{"id":1134,"date":"2020-02-12T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-02-12T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nancylucenay.com\/staging\/8869\/?p=1134"},"modified":"2025-07-14T18:02:12","modified_gmt":"2025-07-14T22:02:12","slug":"jobs-wife-tragedy-asking-god-why","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nancylucenay.com\/staging\/8869\/jobs-wife-tragedy-asking-god-why\/","title":{"rendered":"Job’s Wife ~ Tragedy: Asking God, “Why?”"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Sri Lankan soldier assured the pastor, \u201cWe\u2019ll declare a ceasefire tonight, allowing you and your people safe passage.\u201d So, the pastor instructed his parishioners to meet him at 2:00 a.m. Two hundred Christians, including the pastor and his family, raced across the open field between the rebels and the government troops. Suddenly, tragedy struck; shots rang out, killing 60% of those fleeing. The pastor saw his wife and son fall. Although horrified, he couldn\u2019t stop, or he and his other children would also die. When asked later about his experience, he replied, “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised. (Job 1:21<\/a>) How do you respond when tragedy strikes? The first question many ask is, “Why?” Why me? Why now? Why this? Job\u2019s wife felt the full force of the calamity that struck Job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tragedy Hit Job’s Wife<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Wrap yourself in his wife\u2019s robe. Job was a God-fearing, God-honoring man. Even God recognized his integrity. (2:3<\/a>) God had blessed Job and his wife with ten children and enormous wealth\u2014flocks, herds, and servants. Both Job and his wife held positions of honor<\/a> in their society. Then one day, with no warning and for no apparent reason, all their animals and servants were killed or stolen, and all their children died in a windstorm. They lost almost everything that meant anything. Their losses robbed them of their identity\u2014<\/strong>their face<\/a>\u2014<\/strong>but they still had one another and their health. Job\u2019s response?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised. <\/p>Job 1:21<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Sometime later, Job broke out with painful sores from his feet to his head. Everyone assumed his suffering meant he\u2019d committed some horrendous sin. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Response of Job’s Wife to Tragedy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

How her heart must have broken as Job\u2019s wife watched her devastated and shamed husband sitting among the ashes scraping his sores with broken pottery. She reacted:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!<\/p>Job 2:9<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Had Satan won with Job’s wife, or was he using her to tempt Job? Did her words reveal her anguish rather than her convictions? I\u2019ve lashed out in anger and despair, then wished I hadn\u2019t. Have you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Scholars interpret her words in multiple ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n