Read: 1 Peter 5:10 ESV
Yes, you will suffer for a short time. But after that, God will make everything right. He will make you strong. He will support you and keep you from falling. He is the God who gives all grace. He chose you to share in his glory in Christ. That glory will continue forever.
Recently, I have been studying the book of Job. The main character, Job, was a wealthy, upstanding man of God. He did everything right. But for reasons other than our normal comprehension, God allows Satan to destroy Job’s life. Without warning, Job’s possessions, children, and livestock are taken from him. Then, painful sores developed over his whole body. It is plausible to think Job would have every reason to be angry that God chose him to suffer this way. Why him? What did he do wrong? Job was in pain, both physically and mentally, and he was left wondering why something bad had to happen to someone who lived as faithfully as he had.
Have you ever felt that way? Wondering why you are trying so hard to live a good life but for some reason all you face is difficulty? Perhaps you made the choice to follow God and it seems like the minute you did, everything started going wrong. You may feel like following God might have been the wrong decision – all it did was place a target on your back and Satan has the arrows.
Jesus tells us in John 16:33, “And everything I’ve taught you is so that the peace which is in me will be in you and will give you great confidence as you rest in me. For in this unbelieving world you will experience trouble and sorrow, but you must be courageous, for I have conquered the world”.
We, like Job, are not exempt from difficulty. God knew we would face trials. Our trials may fill us with sadness, grief and sorrow, but we do not have to hold onto sadness and suffering. Yes, we will suffer for a time, but we can find comfort in knowing Jesus has conquered all, even our suffering. We can remain faithful when we do not understand and persevere with prayer and worship despite our circumstances.
Job’s story had a good ending. God restored much of what Job had lost. Job went through extreme grief and pain but stayed faithful to God through it all. God will do the same for you. He sees your pain, will walk through it with you and will heal your circumstances.
