Job 2:1-10 (NIV)
On another day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them to present himself before him. And the Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”
Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.”
Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason.”
“Skin for skin!” Satan replied. “A man will give all he has for his own life. But now stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face.”
The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, he is in your hands; but you must spare his life.”
So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head. Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes.
His wife said to him, “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!”
He replied, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?”
In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.
I find it beautiful that Job had a relationship with God. He knew him personally.
I want to ask you something. Does everyone go through trials? Does sin and temptation pick and choose who it goes after? Is anyone immune from it's effects? If your answer is "no" and Christian and non Christian alike are affected, what is the answer to overcome it? What is the only thing that can keep someone from being hopeless when they receive bad news? What keeps you going? Distraction, alcohol, prescription drugs, street drugs, sex, better fitness, eating better, more vitamins, denial? If you did all these things to "get away" from the sin or sickness, would you still go through suffering, and or death?
Jesus is the answer.
Eternity is waiting, and it does not matter what door you take to get there, we will all end up at the same place. Because it is written in Hebrews 9:27-28 Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
Jesus is the answer.
So what do I have to do, then, to get right? Do I have to undo my wrongs, do I have to give up my sin, do I have to try to be better, do I have to be clean, do I have to go to church...what?
The answer is simple it is written in Romans 10:9-10 (NKJV) that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Jesus is the answer. And when you know him. You will never be without hope.