Suffering??

"But by means of their suffering, he rescues those who suffer. For he gets their attention through adversity." Job 36:15 (NLT)

The refinement of my faith has taken place largely due to personal suffering. While, at the time I did not understand or comprehend why certain things were happening to me, I see them clearer now. While I still do not fully understand, and I never will, I have a more detailed picture of the role my personal suffering is playing in my walk and in my life. My question is no longer, " Why me?" but rather, "What can I learn and how can I grow?"

It is human nature that when we are faced with trials and pain to wallow in self-pity. This is only one step away from self-righteousness, where we keep track of injustices that happen to us and say, "Look what happened to me; how unfair it is!"

Job did not know why he was suffering. He cried out to God time and time again asking what he had done to warrant such suffering, for "He was blameless-a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil." (Job 1:1b) However, Job's suffering was not from God. Satan came to God and said, "Yea Job is God-fearing, but that is because he is wealthy and you protect him. I bet if you took away everything he has he will curse you to your face." So God allowed Satan to test Job by taking away all that he possessed. Job did not falter in his faith.

So, the devil came to God a second time and asked permission to harm Job physically. God granted this request but told Satan to spare his life. All the while Job is thinking God is at the center of his suffering, and not that he is being tested. The thing is, is that God knew what the outcome of these tests were going to be before they even happened. The fact remains that God did not allow Satan to tempt Job beyond what he could stand. Satan had to ask God's PERMISSION to tempt Job.

While it may seem a little strange that Satan has to ask God to tempt us and He allows it, it serves a meaningful purpose. A purpose that is different for different people. However, the purpose of suffering is refinement and strengthening of faith. When a person has nothing else, like Job, he has no choice but to seek God out for strength and comfort. In the end we are here to serve Him and to live our lives for Him, suffering goes along with it. He tests us to strengthen our faith, so we can better serve him.