You know, we always try to find a explanation for trials and troubles that we suffer. Take a look at Job, his friends did just that when they came to comfort him, when he was down and out.
His friends offered all reasons for his sufferings and they all agreed he must have sinned greatly so suffer so much. Loss of cattle and livestock, loss of children, loss of property, loss of position and power, even his wife told him to curse God and left him.
I've always thought about this, you know. Like why Christians suffer. Some say its cause of sin, others say it's a test of faith. After all, James tells us to "consider it pure joy when we trials of many kinds". It ain't easy but it is amazing how we quickly jump to we have sinned or others have sinned when we suffer or we see others suffer.
And what does Job tell us, since he has suffered way much more than any of us, and he emerged with twice of what he lost. He tells us that sometimes the reason we get tested is simply because we need to check ourselves.
The devil wanted to use the lack of Job's riches to set him down. No more kids, no house, no livestock, no this no that etc etc, and he nearly did. His friends even went against him, for a while.
And so the question lies, whether we are in for the riches or for that which is what we were called to be.
"Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you" Luke 6:38
