He said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked I shall return there. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.”

Job 1:21

The life of Job was one of faithfulness amid suffering. Job was a righteous man. God allowed Job to go through a series of sufferings and tests of faith. The idiom “the patience of Job” is expressed when someone endures hardship. In the book of Job the Devil claimed that the reason Job was so faithful was only due to God’s bountiful blessings upon him and his family.

The Devil said that if God would remove His blessings Job would curse God and become unfaithful. The Lord put Job to the test to prove that Job was a faithful servant. Job lost everything and everyone he cared about, but still Job remained faithful. Just because we are going through a time of trouble it does not mean God is punishing us for something. Many times hardship comes as a test of faith. God allows suffering to happen to us to strengthen our faith not to destroy it. True, God allowed the suffering, but the suffering was the Devil’s doing not God’s. Do not think that God is being unfair or has forsaken you when you are going through times of hardship. God is with us during suffering.

Our Lord and Saviour knew suffering on earth. The best example of that is his death on the cross. Christ cried out “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Jesus felt abandoned. He felt like his father left him. In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus anticipated the cross and the pains that He was going to endure on behalf of sinners. Never make the mistake of thinking Jesus does not know what it is like to suffer turmoil and pains on earth. Jesus went through many times of testing. He was rejected by the ones he came to save. He was mocked and spat upon.

Jesus is well acquainted with sorrows and the hardships of faith. Christ remained faithful even unto death. We as believers have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us. The Holy Spirit is our comforter and our guide. By God’s grace and spirit, we can endure times of suffering in the world. God will keep us, even when we think we cannot carry on. God is faithful.

What hardships are you enduring? Are you trusting in God? Are you faithful in times of testing? When hardship comes our way we have a great anchor who will hold us during the storms of this life. Jesus Christ the King of kings is our soul’s protector. God teaches in Holy Scripture that his grace is sufficient for us. 2 Corinthians 12:9 says, “And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.”