Does it feel like you are walking through the valley of the shadow of death — with one calamity after another ? Health issues , financial issues , lost opportunities , disappointments , strained relationships , and everything you own seem to be falling apart all at the same time . You are enduring intense suffering in all aspects of your being . It is so consistent that you ’ ve become aware that something is just not normal about any of it . It seems like there is more going on than just the relentless misfortunes of this physical life trying to take you down ; but , you feel helpless . You wonder if you are under a mantle of a curse — being punished for some sin . It feels like you are under spiritual attack .
The psalmist lamented similar concerns , “ The enemy pursues me ; he crushes me to the ground . He makes me dwell in the darkness like those long dead , so my spirit grows faint within me . My heart within me is dismayed ” ( Psalms 143:3-4 ). Oftentimes , it is the “ enemy of our souls ” who is behind many troubles of life . Satan may buffet us for many reasons ; however , he has no power to do anything to us without permission from God or from us — through our sinfulness . Despite the reasons Satan is allowed to attack our lives , God promises to work all things out for our good ; and He is there supervising the process ensuring that what we are enduring is not more than we can bear .
God is not cruel . God is a compassionate and good Father who will not allow His children to suffer needlessly . He anguishes over our sufferings as our natural fathers would . Yet , He allows
suffering and incorporate them as part of His plan for us , even for someone who may be following God ’ s purpose and plan for their lives . Any affliction He allows into our lives ultimately serves a purpose . The purpose may be to discipline us as His children , to prune us so that we bear more fruit , or the afflictions may be for His glory . If the suffering is due to God ’ s pruning , the struggles in life may be used to change our mind , to cultivate the fruit of the Spirit in us , or to guide us in His will for our lives . Sufferings may be necessary because of our reluctance to change or our fear of change . Yet , without change we may not be fruitful or useful in God ’ s kingdom . Sufferings are God ’ s pruning