This question has often disquieted Christians under affliction. It has often appeared to the godly man, as it did to Job, that the children of God fare no bet ter in the world than the wicked. But we are taught in a multitude of passages in the Bible, that God does know and care for the individual. Christ was very explicit on the subject. (See Matt. 10:29-31.) The promise in the New Testament to Christ's followers is not of prosperity, but that they shall receive strength to bear their afflictions and that those afflictions shall work for good to them. Our prayers would be simple mockeries if we did not believe in God's care for the individual. The Christian, like the worldling, is subject to natural law and other things being equal, a blow that would kill a worldling would kill him. It is often difficult to understand why so many afflictions fall to the righteous which the wicked escape, but God does not explain these particular trials. He expects us to trust him and to be assured that "he does not willingly afflict nor grieve" us, and to patiently wait the revelation which will make all things clear.
