Job in his agony asked these same questions. The book of Job gives us the causes and the reasons for suffering in this world?
A. Suffering is not always a sign of sin in our life.
In John 9 when the disciples saw a man born blind, they asked Jesus, “Who sinned, this man or his parents that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him.” Job suffered so that [the works of God should be made manifest in him] (John 9: 3)
B. Suffering happens to the godly only by the permissive will of God.
Many times Satan said to God that Job maintained uprightness because he had received special benefits from Him. God permitted Satan to test Job. “And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.” (Job 1: 12) Here we have an instance where God and Satan were in a dialogue. And God permitted Satan to batter Job but has no power to take his life.
A. Suffering is not always a sign of sin in our life.
In John 9 when the disciples saw a man born blind, they asked Jesus, “Who sinned, this man or his parents that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him.” Job suffered so that [the works of God should be made manifest in him] (John 9: 3)
B. Suffering happens to the godly only by the permissive will of God.
Many times Satan said to God that Job maintained uprightness because he had received special benefits from Him. God permitted Satan to test Job. “And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.” (Job 1: 12) Here we have an instance where God and Satan were in a dialogue. And God permitted Satan to batter Job but has no power to take his life.
Some people thought they can also have dialogue with Satan. This is a fool-hardly attitude. We can never out smart the devil. The command of the Scripture: “Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”
C. Suffering is permitted by God for His purpose
Gleason Archer gives 4 reasons:
(a) God is worthy of love even apart from the blessings He bestows;
(b) God may permit suffering as a means of purifying and strengthening the soul in godliness;
(c) God’s thoughts and ways are moved by considerations too vast for the puny mind of man to comprehend. Even though man is unable to see the issues of life with the breadth and vision of the Almighty; nevertheless God really knows what is best for His own glory and for our ultimate good. This answer is given against the background of the stereotyped views of Job’s three “comforters,” Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. (Job 4 – 37)
C. Suffering is permitted by God for His purpose
Gleason Archer gives 4 reasons:
(a) God is worthy of love even apart from the blessings He bestows;
(b) God may permit suffering as a means of purifying and strengthening the soul in godliness;
(c) God’s thoughts and ways are moved by considerations too vast for the puny mind of man to comprehend. Even though man is unable to see the issues of life with the breadth and vision of the Almighty; nevertheless God really knows what is best for His own glory and for our ultimate good. This answer is given against the background of the stereotyped views of Job’s three “comforters,” Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. (Job 4 – 37)
(d) A further purpose is certainly to demonstrate the conflict of the ages between God and Satan and to show the relationship of suffering to this conflict.
In the end, it demonstrates the truth of Rom 8:28: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
A. J. Conyer in his book titled, The Eclipse of Heaven mentioned this:
“God bless and know this: The extreme greatness of Christianity lies in the fact that it does not seek a supernatural remedy for suffering, but a supernatural use for it."
Some say that when they are feeling better then they will serve Him. We ought to serve God now – whether we feel good or not for only the Lord is worthy.
“God bless and know this: The extreme greatness of Christianity lies in the fact that it does not seek a supernatural remedy for suffering, but a supernatural use for it."
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