Purpose of the story of Job

Those who declare a wish to suffer much …  must prove their sincerity; those who proclaim their longing to make great sacrifices can only prove their truth by their deeds. Job proved the fidelity of his love for God by being faithful through his great adversity, as well as during the prosperity of his life. – Abdu’l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 51.

So the story of Job focuses not on justifying God’s ways to man, but on proclaiming forcefully that inasmuch as this life has the essential purpose of causing us to develop spiritually, even the righteous are tested. The Baha’i teachings explain the meaning of Job’s life in just such a context:

What trials, calamities and perplexities did he not endure! But these tests were like unto the fire and his holiness Job as like unto pure gold. Assuredly gold is purified by being submitted to the fire and if it contain any alloy or imperfection, it will disappear. That is the reason why violent tests become the cause of the everlasting glory of the righteous and are conducive to the destruction and disappearance of the unrighteous. – Abdu’l-Baha, Tablets of Abdu’l-Baha, Volume 3, p. 655.

After Job’s passage through the fire of tests, he no longer acts blindly or unconsciously. His understanding, and therefore his faith as well, become firmly grounded in the lessons he has learned from his tests. He may not have a complete vision of God’s plan for himself or for humankind, but he does realize profoundly that the suffering he has endured has resulted in his own spiritual development. John S. Hatcher


http://bahaiteachings.org/deep-meaning-story-job