People often ask, where is God’s justice when suffering strikes? Job, a righteous and blameless man, was also swept away by a similar confusion. He, who was known for his righteousness and piety, found himself drowning in an unexpected current of misery. In Job 9:11-24, he poured out his heart, lamenting how unfathomable God’s ways were. He questioned the seemingly impartial justice, and in the midst of the darkness, he cried out for a glimmer of understanding.

Job spoke of his helplessness before the great God. He said, “When He passes by me, I do not see Him; when He passes by, I do not know Him” (v. 11). This is the voice of the grieving human heart, groping for traces of God in suffering. Often, in the midst of crushing suffering, God seems distant and silent. But does His silence mean His absence? Or is it that in that silence, He is working in ways that are incomprehensible to human reason? In despair, Job cries out, “He has destroyed both the righteous and the wicked” (v. 22). From his perspective, life seems unfair; the righteous suffer, while evil seems to continue to thrive. The world often seems to be dominated by injustice. But can divine justice be measured by human logic?

Job feels that if he defends himself, his own words will condemn him (v. 20). He realizes that humans, even if they live righteously, still cannot defend themselves before a holy God. Everything that happens is in His hands, including suffering that we do not understand.

Bible friends, suffering often leads us to deep reflection on God’s justice and goodness. Job teaches that even though we cannot always see God’s hand at work, we can trust His heart. Divine justice is not always immediately apparent, but that does not mean it is not there. Therefore, in the midst of life’s mysterious journey, let us hold on to true hope. The hope that God will not abandon His people and His silence is not a sign of abandonment, but a process that brings us to a deeper understanding of His perfect love and justice.