A Psychiatrist’s Discussion of Job

Philip G. Ney, MD, FRCP (C)
May 29, 2005

Suffering is a universal preoccupation because it is a universal experience. From his perspective as professional psychiatrist Philip Ney offers a meditation on the experience of Job.

Central Theme

When faced with personal calamity Job struggled with two universal basic questions:
(1) Why? and (2) Why me? They are questions everyone asks sometime in their life. Moreover, though no one arrives at a truly satisfying answer to those questions, there is an answer.

Why is there so much suffering? What purpose was there in Job’s painful predicament? It appeared from the outset that there was a wager between the Titans. Job was the pawn and only loser. Does mankind love and worship God only when God is kind? God’s reputation was at stake.

Job keeps asking “What purpose is there in this pain?” “How can I possibly benefit from this suffering?” Like Job we all want to believe that there is some reason, some purpose, some benefit, for otherwise our pain is intolerable. Our friends, like Job’s, usually respond with “it’s good for you” but we all know of apparently pointless pain and useless death.

Who has ever answered that question, “why me?” Why some people are blessed and some are deprived has never been determined. Evangelical Christians believe that the answer is found in the grace of God, the Muslims in the will of Allah, the Hindus in an opportunity for refinement. When Job asked his friends “why me?” they responded with “God is not unjust, so you must deserve it.” Why Job was chosen for so much suffering is an enigma. He appeared to be such a good, kind, gracious and godly man. Job must have been the most undeserving man alive. Yet we believe God is a righteous judge.

Why all the losses, physical suffering and mental turmoil of unanswerable questions? Why of all people, Job? God, what are you trying to prove? For me, the answer is that there is no good scientific or rational answer. No one really knows because no one fully understands God. Yet in trying to find the answer we learn more about God. We eventually find He is the answer.

The question ‘‘why me’?’’ is not answered; it never is. If it were, then our struggles would not be existential. There would be none of the heart-searching and turmoil that builds our maturity. How could we become like Christ unless we struggle as he did with the really big issues?

God does allow evil to prevail over good. Didn’t Cain kill righteous Abel, an apparently undeserved and pointless death? If God was of our imagination, surely we would have him effect some dramatic rescue or immediately right the wrong.

If there was an answer, then the God who created these dilemmas would be an understandable God, a God constructed from man’s imagination. The awesome complexity of God we could not create but we can gradually discover. He exists outside of us, far beyond our understanding and therefore he must be real. The God that man would construct for his own benefit would be understandable, knowable and predictable. Our God is none of these; he is, in the words of C. S. Lewis, ‘‘not a tame lion’’ and that makes him all the more believable.

The Psychiatric Lessons

The book of Job is allegorical and historical. Otherwise, the problems of Job and his solution would be of no help to us with today’s dilemmas. If scripture is both historical and allegorical, it means the events really did happen, but they are so universal that ancient lessons from Biblical history can be applied to our modern situations. Job certainly suffered as described, but he is also the typical depressed patient.

Many come for psychiatric help with the same thoughts that Job had. “Everything is lost; possessions, friends, children are beyond our reach or turning against us.” Those who come to comfort only add to the burden by intimating the trouble arises because of sins like lack of faith or trust. Like Job, depressed people keep asking “why?” and “why me?” and never have these intellectual quandaries directly answered. However, God did treat Job’s depression. The treatment was good psychiatry and a good lesson for all suffering people, especially those who are depressed.

First, God clearly makes Job understand that he is all-knowing, that he cares and that he understands Job’s innermost thoughts and hurts. God is described in that first part of his response to Job as being present even when the very unusual and the smallest or the most cataclysmic events occurred. Therefore he is with Job. In treating depressed people, a counsellor’s first response should be to help them realize that we understand something of their pain and will try to understand more. As we empathize with friend or counselee, they become better able to clarify the details of their depression. In response to God’s understanding Job said, “I am nothing. How could I find the answers?” He more clearly recognizes his depression and need for help.

Second, God gives Job reason to hope. “Look, Job, you think the world has become chaotic because you can’t make any sense out of this mess. Well, it isn’t a mess; there is reason and order far beyond your understanding. I’m still in charge.” That is good news enough to make everyone hopeful. We some times need to awaken a depressed person’s hope by temporarily taking charge of their affairs and reminding them God has everything under control. When God reminds Job of his order and control, Job responds with “now I have seen you.”

Third, God gives Job a better perspective of himself. He reminds Job of the really humorous things in the world, the ugly crocodile and the ludicrous hippopotamus. He helps Job to understand that he must not take himself too seriously. God has given humans a sense of humour to balance the pain that comes with contemplation. Thinking of all the funny things God does, Job becomes less angry and more open to insight. Depressed people need help to gain a more objective, less bitter perspective.

Fourth, God gets Job to focus his attention and concern on other people. He doesn’t tell Job directly, but tells his friends that Job will pray for them. Job had been accepting his friends’ concern, but he gets more gloomy. When Job prays for them there is a change in his life. All his blessings come back to him. So with us, once we are able to pray for others and put our intention to love into action, even in our deepest despair, God can restore our happiness. Love in action turns our despair around. We can then recognize all the rich blessings that God has given us.

Conclusion

God never did give a pat answer to Job’s questions, but God was there and he did respond. God gives us a better perspective of ourselves and enables us to love one another. Until we reach heaven, we won’t fully under stand “why?” and “why me?’, but we all have the privilege of living a life of learning to know God. When there are no answers, God himself is the answer. To know he sees, understands and will respond with the assurance of his presence is answer enough for any dilemma or depression. God is not only I am, but I am here.

Previously published in CRUX, A Quarterly Journal of Christian Thought and Opinion Vol XVII, No. 3, September 1981.