by Glandion Carney and Bill Long
Have you ever felt such despair that Job, by comparison, seems to have gotten off easy? Lucky for us, the story of Job gives permission to shout "UNFAIR" to the heavens.
When trials and griefs threaten to smother you in their wake, you may flirt with abandoning your belief in a good and just God. Later, you may feel guilty but still bitter and unresolved about what's happened.
At first, Job tries to accept his fate. As he's nudged further toward utter devastation, Job's resolve breaks. He questions and challenges God as he struggles through his sorrows. Ultimately, though, he finds grace as an unexpected gift of his suffering.
A Hard-Fought Hope doesn't offer platitudes. Long and Carney plumb the mysteries of pain and loss honestly. Like Job, they recognize that suffering can prompt a depth of soul strong enough to rebuild hope and bring us closer to God.