Mary had been told of Messiah’s birth.  She would be His mother.  It is through Mary in whom Jesus was fully Man; it was through the Holy Spirit of God in which Jesus was fully God.

There would come days in which Mary would be devastated with suffering, when she would see her son on the cross.  When she was told of being chosen by God to bear His Son, she probably had no clue about what would happen in the future.  However, her faith in God would never waver.

Another person whose faith in God never wavered was Job.  Job was a man who loved God and was righteous in His sight.  Job was a man hit with suffering, devastating suffering: economically (his wealth stripped away), emotionally (his children and many servants killed), physically (his body in agony, he had boils from head to toe) and socially (his friends blamed him for his sufferings).  Job did not understand the ‘why’ of his sufferings…but he never wavered in his faith in God.  His friends were demeaning and blamed Job for his problems.  (Do you have friends like that?  Are you such a friend?)

However, the real battle was in heaven, between God and Satan.  Job never found out the real reason for his many sufferings.  Perhaps you are in a season of suffering and do not understand the ‘why’.  You also may not find out the real reason until you see God face to face.

There are times when the struggles of suffering come from personal choices or other’s choices.  God’s word goes back to the bottom line – Satan works to alienate you from God.

Remember: The battle is God’s.
Remember:  The armor of God is to enable you to stand firm and having done all, to stand.
(See Ephesians 6:10-18)

God’s armor:
Truth of God
Righteousness of God
Gospel of peace – peace which comes from God
Faith in God
Salvation by faith in Jesus Christ
Sword of the Spirit – God’s word

Your part:
Yield to God and His way
Prayer – utter dependence on God