We have heard before that if we want to eradicate malaria, we must kill all the mosquitos. This principle is now rampant to many countries like the Philippines where all drug lords and drug dealers and drug addicts are killed to eliminate craziness and lunacy that affects family, other people and the society as a whole.

Why would good people suffer?

We have to understand what the Bible says: “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). So walang mabuting tao. Lahat tayo ay nagkasala. In fact in the book of Isaiah 64:6 NLT: “We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall, and our sins sweep us away like the wind.”

What about those innocent children and victims of harassments? Sa mga tao na ito, may plano ang Diyos.

Una dito ay ginagamit ng Diyos ang mga ito para tayo ay lalong manalig sa Kanya. Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33). Kasama sa buhay ang mga trials at mga pagsubok na dapat nating daanan lahat. Si Hesus ang nagsisilbing ankla (anchor in English) na habang tayo ay namamangka sa isang maalon dagat, alam natin na hahawakan tayo ng Diyos. Pero paano natin malalaman iyon kung hindi natin mararanasan ang malalakas na hampas ng alon at daluyong ng buhay? Pag nalampasan natin yon, makikita natin ang kabutihan ng Diyos sa ating buhay at tayo man ay magiging kalakasan din sa mga tao nakakaranas din ng mga pagsubok na naranasan natin (2 Corinthians 1:4).

Pangalawa dito ay napapatunayan na totoo talaga ang ating pananampalataya sa panahon ng mga pagsubok. How do we reach when we are innocent? Do we still trust God that He will fight for us? Those with faith in Jesus, “the pioneer and perfecter of faith” (Hebrews 12:2), will not be crushed by suffering but will come through the trial with their faith intact, having been “tested by fire” so that it “may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:7, ESV). Kung totoong anak tayo ng Diyos ay hindi tayo magagalit or question His goodness; rather, they “consider it pure joy” (James 1:2), knowing that trials prove that they are truly the children of God. “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him” (James 1:12).

Ikatlo, gusto ng Diyos na maalis din ang ating pagtingin sa mundong ito at ituon ang ating makalangit na buhay. Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36), so ang mga anak ng Diyos ay dapat hindi iniisip na ang mga kapighatian na nararanasan natin dito ay katapusan na ng buhay. This is just temporary. We are all strangers here but our final destination is in heaven.

Can God stop all the problems in the world? Yes He surely can. But we need problems so that we all become sharp (ibong adarna) and humble (it humiliates us). Kung wala tayo problema, magiging tamad tayo at walang inspiration to live life – we won’t have something to look forward to.

Life’s difficulties test you to the fullest. One of the worst things in life is to have life untested. The greatest joy of  a lawyer is to win in any court litigations and legal arguments.

God does not want us to live life with ease but strength to face life’s challenges. Paul said, take this thorns of the flesh away from me three times. But God said to him: But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

You never know what you’re made of until you are truly tested. Samson never knew how strong he was until the lion roared. David never knew he could kill goliath until he knew how to kill lions and bears. Lahat tayo ay nagkaroon ng bad choices in life but that we can only learn something in the process. But in life, it is said that these are greatest teachers:

1. broken-hearted;
2. financially broke; and
3. failures.

I learned from those experiences and it made me a better person.

Let’s go back to our main topic why God does not kill Satan once and for all? Can God stop Satan? Of course! But why not?

We know that God will one day defeat Satan by throwing him into the Lake of Fire where he will be tortured day and night forever (Revelation 20:10), but sometimes we wonder why God has not destroyed Satan already.

There was one time when the servants asked their Masters if they can uproot the weeds that destroys the garden. The weeds grow up along with the good plants. But why did the Master say “not” to uproot them?

First, we have to understand God’s absolute sovereignty over all creation including Satan who can only move within the parameters God set. May hangganan kung hanggang saan lang pwedeng kumilos si Satanas.  “The LORD of hosts has sworn: ‘As I have planned, so shall it be, and as I have purposed, so shall it stand’” (Isaiah 14:24).

Second, “we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). The book of Jeremiah 29:11 says “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ” Kaya kung anak ka ng Diyos maghintay ka lang kung anong plano ng Diyos kay Satanas dahil isang makikita mo that justice shall be served and we will all thank God habang isinasaayos ng Diyos ang lahat ng bagay.

Third, to question God’s plan is to question the character, the nature of God Himself which we do not have the right. In Proverbs 25:2 it says: It is God’s privilege to conceal things. In Isaiah 64:8 it says that we are the clay and He is the potter.  Kung anuman plano ng Diyos, lagi nating isipin na yon ang the best. The psalmist tells us, “As for God, His way is perfect” (Psalm 18:30).  He reminds us, “‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ says the LORD. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts’” (Isaiah 55:8-9).

Anuman ang mangyari, ang magagawa lang natin ay sundin, magtiwala ay sumuko sa Diyos kahit hindi pa man nauunawaan ang lahat ng bagay. Kung kelan man mamamatay si Satanas, Diyos lang ang nakakaalam dahil kasama pa si Satanas sa plano ng Diyos. Ang mga sili labuyo masarap yan kainin pag kasama ang ibat-ibang sangkap.

Minsan nagtanong ang mga servants, tatangalin na po ba namin ang mga damo na tumutubo kasama ng mga trigo? Sabi ng Master, wag muna. Laging may plano ang Diyos.