Blessings friend. I can tell you with complete certainty that God certainly has the power to prevent us from all afflictions, but He allows us to go through certain things. Every test that God allows is an investment that he is making in us, a training exercise behind which there is a divine purpose.

In Philippians 1:12, the Lord tells us, through the Apostle Paul:

"I want you to know, brothers, that the things that have happened to me have resulted rather in the progress of the gospel" (Philippians 1:12). Paul is telling the Christians in Philippi not to worry about all the things he had endured.

Curiously, Paul wrote this epistle while he was tied up in a Roman prison. At that time he was an experienced gospel warrior, who had endured every conceivable difficulty. If you study Paul's life, you will know the kind of things he faced: shipwrecks; hits; teasing; Hunger and thirst; defamation of character. And, unfortunately, Paul's worst afflictions came from the hand of those who called themselves born-again believers.

Some of Paul's opponents were envious ecclesiastical leaders who put his entire congregation against him. They ridiculed their way of life, mocked their preaching, misrepresented their message and questioned their authority. Wherever Pablo went, he seemed to be in trouble and sadness.

But listen to his testimony! "But I pay no attention to anything" (Acts 20:24). And in another place he said: "So that no one may be disturbed by these tribulations, because you yourselves know that we are for this purpose ... being with you, we foretold you that we would suffer tribulations" (1 Thessalonians 3: 3-4).

Paul did not complain, he was reassuring these believers. "Why are you so surprised? I have told you all the time that, if you are going to walk with Jesus, you will have afflictions."

God certainly has the power to stop us from all afflictions, but He allows us to go through certain things. Every test God allows is an investment he is making in us, a training exercise behind which there is a divine purpose. Listen to what the psalmist says: "For you, O God, have tried us, you have refined us as silver is refined" (Psalm 66:10).