Principles of Suffering: The Book of Job

Purposes of Suffering:

1. Challenge in the spiritual realm between God & Satan/God's Plan in the Universe(Job)

2. Sin is judged (Cross of the Lord)

3. Perfecting Process of God's Child (Hebrews 5:9,10, 12:1ff)

Bottom Line: Experience more important than the reason why

Purpose: To learn more faith/trust walk with the Lord

God's Answer to Job: This experience has been important to you

Everything has a meaning even if hidden from man

Tells him nothing about the reason for suffering

Job Questions the Purpose of Life/Questions God/Desires Death/Asks Why Me?/Wants to be Left Alone/Vascillates from faith to doubt

Key: Man is not the center of the universe, purposes for universe beyond man's comprehension, natural order not understood by man

Job didn't merit the suffering he experienced, he was the most righteous, just man on earth

Job's position as the most righteous was the reason he was chosen by God to suffer

We are the battlefield, the armor is necessary to make it through experience of suffering

Faith is the link between theology and experience not rationalization

Man's response when suffering should be:

1. Search heart for sin

2. Confess sin and abide in Christ

3. Don't speculate why

4. Rejoice in that you are counted worth to suffer for His name

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