Diamonds

There comes a time in every man's life when he asks why must this life be so hard.  Why do I struggle?  Why do I fail?  Surely God must be against me!

"And The Lord said to Satan, From where did you come?  So Satan said, From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it" (Job 1:7).  God then boasts on Job, proclaiming, "There is no one like him on the earth, a pure and upright man, one who fears God and turns away from evil" (Job 1:8).  I bet He boasts about you too!  Satan replies in verse 1:9-11 with how spoiled he thinks Job is; that surely he would curse God if He didn't bless him so much.  To show God's faith in Job he says to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.  So Satan went out from the presence of The Lord."

If you continue to read the scripture, you will see that Satan proceeds to take that authority and begins to pull Job's life apart:  Stealing, killing, and destroying - which is his calling card (John 10:10).

So, why does God allow us to struggle?  Why would He allow Satan to torment us?

I can speak from personal experience about the hardships in life:  loss of jobs, loss of home, family who have struggled with their health, etc.  I have reached many very low points in life where I thought for sure it was all but over.  I cried out to God many, many times, "I can't go another day!"  Seriously, not another day.

But, sometimes the most precious things in life come from trial and hardship.  Buried 100 miles below the earth's surface, heated to 2,200 degrees fahrenheit, squeezed under 725,000 pounds per square inch, and then rushed quickly to the earth's surface to cool, carbon dioxide turns into a diamond!

You see the hardships we so easily complain about are really developing us, strengthening us, and giving us character.  "Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love Him" (James 1:12).

The bottom line is this, yes suffering is part of life.  However, God will never allow you to endure more than you can handle!  That is great news! "No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind.  And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it" (1 Corinthians 10:13).

We can trust that no circumstances in life will ever overthrow us.  In fact, what we should be doing is thanking God, for these experiences make us stronger!  When we are stronger, we can endure more.  When we can endure more, we can accomplish more!

Lord, I am thankful today to have become a stronger person through the hardships in my life.  While I have done my fair share of complaining, you have shown yourself faithful to your promise.  I have never been faced with more than I could get through.  It has felt like it, but You have carried me and made me who I am today.  Thank you that as You restored Job's life, You will restore the lives of those who have put their faith in You!  Thank you, that we will reflect Your radiant light on this earth like a diamond in the sun!