How do you respond to a child or teenager who is complaining about something he doesn’t understand? You might try to explain, but he may not be ready for that. If he’s a teenager and is convinced he’s right, you’ll probably ask him some questions to show him he doesn’t know as much as he thinks he does. That’s what God did with Job. This final section to the greatest book ever written on the problem of evil ends with God responding to Job. God doesn’t give an explanation. He doesn’t tell Job he’ll learn better when he’s even older. He doesn’t tell him to read books on this profound issue of life. He points him to something he already had right before him: nature, the creation of God. This is the simple but overlooked key to this whole problem. Read these chapters closely and prayerfully and behold God’s creation around and above you with a different perspective and the problem of sin and suffering won’t seem so unbearable.

Read about this subject

• Scripture: Job 38-42
• "Alone"
• Teacher’s Annual Lesson Commentary on Uniform Bible Lessons for the Churches of Christ, Gospel Advocate Series 1951