Sometimes Satan wins. When Adam and Eve chose the apple, Satan won the right to fight. But his victories are small, his triumph is temporary and in the midst of the battles, we are borne up on the love of Papa-God. In eternal perspective, his wins are small and transient, though they may last a lifetime.
When we battle chronic illness or chronic unemployment or a house lost, nothing feels small about his hand against us. Even the everyday battles of car breakdowns, work miscommunications, or our American discomfort with a new frugality may feel overwhelming.
And yet, with Job, (13:15) who suffered as much as any of us, we can affirm: "Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him" We can grieve all we need to, but we can also imitate Job's testimony from 1:22. "In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing." In spite of Satan's temporary victories in this fallen world of which he is the god, we can rest in the eternal perspective of the Father.
The Father sees. Papa-God knows our situations. He knows and he cares. And he is bringing a kingdom that, he says, will be worth what it costs in the suffering of this present evil age, where, sometimes, Satan wins. For a time.
Father, May your kingdom come. We long for your will to be done, everywhere on the earth. We long for you.