Is Your Theology the Same as Job's Friends?

"It is alarming to find out how much of one's own theology fits the theology of Job's friends." - Thomas Merton

A friend of mine told me that she went through a depression recently. I'm not sure it was clinical. But it was enough that she had to stay away from work for 2 months.

One of the things she learned was how cold the comfort is of bad theology.

"People from church kept sending me Bible verses and telling me to pray," she said as though she didn't know the Bible and as though she hadn't been praying.

See - the thing about Job's friends is... they blamed God and/or Job. The suffering was God's fault for being a not-so-great God. Or it was Job's fault for being a not-so-great person. Either way - the solution is that Job be a better person. "Repent of whatever your secret sin is so that God can bless you," is the heart of their advice.

In reality suffering is much more complex than that and sometimes/oftentimes is simply a mystery.

God condemns the advice of Job's friends that he simply repent, be a better person/Christian and be blessed. It is humbling (as Thomas Merton says) when we realize how often our spiritual advice mirrors that of Job's friends rather than the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I asked my friend who just came through her depression, "What did you learn? How will it impact your ministry?"

She said, "Well, when someone is suffering I won't be giving them Bible verses and telling them to pray anymore. I'll just be with them. Compassionate toward their suffering. Helping as I am able."

Amen.