5 May | EVERYONE

FACING LOSS AND MISFORTUNE

“So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord, and struck Job with painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. And he took for himself a potsherd with which to scrape himself while he sat in the midst of the ashes.” Job 2:7-8

Carlos did not understand the reason for so much pain, but the bitter feeling invaded his whole being, bothering him, afflicting him, and bleeding out his soul. He was not a perfect man, but neither was he bad or wicked. He sympathized with the suffering of others, helped those in need, and tried to walk in God’s ways.

Lately, however, adversity was knocking mercilessly at the doors of his heart. Business was not going well, and his home was on the verge of collapse.

Sometimes while lying in bed and unable to sleep, he wondered what wrong he had done to find himself in this situation. He did not know that suffering is not only the product of human folly, but that we often suffer for the mere fact of passing through a world deformed by sin.

The book of Job is the collection of the theology of pain. Today's verse says that Satan came out of God's presence determined to prove that no one serves God out of love but out of interest in God's blessings. This shows us that suffering is not born in the heart of God. He is the only the source of goodness and mercy. But the enemy brings pain into the experience of human beings for the purpose of making them believe that God makes them suffer, and they will rebel against Him.

The text says that it was Satan who wounded Job. It was he who caused Carlos' suffering, and it is he who walks around you like a lion looking for its next prey.

But the Lord is your protector, and you shall not want!

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When suffering comes upon you, remember that it is not God who sends it to you. But it will also comfort you to know that, if He allows it, it is because He will not leave you alone in that situation.