Reflections
When we are in great difficulty and suffering, it is natural for us to appeal to God for information – what we ought to do, or not do, in order to get out of the suffering. We would at least like to know the reason for our suffering. But almost all of the time when we make this appeal to God He is silent about these matters.
The purpose of God is not to give us information – not even information ABOUT Christ. Rather, God wants to give us a revelation OF Christ. Even more, according to scripture, the purpose of God is to reveal Christ IN US.
Paul said, “God revealed His Son IN ME.” (Gal. 1:16) His prayer for the saints was that God, “may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him.” (Eph. 1:17-18)
This was the purpose for which Job suffered. He says it outright at the conclusion of his ordeal:
Then Job answered the LORD, and said, “I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withheld from You…therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not….I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye sees You. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:1-6)
Job never saw the answers he wanted. But He saw God. His suffering was the means by which God built the faith in him so that he was able to see God Himself.