Letting go and understanding

I've read Job several times. And each time I've read it, I've understood a little more of what it was saying. At first I couldn't understand why God would allow so many horrible things to Job. It didn't seem fair at all. Job was faithful to God and loved him.

So then why allow him to be tortured, to lose everything and everyone he cares about?

Some people say it is because God wanted him to prove his devotion to him. God was proving to Satan that Job was going to follow him no matter what Satan did. But I think it was more than just that.

God didn't want to put Job through so many horrible things. And he doesn't desire to make us suffer either. But we learn through our suffering. Sadly, we tend to turn to God only when we are hurting and in need. I know, I do it too. Sometimes we see more of God and understand more when we are going through hard times.

The story of Job taught me something. Not that yes, God will test you, but rather that it's okay when he does. It's okay to hurt and it's okay to suffer. Just as long as you turn to God when during those times. If you trust in God and do not turn from him in anger, you will be blessed. Job trusted in God and never strayed. Because of it, he was blessed twice over.

When we go through hard times and survive them, we become stronger. One painful experience only prepares us for another. God will never put us through anything we cannot handle. I guess that's something we should remember. And when we are suffering, we are not along. God is always there beside us. Even when we reject him or love him. No matter what he is always there. He is the only one that no matter what, we can turn to.

No matter how mad you get at God, or how far you walk away from Him, He'll be there at the end of the day. Even when your friends aren't. And God gives us friends to make life easier.

There are so many hard things we must experience. And friends are there to help us go through them. But a good friend is not only someone that helps you, it is someone you can help as well. We all go through hard things and sometimes your friends need you more than you need them. And that's okay.

Maybe sometimes the best way to help your friends is to be willing to let them go. It is selfish to keep hold of someone when you are causing more harm than you are good. It may not be forever. Someday you may be friends again. And I know letting go is hard. Making the decision to end a friendship is one of the hardest things to do, and following through with it is even harder. But perhaps that is the only way you can help someone. Or even yourself.