Today, I made peace with God...

You have asked a very complex question which is not easy to answer.  Only God knows your heart and your faith.  No one can judge your faith, no one but God.

What I know is that there are many other Scriptures concerning prayer and I think the best way to help is to say you should search those Scriptures and study them as much as possible and ask God to help you understand them.

If you read what other people say about this or any other Biblical subject there is a good verse you should learn and remember: Acts 17:10, which says, “Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.”

This is a great principle to live by.  No person is infallible, only God is.  We should never just accept or believe what we hear or read because someone is a “famous” church leader or recognized person.  We should always check out and compare everything we hear with the Word of God; always.  If it contradicts the Word of God, reject it.

To find verses on prayer use a concordance or look at on line sites like Bible Hub or Bible Gateway.  First allow me to share some Bible study principles that others have taught me and have helped me over the years.

Don’t just isolate a single verse, such as those about “faith” and “prayer,” but compare them with other verses on the topic and all Scripture in general.  Also study each verse in its context, that is, the story around the verse; the situation and actual circumstances in which it was spoken and the event occurred.  Ask questions such as: Who said it? Or Who were they talking to and why?  Keep asking questions like: Is there a lesson to be learned or something to avoid.  I learned it this way:  Ask: Who? What? Where? When? Why? How?

Whenever you have any question or problem, search the Bible for your answer.  John 17:17 says, “Thy word is truth.”  2 Peter 1:3 says, “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him Who called us by His own glory and goodness.”  We are the ones who are imperfect, not God.  He never fails, we can fail.  If we don’t have our prayers answered it is we who failed or misunderstood.  Think about Abraham who was 100 years old when God answered his prayer for a son and some of God’s promises to him were not fulfilled until long after he died.  But God did answer, at just the right time.

I am quite sure that no one has perfect faith without doubting all the time, in every situation.  Even people to whom God has given the spiritual gift of faith are not perfect or infallible.  Only God is perfect.  We don’t always know or understand His will, what He is doing or even what is best for us.  He does.  Trust Him.

To start you out on a study of prayer I will point out some verses for you to think about.  Then start asking yourself questions, such as, Do I have the kind of faith God requires?  (Ah, more questions, but I think they are very helpful.)  Do I doubt?  Is perfect faith necessary to receive an answer to my prayer?  Are there other qualifications for answered prayer?  Are there hindrances to prayer being answered?

Put yourself into the picture.  I once worked for someone who taught stories from the Bible entitled: “See Yourself in God’s Mirror.”  God’s Word is referred to as a mirror in James 1:22&23.  The idea is to see yourself in whatever you are reading in the Word.  Ask yourself:  How do I fit this character, either for good or bad?  Am I doing things God’s way, or do I need to ask forgiveness and change?

Now let’s look at a passage that came to mind when you asked your question: Mark 9:14-29.  (Please read it.)  Jesus, with Peter, James and John, was returning from the transfiguration to rejoin the other disciples who were with a great crowd which included Jewish leaders called Scribes.  When the crowd saw Jesus they rushed to Him.  Among them came one who had a demon possessed son.  The disciples had not been able to cast out the demon.  The father of the boy said to Jesus, “If you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us?”  That does not sound like great faith, but just enough to ask for help.  Jesus replied, “All things are possible if you believe.”  The father said, “I do believe, have compassion on me in my unbelief.”  Jesus, knowing the crowd was watching and loving all of them, cast out the demon and raised up the boy.  Later the disciples asked Him why they could not cast out the demon.  He said, “This kind cannot come out by anything but prayer” (probably meaning fervent, persistent prayer, not a single short request).  In the parallel account in Matthew 17:20, Jesus told the disciples it was also due to their unbelief.  It was a special case (Jesus called it “this kind.”)

Jesus was meeting the needs of many people here.  The boy needed a cure, the father wanted hope and the crowd needed to see Who He was and believe.  He was also teaching His disciples about faith, faith in Him and prayer.  They were being taught by Him, prepared by Him for a special task, a special work.  They were being prepared to go into “into all the world and preach the gospel,” (Mark 16:15), to proclaim to the world Who He was, God the Savior Who died for their sins, demonstrated by the same signs and wonders He performed, a monumental responsibility they were especially chosen to accomplish.  (Read Matthew 17:2; Acts 1:8; Acts 17:3 and Acts 18:28.) Hebrews 2:3b&4 says, “This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him.  God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.”  They needed great faith to perform great things.  Read the Book of Acts.  It shows how successful they were.

They stumbled because of a lack of faith during the process of learning.  Sometimes, as in Mark 9, they failed due to a lack of faith, but Jesus was patient with them, just as He is with us.  We, no more than the disciples, can blame God when our prayers are unanswered.  We need to be like them and ask God to “increase our faith.”

In this situation Jesus was meeting many peoples’ needs.  This is often true when we pray and ask Him for our needs.  It is seldom just about our request.  Let’s put some of these things together.  Jesus answers prayer, for one reason or for many reasons.  For instance,  I’m sure the father in Mark 9 had no idea about what Jesus was doing in the lives of the disciples or the crowd.  Here in this passage, and by looking at all Scripture, we can learn a lot about why our prayers aren’t answered the way we want or when we want them to be.  Mark 9 teaches us a lot about understanding Scripture, prayer and God’s ways.  Jesus was showing all of them Who He was: their loving, all Powerful God and Savior.

Let’s look at the Apostles again.  How did they know Who He was, that He was “the Christ, the Son of God,” as Peter professed.  They knew by understanding Scripture, all Scripture.  How do we know Who Jesus is, so we have faith to believe in Him?  How do we know He is the Promised One – the Messiah.  How do we recognize Him or how does anyone recognize Him.  How did the disciples recognize Him so that they devoted themselves to spreading the gospel about Him.  You see, it all fits together – a part of God’s plan.

One way they recognized Him was that God announced in a voice from heaven (Matthew 3:17) saying, “This is my beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased.”  Another way was prophecy being fulfilled (here being aware of all Scripture – as it relates to signs and wonders).

God in the Old Testament sent many prophets to tell us when and how He would come, what He would do and what He would be like.  The Jewish leaders, scribes and Pharisees, recognized these prophetic verses as did many of the people.  One of these prophecies was through Moses as found in Deuteronomy 18:18&19; 34:10-12 and Numbers 12:6-8, all of which show us that the Messiah would be a prophet like Moses who would speak for God (give His message) and do great signs and wonders.

In John 5:45&46 Jesus claimed to be that Prophet and He backed up His claim by the signs and wonders He performed.  Not only did He speak God’s word, more than that, He is called the Word (See John 1 and Hebrews 1).  Remember, the disciples were chosen to do the same, proclaim Who Jesus was by signs and wonders in His Name, and so Jesus was, in the Gospels, training them to do just that, to have faith to ask in His name, knowing He would do it.

The Lord wants our faith to grow also, like theirs did, so we can tell people about Jesus so they will believe in Him.  One way He does this is by giving us opportunities to step out in faith so He can demonstrate His willingness to show us Who He is and glorify the Father by answers to our prayers.  He also taught His disciples that sometimes it takes persistent prayer.  So what should we learn from this?  Is perfect faith without doubting always necessary for answered prayer?  It wasn’t for the father of the demon possessed boy.

What else does Scripture tell us about prayer?  Let’s look at other verses about prayer.  What are other requirements for answered prayer?  What can hinder prayer being answered?

1).        Look at Psalm 66:18.  It says, “If I regard sin in my heart the Lord will not hear.”  In Isaiah 58 He says He will not listen to or answer the prayers of His people because of their sins.  They were neglecting the poor and not caring for one another.  Verse 9 says they should turn from their sin (see I John 1:9), “then you will call and I will answer.”  In Isaiah 1:15-16 God says, “When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you.  Yes even though you multiply prayers I will not listen.  Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean, remove the evil of your deeds from my sight.  Cease to do evil.”  A particular sin which hinders prayer is found in I Peter 3:7.  It tells men how they should treat their wives so their prayers won’t be hindered.  I John 1:1-9 tells us that believers do sin but says, “If we confess our sin He is faithful and just to forgive our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  Then we can continue to pray and God will hear our requests.

2).        Another reason prayers are unanswered is found in James 4:2&3 which states, “You have not because you ask not.  You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your own pleasures.”  The King James Version says lusts instead of pleasures.  In this context the believers were quarrelling with each other for power and gain.  Prayer should not be just about getting things for ourselves, for power or as a means of getting our selfish desires.  God says here that He does not grant these requests.

So what is the purpose for prayer, or how should we pray?  The disciples asked Jesus this question.  The Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6 and Luke 11 answers this question.  It is a pattern or lesson for prayer.  We are to pray to the Father.  We are to ask that He is glorified and pray that His kingdom will come.  We should pray for His will to be accomplished.  We should pray to be kept from temptation and delivered from the Evil One.  We should ask for forgiveness (and forgive others) and that God will provide for our NEEDS.  It says nothing about asking for our wants, but God says if we seek Him first, He will add many blessings to us.

3).        Another hindrance to prayer is doubt.  This brings us right back to your question.  Though God answers prayer for those who are learning to trust, He wants our faith to increase.  We often realize our faith is lacking but there are plenty of verses that link answered prayer to faith without doubting, such as: Mark 9:23-25; 11:24; Matthew 2:22; 17:19-21; 21:27; James 1:6-8; 5:13-16 and Luke 17:6.  Remember Jesus told the disciples that they could not cast out a demon due to their lack of faith.  They required this kind of faith for their task after the ascension.

There may be times when faith without doubting is necessary for an answer.  Many things can cause us to doubt.  Do we doubt His ability or His willingness to answer?  We can doubt because of sin, it takes away our confidence in our position in Him.  Do we think He no longer answers today in 2019?

In Matthew 9:28 Jesus asked the blind man, “Do you believe I am able to do this?”  There are degrees of maturity and faith, but God loves all of us.  In Matthew 8:1-3 a leper said, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.”

This strong faith comes by knowing Him (abiding) and His Word (We will look at John 15 later.).  Faith, in itself, is not the object, but we can’t please Him without it.  Faith has an object, a Person – Jesus.  It does not stand by itself.  I Corinthians 13:2 shows us that faith is not the end in itself – Jesus is.

Sometimes God gives a special gift of faith to some of His children, for a special purpose or ministry.  Scripture teaches that God gives a spiritual gift to each and every believer when he/she is born again, a gift to build each other up for the work of ministry in reaching the world for Christ.  One of these gifts is faith; faith to believe God will answer requests (just as the Apostles did).

The purpose for this gift is similar to the purpose of prayer as we saw in Mathew 6.  It is for God’s glory.  It is not for selfish gain (to get something we lust for), but to benefit the Church, the body of Christ, to bring maturity; to grow faith and to demonstrate that Jesus is the Son of God.  It is not for pleasure, pride or profit.  It is mostly for others and to meet the needs of others or a particular ministry.

All spiritual gifts are given by God at His discretion, not our choice.  Gifts do not make us infallible, nor do they make us spiritual.  No person has all of the gifts, nor does every person possess one particular gift and any gift can be abused.  (Read I Corinthians 12; Ephesians 4:11-16 and Romans 12:3-11 to understand gifts.)

We need to be very careful if we have been given miraculous gifts, such as miracles, healings or faith, because we can become puffed up and proud.  Some have used these gifts for power and profit.  If we could do this, get whatever we wanted just by asking, the world would run after us and pay us to pray for them to get their wishes.

For example, the apostles probably had one or more of these gifts.  (See Stephen in Acts 7 or the ministry of Peter or Paul.)  In Acts we are shown an example of what not to do, the account of Simon the Sorcerer.  He sought to buy the power of the Holy Spirit to do miracles for his own profit (Acts 8:4-24).  He was severely rebuked by the Apostles and did ask God for forgiveness.  Simon tried to abuse a spiritual gift.  Romans 12:3 says, “For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.”

Faith is not limited to those with this special gift.  All of us can believe God for answered prayer, but this kind of faith comes, as said, from a close relationship with Christ, because His is the Person in Whom we have faith.

3).        This brings us to another requirement for answered prayer.  John chapters 14&15 tell us we must abide in Christ.  (Read John 14:11-14 and John 15:1-15.)  Jesus has told the disciples that they will do greater works than He did, that if they asked for anything in His Name He would do it.  (Note the connection between faith and the Person Jesus Christ.)

In John 15:1-7 Jesus tells the disciples they need to abide in Him (verses 7&8), “If you abide in Me and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you.  My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples.”  If we abide in Him we will want His will to be done and desire His glory and that of the Father.  John 14:20 says, “You shall know that I am in the Father and you in Me and I in you.”  We will be of one mind, so we will ask for what God wants us to ask for and He will answer.

According to John 14:21 and 15:10 to abide in Him is partly about keeping His commandments (obedience) and doing His will, and as it says, abiding in His Word and having His Word (the Word of God) abiding in us.  This means spending time in the Word (See Psalm 1 and Joshua 1) and doing it.  Abiding is about consistently remaining in fellowship with God (I John 1:4-10), prayer, learning about Jesus and being obedient doers of the Word (James 1:22).  So to have prayer answered we must ask in His Name, do His will and abide in Him, as John 15:7&8 says.  Don’t isolate the verses on prayer, they must go together.

Turn to I John 3:21-24.  It covers the same principles.  “Beloved if our heart does not condemn us, we have this confidence before God; and whatever we ask of Him we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.  And this is the commandment: that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as He commands us.  And the one who keeps His commandments abides in Him and He in him.  And we know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit which He has given us.”  We must abide to receive.  In prayers of faith, I think you have confidence in the ability of the Person Jesus and that He will answer because you know and want His will.

I John 5:14&15 says, “and this is the confidence which we have before Him, that if we ask anything according to His will He hears us.  And if we know that He hears us, in whatever we ask, we know that we have the request which we have asked of Him.”  We must understand first of all His known will as revealed in the Word of God.  The more we know the Word of God the more we will know of God and His will and the more effectual our prayers will be.  We must also walk in the Spirit and have a pure heart (I John 1:4-10).

If all this seems difficult and discouraging, remember God commands and encourages us to pray.  He also encourages us to continue in and be persistent in prayer.  He doesn’t always answer immediately.  Remember that in Mark 9 the disciples were told they could not cast the demon out because of their lack of prayer.  God does not want us to give up on our prayers because we do not get an immediate answer.  He wants us to be persistent in prayer.  In Luke 18:1 (NKJV) it says, “Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart.”  Read also I Timothy 2:8 (KJV) which says, “I will therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without fear or doubting.” In Luke He tells them about an unjust and impatient judge who gave a widow her request because she was persistent and “bothered” him.  God wants us to keep “bothering” Him.   The judge granted her request because she annoyed him, but God answers us because He loves us.  God wants us to know that He is answering our prayers.  Matthew 10:30 says, “The very hairs of your head are all numbered.  Therefore do not fear, you are of more value than many sparrows.”  Trust Him because He cares for you.  He knows what we need and what is good for us and when the time is right (Romans 8:29; Matthew 6:8, 32 & 33 and Luke 12:30).  We don’t know or understand, but He does.

God also tells us we should not be anxious or worried, because He loves us.  Philippians 4:6 says, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made know to God.” We need to pray with thanksgiving.

Another lesson to learn about prayer is to follow Jesus’ example.  Jesus often “went away alone” to pray.  (See Luke 5:16 and Mark 1:35.)  When Jesus was in the garden He prayed to the Father.  We ought to do the same.  We should spend time alone in prayer.  King David too, prayed a lot as we can see from His many prayers in the Psalms.

We need to understand prayer God’s way, trust God’s love and grow in faith as the disciples and Abraham did (Romans 4:20&21).  Ephesians 6:18 tells us to pray for all the saints (believers).  There are many other verses and passages on prayer, on how to pray and what to pray for.  I encourage you to continue to use internet tools to find and study them.

Remember “all things are possible to those who believe.”  Remember, faith pleases God but it is not the end or goal.  Jesus is the center.

Psalm 16:19-20 says, “certainly God has heard.  He has given heed to the voice of my prayer.  Blessed be God Who has not turned away my prayer, nor His lovingkindness from me.”

James 5:17 says, “Elijah was a man just like us.  He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.”

James 5:16 says, “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”  Keep praying.

Some things to think about in regard to prayer:

1).        God alone can answer prayer.

2).        God wants us to talk to Him.

3).        God wants us to fellowship with Him and to be glorified.

4).        God loves to give us good things but He alone knows what is good for us.

Jesus did many miracles for different people.  Some didn’t even ask, some had great faith and some had very little (Matthew 14:35&36).  Faith is what connects us to God Who can give us whatever we need.  When we ask in Jesus Name we invoke all of Who He is.  We are asking in the Name of God, the Son of God, the All Powerful Creator of all that exists, Who loves us and wants to bless us.

This is one of the most common questions asked of theologians.  Actually everyone experiences bad stuff at some time or another.  People also ask why do good things happen for bad people? I think that this whole question “begs” us to ask other very relevant questions such as, “Who is really good anyway?” or “Why do bad things occur at all?” or “Where or when did bad ‘stuff’ (suffering) start or originate?”

From God’s point of view, according to Scripture, there are no good or righteous people.  Ecclesiastes 7:20 says, “There is not a righteous man on earth, who continually does good and who never sins.”  Romans 3:10-12 describes mankind saying in verse 10, “There is none righteous,” and in verse 12, “There is no one who does good.”  (See also Psalms 14:1-3 and Psalms 53:1-3.) No one stands before God, in and of himself, as “good”.

That is not to say that a bad person, or anyone for that matter, can never do a good deed.  This is speaking of continuous behavior, not a single act.

So why does God say that no one is “good” when we see people as good to bad with “many shades of gray in between.”  Where then should we draw a line between who is good and who is bad, and what about the poor soul who is “on the line.”

God says it this way in Romans 3:23, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” and in Isaiah 64:6 it says, “all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment.”  Our good deeds are tainted by pride, self gain, impure motives or some other sin.  Romans 3:19 says that all the world has become “guilty before God.”  James 2:10 says, “Whoever offends in one point is guilty of all.”  In verse 11 it says “you have become a lawbreaker.”

So how did we get here as a human race and how does it affect what happens to us.  It all started with Adam’s sin and also our sin, because every person sins, just as Adam did.  Psalm 51:5 shows us we are born with a sinful nature.  It says, “I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.”  Romans 5:12 tells us that, “sin entered the world through one man (Adam).”  Then it says, “and death through sin.” (Romans 6:23 says, “the wages of sin is death.”)  Death entered the world because God pronounced a curse upon Adam for his sin which caused physical death to enter the world (Genesis 3:14-19).  Actual physical death did not occur at once, but the process was begun.  So as a result, illness, tragedy and death happen to all of us, no matter where we fall on our “gray scale.”  When death entered the world, all suffering entered with it, all as a result of sin.  And so we all suffer, for “all have sinned.”  To simplify, Adam sinned and death and suffering came to all men because all have sinned.

Psalms 89:48 says, “what man can live and not see death, or save himself from the power of the grave.”  (Read Romans 8:18-23.)  Death happens to all, not just to those we perceive as bad, but also to those we perceive as good.  (Read Romans chapters 3-5 to understand God’s truth.)

In spite of this fact, in other words, despite our deserving death, God continues to send us His blessings.  God does call some people good, in spite of the fact that we all sin.  For instance, God said Job was upright. So what determines if a person is bad or good and upright in God’s eyes?  God had a plan to forgive our sins and make us righteous.  Romans 5:8 says, “God demonstrated His love for us in this: while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

John 3:16 says, “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes on Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”  (See also Romans 5:16-18.)  Romans 5:4 tells us that, “Abraham believed God and it was credited (counted) to him as righteousness.”  Abraham was declared righteous by faith.  Verse five says that if anyone has faith like Abraham they too are declared righteous.  It is not earned, but given as a gift when we believe on His Son Who died for us. (Romans 3:28)

Romans 4:22-25 states, “the words, ‘it was credited to him’ were not for him alone but also for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.  Romans 3:22 makes it clear what we must believe saying, “this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe,” because (Galatians 3:13), “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us for it is written ‘cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.’”  (Read I Corinthians 15:1-4)

Believing is God’s only requirement for our being made righteous.  When we believe we also are forgiven our sins.  Romans 4:7&8 says, “Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him.”  When we believe we are ‘born again” into God’s family; we become His children. (See John 1:12.)  John 3 verses 18 & 36 show us that while those who believe have life, those who do not believe are condemned already.

God proved that we would have life by raising Christ.  He is referred to as the firstborn from the dead.  I Corinthians 15:20 says that when Christ returns, even if we die, He will also raise us up.  Verse 42 says that the new body will be imperishable.

So what does this mean for us, if we are all “bad” in God’s sight and deserve punishment and death, but God declares those “upright” who believe in His Son, what effect does this have on bad things happening to “good” people.  God sends good things to all, (Read Matthew 6:45) but all men suffer and die.  Why does God allow His children to suffer?  Until God gives us our new body we are still subject to physical death and whatever may cause it.  I Corinthians 15:26 says, “the last enemy to be destroyed is death.”

There are several reasons why God allows this.  The best picture is in Job, whom God called upright.  I have numbered some of these reasons:

#1.There is warfare between God and Satan and we are involved.  We have all sung “Onward Christian Soldiers,” but we forget so easily that the warfare is very real.

In the book of Job, Satan went to God and accused Job, saying that the only reason he followed God was because God blessed him with riches and health.  So God “allowed” Satan to test Job’s loyalty with affliction; but God put a “hedge” around Job (a limit to which Satan could cause his suffering). Satan could only do what God allowed.

We see by this that Satan cannot afflict us or touch us except with God’s permission and within limits.  God is always in control.  We also see that in the end, even though Job was not perfect, testing God’s reasons, he never denied God.  He blessed him beyond “all he could ask or think.”

Psalms 97:10b (NIV) says, “He guards the lives of His faithful ones.”  Romans 8:28 says, “We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God.”  This is God’s promise to all believers.  He does and will protect us and He always has a purpose.  Nothing is random and He always will bless us – bring about good with it.

We are in a conflict and some suffering may be a result of this.  In this conflict Satan tries to discourage or even stop us from serving God.  He wants us to stumble or quit.

Jesus once said to Peter in Luke 22:31, “Simon, Simon, Satan has demanded permission to sift you as wheat.”  I Peter 5:8 states, “Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour.  James 4:7b says, “Resist the devil and he will flee from you,” and in Ephesians 6 we are told to “stand firm” by putting on the full armor of God.

In all of these tests God will teach us to be strong and stand as a loyal soldier; that God is worthy of our trust.  We will see His power and deliverance and blessing.

I Corinthians 10:11 and 2 Timothy 3:15 teach us that the Old Testament Scriptures were written for our instruction in righteousness.  In Job’s case he may not have understood all (or any) of the reasons for his suffering and neither may we.

#2. Another reason, which is also revealed in Job’s story, is to bring glory to God.  When God proved Satan was wrong about Job, God was glorified.  In John 11:4 we see this when Jesus said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified.”  God often chooses to heal us for His glory, so we may become sure of His care for us or perhaps as a witness to His Son, so others might believe in Him.

Psalm 109:26&27 says, “save me and let them know that this is Thy hand; Thou, Lord, hast done it.”  Read also Psalm 50:15.  It says, “I will rescue you and you will honor me.”

#3. Another reason we may suffer is that it teaches us obedience.  Hebrews 5:8 says, “Christ learned obedience by the things which He suffered.”  John tells us that Jesus always did the Father’s will but He actually experienced it as a man when He went to the garden and prayed, “Father, not my will but thine be done.”  Philippians 2:5-8 shows us that Jesus “became obedient to death, even death on the cross.” This was the Father’s will.

We can say we will follow and obey – Peter did that and then stumbled by denying Jesus – but we don’t really obey until we actually face a test (a choice) and do the right thing.

Job learned to obey when he was tested by suffering and refused to “curse God,” and remained faithful.  Will we continue to follow Christ when He allows a test or will we give up and quit?

When Jesus’ teaching became difficult to understand many disciples left – stopped following Him.  At that time He said to Peter, “will you also go away?”  Peter answered, “Where would I go; you have the words of eternal life.”  Then Peter declared Jesus to be God’s Messiah.  He made a choice.  This should be our response when tested.

#4. Christ’s suffering also enabled Him to be our perfect High Priest and Intercessor, understanding all our trials and life’s hardships by actual experience as a human being.  (Hebrews 7:25)  This is true for us also.  Suffering can make us mature and complete and enable us to comfort and intercede (pray) for others who are suffering as we have.  It is part of making us mature (2 Timothy 3:15).  2 Corinthians 1:3-11 teaches us about this aspect of suffering.  It says, “the God of all comfort who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we may comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we have ourselves received from God.”  If you read this whole passage you learn a lot about suffering, as you can also from Job. 1). That God will show His comfort and care.  2). God will show you He is able to deliver you. and 3). We learn to pray for others.  Would we pray for others or for ourselves if there was no NEED?  He wants us to call on Him, to come to Him.  It also causes us to help each other.  It makes us care for others and realize others in the body of Christ care for us.  It teaches us to love each other, the function of the church, Christ’s body of believers.

#5. As seen in James chapter one, suffering helps us persevere, perfecting us and making us stronger.  This was true of Abraham and Job who learned they could be strong because God was with them to uphold them.  Deuteronomy 33:27 says, “The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.”  How many times does Psalms say God is our Shield or Fortress or Rock or Refuge?  Once you experience His comfort, peace or deliverance or rescue in some trial personally, you never forget it and when you have another trial you’re stronger or you can share it and help another.

It teaches us to depend on God and not ourselves, to look to Him, not ourselves or other people for our help (2 Corinthians 1:9-11).  We see our frailty and look to God for all our needs.

#6. It is commonly assumed that most suffering for believers is God’s judgment or discipline (punishment) for some sin we have committed.  This was true of the church in Corinth where the church was full of people who continued in many of their former sins.  I Corinthians 11:30 states that God was judging them, saying, “many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep (have died).  In extreme cases God may take a rebellious person “out of the picture” as we say.  I believe this is rare and extreme, but it does occur.  The Hebrews in the Old Testament are an example of this.  Over and over they rebelled against God in not trusting Him and in not obeying Him, but He was patient and longsuffering.  He punished them, but accepted their return to Him and forgave them.  It was only after repeated disobedience that He severely punished them by allowing their enemies to enslave them in captivity.

We should learn from this.  Sometimes suffering is God’s discipline, but we have seen many other reasons for suffering.  If we are suffering because of sin, God will forgive us if we ask Him to.  It is up to us, as it says in I Corinthians 11:28&31, to examine ourselves.  If we search our hearts and find we have sinned, I John 1:9 says we must “acknowledge our sin.”  The promise is that He will “forgives us our sin and cleanse us.”

Remember that Satan is the “accuser of the brethren” (Revelation 12:10) and as with Job he wants to accuse us so he can cause us to stumble and deny God.  (Read Romans 8:1.)  If we have confessed our sin, He has forgiven us, unless we have repeated our sin.  If we have repeated our sin we need to confess it again as often as necessary.

Unfortunately, this is often the first thing other believers say if a person suffers.  Go back to Job.  His three “friends” relentlessly told Job he must be sinning or he wouldn’t be suffering.  They were wrong.  I Corinthians says in chapter 11, to examine yourselves.  We should not judge others, unless we are a witness to a specific sin, then we can correct them in love; neither should we accept this as the first reason for “trouble,” for ourselves or others.  We can be too quick to judge.

It also says, if we are sick, we can ask the elders to pray for us and if we have sinned it will be forgiven (James 5:13-15).  Psalm 39:11 says, “You rebuke and discipline men for their sin,” and Psalm 94:12 says, “Blessed is the man you discipline O Lord, the man you teach from your law.”

Read Hebrews 12:6-17.  He disciplines us because we are His children and He loves us.  In I Peter 4:1, 12&13 and I Peter 2:19-21 we see that discipline purifies us by this process.

#7. Some natural catastrophes can be judgments on people, groups or even nations, as seen with the Egyptians in the Old Testament.  Often we hear stories of God’s protection of His own during these events as He did with the Israelites.

#8. Paul presents another possible reason for troubles or infirmity.  In I Corinthians 12:7-10 we see that God allowed Satan to afflict Paul, “to buffet him,” to keep him from “exalting himself.”  God may send affliction to keep us humble.

#9. Many times suffering, as it was for Job or Paul, can serve more than one purpose.  If you read further in 2 Corinthians 12, it also served to teach, or cause Paul to experience God’s grace.  Verse 9 says, “My grace is sufficient for you, my strength is made perfect in weakness.”  Verse 10 says, “For Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties, for when I am weak, then I am strong.”

#10. Scripture also shows us that when we suffer, we share in Christ’s suffering,  (Read Philippians 3:10). Romans 8:17&18 teaches that believers “will” suffer, sharing in his suffering, but that those who do will also reign with Him.  Read I Peter 2:19-22

God’s Great Love

We know that when God allows us any suffering it is for our good because He loves us (Romans 5:8).  We know that He is also always with us so He knows about everything which occurs in our life.  There are no surprises.  Read Matthew 28:20; Psalm 23 and 2 Corinthians 13:11-14.  Hebrews 13:5 says, “He will never leave us or forsake us.”  Psalms says He encamps around us.  See also Psalm 32:10; 125:2; 46:11 and 34:7.  God doesn’t just discipline, He blesses us.

In the Psalms it is obvious that David and the other Psalmists knew that God loved them and surrounded them with His protection and care.  Psalm 136 (NIV) states in every verse that His love endures forever.  I found that this word is translated love in the NIV, mercy in the KJV and lovingkindness in the NASV.  Scholars say there is not one English word which describes or translates the Hebrew word used here, or should I say no adequate word.

I came to the conclusion that no one word could describe the divine love, the kind of love God has for us.  It seems it is an undeserved love (hence the translation mercy) which is beyond human comprehension, which is steadfast, enduring, unbreakable, undying and everlasting.  John 3:16 says it is so great He gave up His Son to die for our sin (Reread Romans 5:8).  It is with this great love that He corrects us as a child is corrected by a father, but by which discipline He desires to bless us.  Psalm 145:9 says, “the Lord is good to all.”  See also Psalm 37:13&14; 55:28 and 33:18&19.

We tend to associate God’s blessings with getting things which we want, like a new car or house –the desires of our hearts, often selfish wants.  Matthew 6:33 says He adds these to us if we seek His kingdom first.  (See also Psalm 36:5.)  Much of the time we beg for stuff which isn’t good for us – much like little children.  Psalm 84:11 says, “no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly.”

In my quick search through Psalms I found many ways in which God cares for and blesses us. There are far too many verses to write them all out.  Look some up – you will be blessed.  He is Our:

1). Provider: Psalm 104:14-30 – He provides for all creation.

Psalm 36:5-10

Matthew 6:28 tells us He cares for the birds and lilies and says we are more important to Him than these.  Luke 12 tells about sparrows and says every hair on our head is numbered.  How can we doubt His love.  Psalm 95:7 says, “we…are the flock under His care.”  James 1:17 tells us, “every good gift and every perfect gift comes from above.”

Philippians 4:6 and I Peter 5:7 say we should not be anxious for anything, but we should ask Him to meet our needs because He cares for us.  David did this repeatedly as is recorded in the Psalms.

2). He is our: Deliverer, Protector, Defender.  Psalm 40:17  He rescues us; helps us when we are persecuted.  Psalm 91:5-7, 9&10; Psalm 41:1&2

3). He is our Refuge, Rock and Fortress.  Psalm 94:22; 62:8

4). He sustains us. Psalm 41:1

5). He is our Healer.  Psalm 41:3

6). He forgives us.  I John 1:9

7). He is our Helper and Keeper.  Psalm 121  (Who among us hasn’t complained to God or asked Him to help us locate something we misplaced – a very little thing – or begged Him to heal us from terrible sickness or had Him rescue us from some tragedy or accident – a very big thing. He cares about it all.)

8). He gives us peace.  Psalm 84:11; Psalm 85:8

9). He gives us strength.  Psalm 86:16

10). He saves from natural disasters.  Psalm 46:1-3

11). He sent Jesus to save us.  Psalm 106:1; 136:1; Jeremiah 33:11  We mentioned His greatest act of love.  Romans 5:8 tells us that this is how He demonstrates His love for us, for He did this while we were still sinners.  (John 3:16; I John 3:1, 16)  He loves us so much He makes us His children.  John 1:12

There are so many descriptions of God’s love in Scripture:

His love is higher than the heavens.  Psalm 103

Nothing can separate us from it.  Romans 8:35

It is everlasting.  Psalm 136; Jeremiah 31:3

In John 15:9 and 13:1 Jesus tells us how He loves His disciples.

In 2 Corinthians 13:11&14 He is called the “God of Love.”

In I John 4:7 it says, “love is from God.”

In I John 4:8 it says “GOD IS LOVE.”

As His beloved children He will both correct and bless us.  In Psalm 97:11 (NIV) it says “He gives us JOY,” and Psalm 92:12&13 says that “the righteous will flourish.”  Psalm 34:8 says, “taste and see that the LORD is good…how blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.”

God sometimes sends special blessings and promises for particular acts of obedience.  Psalm 128 describes blessings for walking in His ways.  In the beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-12) He rewards certain behaviors.  In Psalm 41:1-3 He blesses those who help the poor.  So sometimes His blessings are conditional (Psalm 112:4&5).

In suffering, God wants us to cry out, asking for His help as David did.  There is a distinct Scriptural correlation between ‘asking” and “receiving.”  David cried to God and received His help, and so it is with us.  He wants us to ask so we understand it is He Who gives the answer and then to give Him thanks.  Philippians 4:6 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

Psalm 35:6 says, “this poor man cried and the Lord heard him,” and verse 15 says, “His ears are open to their cry,” and “the righteous cry and the Lord hears them and delivers them out of all their troubles.”  Psalm 34:7 says, “I sought the Lord and He answered me.”  See Psalm 103:1&2; Psalm 116:1-7; Psalm 34:10;  Psalm 35:10; Psalm 34:5; Psalm 103:17 and Psalm 37:28, 39&40.  God’s greatest desire is to hear and answer the cry of the unsaved who believe and receive His Son as their Savior and to give them eternal life (Psalm 86:5).

Conclusion

To conclude, all people will suffer in some way at some time and because we have all sinned we fall under the curse which eventually brings about physical death.  Psalm 90:10 says, “The length of our days is seventy years or eighty if we have strength, yet their span is but trouble and sorrow.”  This is reality.  Read Psalm 49:10-15.

But God loves us and wishes to bless all of us.  God does show His special blessings, favor, promises and protection on the righteous, to those who believe and who love and serve Him, but God causes His blessings (like rain) to fall on all, “the just and the unjust” (Matthew 4:45).  See Psalm 30:3&4; Proverbs 11:35 and Psalm 106:4.  As we have seen God’s greatest act of love, His best Gift and Blessing was the gift of His Son, Whom He sent to die for our sins (I Corinthians 15:1-3).  Read John 3:15-18 & 36 and I John 3:16 and Romans 5:8 again.)

God promises to hear the call (cry) of the righteous and He will hear and answer all who believe and call upon Him to save them.  Romans 10:13 says, “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”  I Timothy 2:3&4 says He “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”  Revelation 22:17 says, “Whosoever will may come,” and John 6:48 says He will “not cast them away.”  He makes them His children (John 1:12) and they come under His special favor (Psalm 36:5).

Simply put, if God rescued us from all illness or danger we would never die and we would remain in the world as we know it forever, but God promises us a new life and a new body.  I don’t think we would wish to remain in the world as it is forever.  As believers when we die we will instantly be with the Lord forever.  Everything will be new and He will create a new and perfect heaven and earth (Revelation 21:1, 5).  Revelation 22:3 says, “there shall no longer be any curse,” and Revelation 21:4 says that, “the first things have passed away.”  Revelation 21:4 also says, “There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain.”  Romans 8:18-25 tells us that all of creation groans and suffers waiting for that day.

For now, God doesn’t allow anything to happen to us that isn’t for our good (Romans 8:28).  God has a reason for whatever He allows, such as our experiencing His strength and sustaining power, or His deliverance.  Suffering will cause us to come to Him, causing us to cry (pray) to Him and look to Him and trust Him.

This is all about acknowledging God and Who He is.  It is all about His sovereignty and glory.  Those who refuse to worship God as God will fall into sin (Read Romans 1:16-32.).  They make themselves god.  Job had to acknowledge his God as Creator and Sovereign.  Psalm 95:6&7 says, “let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker, for He is our God.”  Psalm 96:8 says, “Ascribe to the LORD the glory due HIS NAME.”  Psalm 55:22 says, “Cast your cares on the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall.”