Upon listening to various sermons, I came across one on the book of Job. The pastor was old, seemingly wise through age. The best part of the sermons was that the pastor unfolded the mysteries of life through Job.
As harsh as it may sound, the pastor explained that God had put limits to Satan's work on Job precisely to make Job suffer more. Now, the word suffer may seem cruel, but to God, it was necessary. Throughout the book of Job, he constantly cries out to God saying it would have been better if he had not been born, that it would have been better for him to die immediately.
For us, life seems like the most important aspect to our existence. Even simply writing that previous sentence seemed stupid because life is everything in our flesh. Naturally, God commanding Satan to spare Job's life seemed like the last line, the last act of mercy. The pastor, however, explained that to God, life in the flesh is not the most precious prize. The reason God had spared Job's life was so that Job would struggle more to find God, to not only hear about God but to see Him.
As Jesus had endured the cross, some things simply need suffering. For Job, his struggles had allowed him to come before God and experience his grace in person.
From time to time, I find myself praying for good health and overflowing wealth. What for? The best explanation the pastor gave was that through all that, I may find myself independent from God. The prayers that we pray without much thought are exactly what God wishes not for us. Everlasting companionship is His goal, and we ask for none of it.
So, where do you stand?
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