- This topic is empty.
- Posts
God doesn’t cause suffering. James 1:13. And when this wicked system comes to an end suffering will be no more. Rev. 21:3 and 4.
I suppose God allows us to experience a certain ammount of suffering to help us mature, gain knowledge, strengthen our character maybe?
James 1:2-3
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
NIVJames 1:12
Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
KJVwhat anyone else think?
I believe that suffering is caused not by the will of God but the will of others.
Click the link below to read my explanation.
Why does God allow suffering and crime to happen?Interestingly enough, whatever decision we make, whether pleasing or displeasing to God; God is aware of it before we even make it!
This is possible to He who is outside of our own space time domain.
NOTHING SUPRISES GOD!
I think that maybe God didn’t create suffering as such.
The Bible tells us that God created light, good things. Darkness came into existence as a reslut of light being created first; where there is no light, there is darkness.
Could there be a similarity to suffering?
In many situations that seem negative, painful, hurtful, we can place a different person in the very same situation, and due to the different attitude, character, the negative now becomes positive.
What seems painful to one may seem pleasing to another!
Eg: Sitting on a mountainside looking out at the horizon.
– One person may say: O what a beautiful sight…..etc.
– Another person may say: I’m freezing, it looks like it’s going to rain, I wish I didn’t come on this trip…..etc.
Likewise, the same two persons may feel different about the exact same situation depending upon how they feel on that particular day.
Maybe God has made us all to enjoy lifes many varied situations and experiences, to know love, joy, peace, so that it is only where there is no love, joy, peace, pleasure, etc, that we ourselves create our own suffering?
We can say to ourselves: I’m am suffering, or we can say: Glory to God, allow this situation to make me pleasing to you!
Try this on for size: If I tossed you an unmarked soccer ball, and then asked you to write your name anywhere on the front of the ball. Then when you toss it back I inturn write my own name on the back of it; How did I know which part of the ball was the back?
The back of the ball came into existence the moment you decided which part would be the front!
Therefore, the situations that we call suffering, simply come into existence after we ourselves have decided where love, joy and peace should belong.
Maybe?
Gimme your thoughts!
I don’t feel that way about suffering. I know it wasn’t created by Jehovah. But I believe he allows it so that he can prove a point. In the beginning Satan questioned God’s position as the Universal Sovereign. Jehovah told Adam and Eve they would positivly die if they ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and bad. Gen 2:16,17
But satan told them that they wouldn’t. That in the day they eat from the tree. They would be just like God. Knowing the difference between good and bad. Satan’s challenge brought into question the right and validity of Jehovah’s position as the Universal Sovereugn. Gen. 2:17; 3:1-6. Satan charged that no human would voluntarily remain loyal to God. This malicious claim by Satan is clearly revealed in the Bible’s account about Job. A faithful servent of Jehovah’s who under went a great test by Satan sometime befor 1600 B.C.E. Job 1:8-11. So suffering is in this world because Satan challenged the integrity of God’s servents. He claimed that none of us would voluntarily remain loyal to God unless it’s always good for us. As it was for Job. God had blessed him with prosperity. So, I put this question out there. When things arn’t going your way in life. Do you blaim it on God and loose your faith in him or do you suck it up and say it might be bad right now but with God’s help it WILL get better?Good Post loveandpeace.
I hope that I am in the category (say it might be bad right now but with God’s help it WILL get better?).
I have had my own Job experience, which lasted about 7 years. During that time I never lost my faith and hope in God and continued to encourage others to get closer to God.
These 7 years started when my wife left me for someone else and after that I was involved in several serious car accidents, (none were my fault) but got through unscathed. I then lost my business after one of the accidents (I ran a transport business) and I felt like I couldn’t sink any lower.
For the next seven years, I seemed to go through a Job experience and things got so bad for me that one day I drove my car home and I had absolutely no money and very little gas in my car. I was 1 month behind in my rent and had no money in my wallet or bank. When I parked the car in the garage, I realised that I left the keys in the car while it was still running and I had to break into the house to get my spare set of keys before it consumed the last of the gas.
I mangaged to get through a window but in doing so I stepped into some mud and I crawled into the bathroom with very muddy shoes. I then decided to crawl on the ground to my bedroom so I wouldn’t get the floor dirty. While I was crawling along, I stopped and the last 7 years of my life seem to flash pass me. I then asked God, why my life was so hard and full of pain, rejection and heartache. He didn’t answer and I said to God these words, "If you want me to crawl for you for the rest of my life, I will". I then climbed back out the window opened my car and turned off the engine. I realised at this point that I was at the end of my rope. I just couldn’t feel any worse. I felt like I was standing on the edge of a cliff and I was going to fall. I then seem to accept that my life was pretty hopeless in every way except my faith.
While sitting in the car, God spoke to my spirit and said to me that I had nothing to worry about. God filled my spirit with this hope, I could really feel it, but I had no idea what this hope was. Next, God said that my suffering was over and that I had been tested and now He was going to bless me. I walked back to the house with an incredible peace and hope in my heart, but no understanding in my mind of how this hope would show itself.
Within a period of about 1 or 2 weeks, I got a phone call from a company in Europe that wanted to purchase the rights to certain Internet property that I had bought a few years before for under 贄.00. The money they offered was enough to not only get me back on my feet, but I could also buy a house if I wanted.
Many other wonderful things continued to happen in the following months and my life completely turned around due to other miracles which I won’t go in to.
Today I look back at those 7 years and realise how blessed my life has really been. But I now realise that those 7 years were the greatest years of my life. Why? Because I kept my faith and still loved God, even though my reality told me to curse God.
I just want to encourage all who are going through a dark tunnel in their lives to keep your eyes fixed on God and let Jesus perfect your faith through these trials that we all go through to varying degrees.
God is love and he allows things to happen to allow his ultimate blessing and to rid us of pride that seperates us from his love.
To t8,
Awesome post dude!
Now those are the sorts of experiences that need to get more exposure, to indeed help and encourage others going through similar seemingly hopeless situations.
I can’t imagine how one would feel going through both a marriage breakup aswell as a business loss.
Praise the Lord for His hand upon your life!
Sometimes I find it hard to cope with just being a father and husband.:)
(Edited by GJG at 3:05 am on Aug. 9, 2003)
I think the reason for suffering in our lives is because God wants us to look to Him.If our lives were perfect then we would never see the reason or the need for salvation.I recieved Christ as my Saviour when I was at the end of myself.All the hurt and pain growing up God got my attention through,when I had nothing left in this world it was then that I looked up.I also had the fear of going to hell!Now for a child of God he allows suffering because then we realize His sufficency in our lives” My grace is sufficient for thee:for my strength is made perfect in weakness” 11Cor 12:9. How would we learn if we had no suffering.God never promise good physical health he promise us etrnal life.Our eternal destiny is more important to Him than our physical life and if He has to get our attention through suffering or trials He will because the things we suffer now are all temporal but the glory He will reveal to us in Heaven will outweigh the things we suffer here on earth! Read 11 peter 5:10
Welcome Joan,
Good points.
We are told that there is a sadness that leads to repentance and repentance,of course , is the first step along the way of salvation. After we are saved we have to have the life of Jesus born into us painfully slowly through suffering.
2Cor 4.7
“We have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not of ourselves;we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed;perplexed but not despairing;persecuted , but not forsaken; struck down but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body”Peter talked a lot about the need for suffering and it's value to us.
Very moving and uplifting post, t8.
Generally, I get myself in trouble, so no I don't think God causes my problems. I have been doing better!
Back in the early to mid 80s, Joan Armatrading of England, one of the musicians I listened to, was coming to a location near me and I had to go see her. So I did. My first night out. So I got my ticket money together and bus fares. Made it to the place, had a great time at the concert. When the concert was over, the crowd quickly dispersed and I started waiting for my bus home only to find out that there was no bus coming. Their ran terminated at a certain time of night. I was far from home and had no money for a cab so I had to walk for miles. One of the guys I saw at the concert started to head my way and I got this very creepy feeling. A great fear came upon me which had me praying, walking fast, staying in the middle of the road and looking for open stores (and there were none) all the way home. He didn't attempt to catch of to me but maintained a certain pace behind me. There was no doubt in my mind that God kept me safe that night.So about two years later, I moved to New York and Joan Armatrading was playing on the Pier somewhere in NYC. It was my birthday. How could I miss? Hard headed. This time I made sure I had enough money for emergencies and took a good friend with me. The subways ran all night long generally. So we went to the concert and it was fun but not as much fun for me as the first and it wasn't because Joan had changed. I had changed. On the way home, the train malfunctioned in the middle of the tunnel and stayed there for several hours. I was so tired and sleepy and miserable but for the company of my friend. Not a good birthday. I said, “OK, Lord Jesus, I hear you.” That was the last concert I attended and I started to pay better attention—1986 I believe it was.
***
Psalm 32:8-10 MESSAGE TRANSLATION
Let me give you some good advice; I'm looking you in the eye and giving it to you straight: “don't be ornery like a horse or mule that needs bit and bridle to stay on track.” God-defiers are always in trouble; God-affirmers find themselves loved everytime they turn around.
Psalm 32:8-10 KJV I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee. Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about.
***
Funny, years later, I'd travel the subway to Wednesday and Friday night services at church, and never once had a problem…even sometimes with gang members on the train. Hmmm….
I love how God chastens those whom he loves. That is not to say that all suffering is chastening or self-inflicted.
edited font color. Can't get the color to work. Must review html instructions.
Quote (Rudy @ April 10 2005,15:29) Excellent Testimony Cubes!
Thanks, Rudy. It's amazing what things God has brought us all through, when we stop to think about it.I love to hear testimonies. They always have a message that is relevant to anyone if they have ears to listen.
Thanks Cubes.
God is not in the business of making us suffer.
God is in the blessing, salvation, redemption and resurrection business as well as the business of defeating evil powers in the invisible world.
He has been known to transform peoples lives and even perform some miracles while we live on earth, especially when we study the life of Christ and follow him!
Largely, we are left to ponder the purpose of our lives with our anxieties and sufferings and come to the conclusion that even if we are a Donald Trump kind of person we will reach our end and need God's help and the assurance of pardon for the forgiveness of our sins and trespasses in other peoples lives. Thanks be to God and Christ for the free gift of salvation and eternal life in the paradise of God!!!
Quote (Guest @ April 13 2005,01:09) God is not in the business of making us suffer.
God is in the blessing, salvation, redemption and resurrection business as well as the business of defeating evil powers in the invisible world.
He has been known to transform peoples lives and even perform some miracles while we live on earth, especially when we study the life of Christ and follow him!
Largely, we are left to ponder the purpose of our lives with our anxieties and sufferings and come to the conclusion that even if we are a Donald Trump kind of person we will reach our end and need God's help and the assurance of pardon for the forgiveness of our sins and trespasses in other peoples lives. Thanks be to God and Christ for the free gift of salvation and eternal life in the paradise of God!!!
Hey UT,
We can know our salvation now and we can trust our saviour to be faithful to honour his promises. Scripture says He allows suffering to help us grow once we are saved and Peter explains how it is good for us to do so.If the Message translation is acceptable:
Yeshua said: Don't run from suffering, rather embrace it; I'll show you how.
Yahweh said through Peter: Yeshua suffered physically, so have the same attitude Yeshua had. (the apostles all preached from the Scriptures proving how the Messiah MUST suffer, and should any student expect better treatment than their teacher? … Again, since we live in a world/worldsystem so totally corrupt they would crucify Yeshua again if they could, as they will rejoice with partying when the two witnesses are murdered by anti-Messiah; if then, in this same worldsystem you are comfortable or spoilt or accepted by most men, then don't delude yourself into thinking you have a part in the Messiah.
Quote (Guest @ April 13 2005,01:09) God is not in the business of making us suffer.
God is in the blessing, salvation, redemption and resurrection business as well as the business of defeating evil powers in the invisible world.
He has been known to transform peoples lives and even perform some miracles while we live on earth, especially when we study the life of Christ and follow him!
Largely, we are left to ponder the purpose of our lives with our anxieties and sufferings and come to the conclusion that even if we are a Donald Trump kind of person we will reach our end and need God's help and the assurance of pardon for the forgiveness of our sins and trespasses in other peoples lives. Thanks be to God and Christ for the free gift of salvation and eternal life in the paradise of God!!!
Hi UT,I don't know if your username is intended to be any indication of what you are going through, but I pray that:
1 Pet 5:10-11
…the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, stengthen, settle youl. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.Hi cubes,
And 1 Peter 4.1 also said
“Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men but for the will of God”
Somehow suffering is a teacher.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
