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Previously, we premised that the Lord GOD is good so as to shift our perspective and better understand “Why?” Must we go through pain and suffering? Aside from our fallen nature,¹ a corrupted world,² and an ongoing war in the spirit realm,³ God uses suffering for our good.

He knows what is best for us; thus, he prioritizes our needs and not our wants.

There are 3 prerequisites as follows: 1^st, God has to test our heart; 2^nd, God needs to temper our character; 3rd, God wants to teach us his ways.

Test. Job was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil. He was a prosperous man and was the greatest of all the people of the east.¹ God volunteered him to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” At an instance, Job lost everything—his wealth, servants, and children. In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.² Again Satan challenged God. And the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand; only spare his life.” So Satan struck Job with loathsome sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. Even his wife was tempting Job to curse God and die. In all this Job did not sin with his lips.³ Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.⁴ When Abram was ninety-nine years old the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly.” No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, . . . After these things God tested Abraham by demanding that he sacrifice his son, Isaac.⁶ Also, Joseph . . . the word of the LORD tested him.⁷

Temper. Moses went through 40 years in the wilderness before he was called by God to lead his people out of Egypt.⁸ Joseph was betrayed by his brothers and sold as a slave, falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife, forgotten in prison.⁹ David was persecuted by Saul and had to flee into the wilderness;¹⁰ he had to endure the rebellion of his son, Absalom.¹¹ Paul had to live with a ‘thorn in the flesh.’¹²

Teach. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer.¹³

Those who are called, chosen, and faithful shall be with the Lord of lords and King of kings at the end.¹⁴ Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.¹⁵ AMEN.

Come, Lord Jesus!¹⁶