Why Do We Suffer?

(Job 2:10b), "Shall we accept good from God and not trouble?"

Many people think that believing in God protects them from trouble, so when calamity comes, they question God's goodness and justice. But the message of Job is that you should not give up on God because he allows you to have bad experiences. Faith in God does not guarantee personal prosperity, and lack of faith does not guarantee troubles in life. It this were so, people would believe in God simply to get rich. God is capable of rescuing us from suffering, but he may also allow suffering for reasons we may not understand. It is Satan's strategy to get us to doubt God at exactly this moment. Here Job shows a perspective broader than seeking his own personal comfort. If we always knew why we were suffering, our faith would never have room to grow.