Job: The Battered Lighthouse That Keeps On Shining!

This is a book that offers some help for someone struggling with sufferings and the corresponding mental health issues such as severe stress, extreme anxiety and major depression that take them to the brink of considering suicide. This book offers them some hope and shows a few pointers in ways of managing those powerful emotions and managing conflicting voices and feelings that pushes them to the brink of considering suicidal ideations as a way to cope or escape.

This book on the life and sufferings of Job in the Bible is the story of a man who attained a level of understanding of God and His nature that he puts all his trust, hope, and purposeful existence in Him, confidently. Job’s attributes then draw the attention and praise of God Himself and his greatest enemy, Satan, the accuser of the brethren (Revelation 12:10) and one who seeks to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). Satan hoped to break down this man and separate him from his relationship with God. But this man shows a side of a human, a dedicated servant of God, who is capable of withstanding any and all onslaughts thrown at him.

He faces himself in all his vulnerabilities, and yet he stays anchored on his trust and faith in God. He faces numerous questions about God and His alleged part in his suffering, all of which leave him dealing with more questions; however, none that changed his opinions and thoughts about God. Despite all of these, he remains anchored in his integrity and refuses to give up. He faced the powers of heaven and earth in the form of false accusations, condemnations, judgments, and wrong advice from his closest friends and family members, yet he refused to give in or let up, even though he was shaken to his core. His integrity was bruised but not destroyed.

Job further suffered mental agony, emotional anguish, depression, anxiety, abandonment, emotional trauma, and even severe suicidal ideations, but without a plan. Job became so despondent at times that he sought death as a way of escape. Yet despite of all these, he stayed anchored in his faith in God and kept believing that after all these tests, he will come out as gold (Job 23:10). Job suffered extreme physical pain, mental and emotional trauma, physical and emotional exhaustion, and the ravages of a decaying human body brought about by the “boils” he suffered. Yet despite all of these, Job keeps looking to God as his source and hope. He keeps on believing in God even when He is silent.

Job shows us the human capacity of a righteous Christian redeemed by God, made alive and clothed with righteousness through His Son, Jesus Christ, and as one who anchors his faith and trust solely in God. Christians are a generation of believers who in the face of adversity, accusations, tragedy, and all that this world or Satan could throw at them can and may refuse to quit or refuse to give up their walk with God nor speak evil about the very God in and by whom they confess their dependence for salvation.

Job shows us the redeeming power of faith in God—a God who cannot do wrong, a God who loves and One who always has our best interests close to His heart, a God who will never leave us nor forsake us, a God who identifies with our pain and sufferings (through Jesus our Suffering-Messiah), a God who can be trusted, a God who is fully reliable and fully willing to save and rescue us, a God who is willing to leave the ninety-nine sheep behind and place Himself in danger to go after that lost one till He finds it.

In the life of Job, we read how Satan tried to cause a believer of God to give up and turn against God but he failed miserably and was rendered powerless. Satan will always seek this outcome even though he failed miserably in the life of Job. But the Christian “overcomer” is a type of dedicated and faithful person who only belongs to God as He is the only one worthy of all praise, honor, glory, and allegiance.

I present this book as a guide to some degree for a lay-Christian counselor and friends of fellow sufferers with an opportunity to gain some insights on suffering and how best to manage and handle it; and along the way to help their friends, neighbors and clients; or anyone in need of help from it. However, I must present a word of caution here that there are those who are suffering to such a great degree that they needs can “only” be best served through some well-trained and well qualified professional helpers.

I present this book for those who may NOT have suffered any suffering but can glean from this book to enhance their knowledge about suffering which, hopefully, they can use as they identify and counsel someone who is suffering.

I present Job as a man being a “righteous sufferer” who as a man can teach us the way to persevere and stand anchored on our integrity while suffering in our season. Even those experiencing “unrighteous” suffering can learn from Job to keep themselves on “life-support” through the many fully engaging scriptures from the Bible; and attain their own salvation and redemption.