I Am Job

This book deals with the age-old question of why the righteous suffer. The central theme is not finding an intellectual answer to the question but assisting the sufferer survive the experience. It is my opinion that during the experience, knowing why one suffers even if it were possible to do more than speculate, in no way helps alleviate the pain. What the book concentrates upon is how the person can survive the experience with as little damage to his faith as possible.

The form adopted is that of a collection of stories of God-fearing men under trial, recited in first person narratives. The emphasis is on the way they handled their problems and how they got out of them. Some of the stories are based on real life experiences. The first is an adaptation of the book of Job. It is written as a narration by Job, reflecting on his trial many years after the experience. The second is based on the experiences of a Nebraskan farmer upon the loss of his farm. His endurance and recovery is treated. The third is that of a Christian Jew. It details his emotional and material trials after his conversion. Although he was beset by doubts and uncertainties in this rather unique situation, he survived with his faith intact.

The story treats how each handled his misfortune and how each made decisions they had to under stress and how they survived with their faith intact. In conclusion, the predominant purpose is surviving a trial. In suffering, not to ask God "why?", but to ask Him "how?", and to trust Him. We should concentrate on praying for the strength to endure that which has befallen us and to come through it stronger than we were before.