איוב, פרק ל״ו, פסוק י׳

Human suffering is often viewed as an arbitrary punishment, but it actually serves as a direct tool for communication. Through hardship, God directs a person to correct their path in life. The primary approach among commentators is that God uses these challenging experiences to prepare an individual, opening their awareness so they become fully capable of receiving and internalizing His divine guidance.

This guidance is not conveyed through regular speech. Instead, the message is delivered to the person through the very experience of suffering itself [רש״י, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. God speaks through the pain, effectively instructing the individual to step back from the wrongful behavior they have started to slip into [מצודת דוד]. This form of communication also sets the stage for further conditions that God will present [מלבי״ם].

The central goal of this process is to prompt a genuine return from sin. However, facing poverty and hardship achieves something more than just a change in behavior. It acts as a test to reveal whether a person serves God with true devotion, rather than out of personal convenience or self-interest [מלבי״ם]. Ultimately, this entire complex journey of receiving discipline and turning away from wrongdoing is carefully designed for the individual's own good [מצודת דוד].