Job, Screwtape, and Our Testimony in the Heavenly Places

I've had the book on my shelf for four or five years, but I'm finally just getting around to reading The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis. For those who didn't read all of Lewis' works before graduating from college, The Screwtape Letters is a series of fictional letters written between two demons trying to undermine the faith of a new Christian.

It reminded me of one of the most important truths of the book of Job. Sometimes our suffering, temptation, and testimony has nothing to do with others here on earth. Sometimes it is completely about the testimony we give in the heavenly places. In Job, there is no evidence that anyone on earth ever realized the point of his suffering. Yet, there was indeed a point. Satan's accusation was that Job only worshipped God because God had blessed him with family and finances. Job's testimony to Satan through his suffering was that God was worthy to be worshipped whether He blessed Job physically on earth or not.

We tend to see our sufferings as valuable only if we can see some kingdom purpose for them on earth in a certain time frame. We lack patience, and we lack perspective. And then we faint in the midst of trial. Paul in Ephesians 3, says "His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms." When we persevere in faith in the midst of temptation, trial, and suffering, there is something much bigger going on than what we look to in our earthly reality. We are giving testimony to demons and angels alike of the wisdom and worth of God.

I love this quote from Screwtape's letters to his demon nephew. It makes me think of Job. And it gives me hope and joy as I think of my own trials.

"Our cause is never more in danger than when a human, no longer desiring, but still intending, to do our Enemy's will, looks round upon a universe from which every trace of Him seems to have vanished, and asks why he has been forsaken, and still obeys."

If you are in the midst of suffering and struggling to find God's pursposes in it, I hope you are sustained by the vision of a sullen demon walking away in disgust because despite his best efforts, you were faithful to God, not because He was good to you (though He is), but simply because He is worthy.