Job 8:17-22: a reflection

17His roots are wrapped around the rock pile. He sees the place of stones. 18If he is destroyed from his place, then it will deny him, saying, ‘I have not seen you.’ 19Behold, this is the joy of his way. Out of the earth, others will spring. 20“Behold, God will not cast away a blameless man, neither will he uphold the evildoers. 21He will still fill your mouth with laughter, your lips with shouting. 22Those who hate you will be clothed with shame. The tent of the wicked will be no more.”

Bildad, one of Job's friends, ends his speech with words of hope: God will not cast away a blameless man, nor uphold the evildoers; he will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouting. There is real truth in this, that God does not finally abandon the blameless, and can restore joy even after deep sorrow. Bildad's error was in applying it too simply to Job's suffering, as though suffering always meant wrongdoing; but the kernel of hope is true.

Notice the true hope buried in Bildad's flawed counsel: that God does not cast away the blameless, and can fill with laughter the mouth that has known weeping. Bildad pressed this too neatly, wrongly assuming Job's suffering proved his guilt; but the promise itself holds. God does not finally abandon those who are his; and he is able to restore joy, to fill with laughter and shouting even the one who has wept, after the sorrow has done its work.

That hope, rightly held, is one to carry through our own seasons of sorrow. We may be tempted, like Bildad, to read suffering too simply, as if it always signaled God's rejection; but that is not so. God does not cast away his own, and he is able to restore laughter to the mouth that has known weeping. If you are in a season of sorrow, do not conclude that God has abandoned you, or that joy will never return. Hold to the true hope that God does not cast away his own, and can fill your mouth with laughter again. The sorrow you are in now is not the end; the God who does not abandon the blameless is able to restore your joy, in his time, filling with gladness the mouth that now weeps.

Lord, Bildad ended his speech with words of hope: that you will not cast away a blameless man, and will yet fill his mouth with laughter and his lips with shouting. He pressed this too neatly, wrongly assuming Job's suffering proved his guilt; but the kernel of hope is true, and I would hold it rightly. You do not finally abandon those who are yours; and you are able to restore joy, to fill with laughter even the one who has wept, after the sorrow has done its work. I may be tempted, like Bildad, to read suffering too simply, as if it always signaled your rejection; but that is not so. You do not cast away your own, and you can restore laughter to the mouth that has known weeping. If I am in a season of sorrow, keep me from concluding that you have abandoned me, or that joy will never return. Help me hold to the true hope that you do not cast away your own, and can fill my mouth with laughter again. The sorrow I am in now is not the end; you, who do not abandon the blameless, are able to restore my joy, in your time. Restore my joy in your time, Lord, and do not let me think you have cast me away.