After all that he had been through — the death of his children, the loss of his wealth, the deterioration of his health, the disaffection of his wife — Job still holds on to his faith in God. As for me, I know that my Vindicator lives, and that he will at last stand forth upon the dust… And from my flesh I shall see God. St. Teresa of Avila said that the real moment of spiritual growth happens when our affections shift from the consolations of God to the God of consolations. Job kept the faith because he was sure of God’s love for him despite the loss of consolations. God’s love for him and his love for God were the one sure point in a constantly shifting world. In the play Man for all Seasons Thomas More’s daughter asks him why he doesn’t submit to the king. “Haven’t you done all that God could reasonably want?” More answers, “In the end, Meg, it isn’t a matter of reason. It is a matter of love.”
