Dear Woodland Hills Family,
In response to all the aches of life — headaches, backaches, and heartaches — we’ve been asking the question, Why weakness? Why do I so often lack sufficient strength of body, mind or spirit?
According to the Scriptures, often it is Satan who invents and assigns disabilities, diseases, or deformities. But why does God allow this?
One reason is for our refinement.
In the story of Job, Satan had accused God of buying Job’s devotion by blessing him profusely. To prove the genuineness of Job’s love, God allowed Satan to wreak havoc on him. But Job “held fast his integrity” and “did not sin with his lips.” So in the end Satan was shamed and God was glorified.
That’s what was going on in heaven. But on earth God was at work, too.
While Satan was busy spewing venom and malice on Job, God was turning these into instruments for Job’s refinement. The Lord knows that some kinds of refinement can only happen under extreme intensity. So on occasion He allows Satan to bring that intensity, and when He does, He repurposes Satan’s poison to accomplish His objectives. The outcome? While Satan was giving it his best shot, God was “working all things out for good” for Job, and Satan ended up being an unwitting instrument for Job’s sanctification! In the end, the gold of Job’s character shone even more brilliantly!
Is it possible that the weakness you’ve been given is as an instrument for your refinement?
Blessings,
