By Gayle Bragg Johnson
In Job 1 we see that Satan comes in front of God. "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.” Job 1:8
To which Satan says (paraphrased) Well of course he acts like that. You have a hedge of protection around him and bless everything he does. Take everything away from him and he won't be so righteous any more. He will curse you to your face.
This conversation tells me one important fact. Everything that happens to me is Father filtered. I have been punched down now for 4 years. One problem gets solved, then another one pops up. A few years ago,I asked God, "What are you doing? Why are you picking on me?" Then something amazing happened.
I learned that times of trials are a time of learning. Today, I am not really bothered by the things that happen to me. I pray daily for the peace that passes all understanding. Slowly, the Holy Spirit has given me that. Through each trial, it gets a little easier to give it to God. And to let go of it.
I have learned that my life here is just a vapor. And that death is only the beginning and my life is in God's hands. Satan must ask permission to afflict me. If God thinks I need to learn to trust him more, then I will receive an opportunity to exercise my faith. And exercise I have. The more I use my faith muscle, the bigger it gets. And by the way, I also ask God to increase my faith. Be careful what you pray for!
And the real kicker? I pray every day that God will make me more like Jesus. Guess what? I am being reshaped into a likeness of Jesus. "If that is what it takes to praise you, Jesus bring the rain!" (From "Bring the rain" by Mercy Me)
