan come off very well in the story. We are left pondering the mystery of either divine Wisdom or divine Ego in understanding why Job suffered. We are often perplexed at our own Job-like suffering as well, especially when it comes so unexpectedly and seems so unfair. We wonder if it is some cruel cosmic joke initiated by divine capriciousness. For those of us who feel victimized, grappling with the “unfairness” of God is a necessary and important process. Job felt entitled to vindication because he was certain of his innocence. His belief in divine justice reflects his faith
