I believe that God allows Christians to go through pain, suffering or problems to get us to respond. Scripture says that once we accept Christ as our Savior, God will make us more Christ-like. When a Christian goes through problems, suffering or pain, you should immediately turn to God.

Whatever it takes to drive us closer to a personal relationship with God is actually good for us.
Have you ever questioned why God allowed Job to go through all he went through? The Book of Job has always been a question: “What did Job do to deserve what happened to him?”

Job 1:8 – 12 – “Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. “Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied. “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. “But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.” The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.” Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.”

Satan causes Job to lose his children and servants. All of his livestock and wealth were taken from him. His home was destroyed and he was covered with boils from bottom to head. Scripture says that Job fell to the ground and praised and worshipped God.

Satan approaches God and God asks: “Though I allowed you to do all that you did without any reason.” Job still praised God. Suffering from the boils all over his body Job complained. His wife instructed him what to do. Job 2:9 & 10 – “His wife said to him, ‘Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die’. He replied, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.”

Three friends arrived to console Job. However, they accuse Job of having sinned and God was punishing him. Job 19:21 & 22 – ““Have pity on me, my friends, have pity, for the hand of God has struck me. Why do you pursue me as God does? Will you never get enough of my flesh?”
No matter what Job went through, He was obedient and trusted that God intervene in time. As a result of all that he went through God finally blessed.

Job 42:12 – 17 – “The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. And he also had seven sons and three daughters. The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah and the third Keren-Happuch. Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job’s daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers. After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. And so Job died, an old man and full of years.”

I have always wondered what the purpose of what Job had to go through and why this story is in the Bible. Does God allow Satan to tempt us and cause terror in our lives? God knew before Job was ever tempted what Job would do.

For God know all things, present and future. What are we to learn from this story? Does God allow problems and pain so that He can reward us with material blessings?
The answer I received was that God wanted us to know that if we have enough faith and enough trust and have been living an obedient life; God will give us the strength to withstand any and all problems or pain. Job and the Apostle Paul handled their problems because they trusted God’s power and strength that He provided.

If you have ever gone through times of tremendous problems and stress, did you handle it like Job did? We are to be aware that tough times could come and are we prepared to handle them as Job had?