Have you ever heard the proverb, There is a shrimp behind the stone, which means there is a hidden intention of what someone or something appears to be. What if this proverb is also applied to our faith life? Perhaps we draw near and relate to Him because we have certain intentions such as wanting to be blessed and delivered from all suffering. That's what Elihu said.
Elihu revealed a harsh reality, that many people come to God not because they love Him, but because they want to get out of suffering. They cry out, cry, and even pray long prayers, but their hearts remain far from God. They seek the Creator only because they want help. In fact, God does not only hear words, but sees the heart. He is the One who “gives songs of praise by night” (Job 35:10), a true source of comfort in the midst of darkness. We are called to know Him, not just ask from Him.
Elihu calls the prayer of a proud heart "nonsense" because of its motivation. Many times in suffering, man feels entitled to God's answer. However, prayers based on self-justification will lose their power. God is not only loving, He is also holy and just. On the one hand we see that Elihu conveyed many truths about God's character; namely that He is just, patient, and cannot be bribed by prideful prayers; but he himself fell into an inaccurate understanding of God. He accused Job of speaking without understanding (Job 35:16), but he himself turned a deaf ear to Job's sincere lament. In his good intentions, Elihu was more interested in explaining theology than listening to the suffering of his fellow man. Job did not need a lengthy explanation of divine justice but what he needed was to be fully present and able to cry with him.
At this point, we are reminded that truth without love is like a sharp and painful knife. God is just even though sometimes our cries are not answered immediately. He does not bow to human insistence, but He always cares for the tears and sighs of sincere souls. So, let us come to God not just because we are in distress, but because we love Him. The cry that God hears is the cry of a broken and open heart – not one full of complaints, justifications, or pride.
