Words can sting. We’ve all, at some point, experienced the pain that comes from harsh criticism. So what do you do when you’ve been deeply hurt by the words of a stranger, an authoritative figure, or—worst of all—a loved one you greatly trust?

Job experienced this, as his greatest comforters suddenly became his greatest critics. But what we see in Job’s story is how God can use criticism to teach us a valuable, life-changing lesson.