Posted on 08/10/2014 9:31:05 AM PDT by OneVike
Few seem to have good answers for the question:
“Why didn’t God just create us so that we would never have to experience pain, suffering, or sadness?”
After all, God has the power to make the world free of evil, yet He chose instead to make us creatures with free will. Thus, free will was the door left open for the possibility of evil entering our lives.
What is the purpose of pain, suffering, and evil? Why does God allow humans, who were made in His image, to live on a planet where evil abounds? God could have made us perfect without the ability to sin, and we would have never known pain and suffering.
We would be like Chatty Cathy dolls–just pull the string and watch us do and say whatever we were programed. Is that the kind of life you would wish to live? Well, obviously God did not think so either. That’s the short answer to why God created us with free will.
With free will came the possibility that Adam and Eve might disobey God of their own volition and partake of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil. Well, thanks to some coaxing from Satan, Eve ate the fruit and offered some to Adam. The first two humans that God created exercised the right of choice that God had given them. Because they didn’t obey God’s command, sin entered the universe and that sin was handed down to every human who was born of man. All of us, believers and non-believers alike, wrestle with the daily struggles of the “Adam and Eve” within us.
Christ died on the cross so that, if we believe in Him, we can have eternal life. However, just because we gave our life to Christ, does not mean we are immunized from the pain and suffering of this world. This is why so many Christians inevitably ask the question, “Why am I suffering God? Why do my loved ones suffer?” What if on the day we accepted Christ as our Lord and Savior, we were given God’s total and complete protection, so nothing bad ever happened to us again?
“Does Job fear God for nothing? Have You not made a hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But put forth Your hand now and touch all that he has; he will surely curse You to Your face. Job 1:9-11
Can you imagine what would happen if God did put a hedge about us on every side? Would not the people of the world who do not know Christ, say:
“So what, that you love Go. Anybody would love God if He protected them the way He does you. I’m not impressed. Your God doesn’t offer me anything; I live in the real world.”
What if those people, who watched us suffer, saw the way we dealt with the same issues of pain, suffering and disappointment as they deal with, and we showed an example of looking to our Father in heaven with love and gratefulness? His loving mercy allows us to be free enough to learn and grow through our trials and tribulations, like the......
(Excerpt) Read more at therelevantchristianmagazine.com ...
I wish He didn’t allow us to make mistakes. I’ve made a few at my job and my boss is getting upset with me.
I’m beginning to doubt my abilities. I ask God every day for His help at work. It’s never the same each day...some days are better than others.
God is currently being deported from the United States..
At least Designer God’s are...
The real one.. must be laughing..
Barak Obama is indeed PUNISHMENT to the United States.. for it..
“God” need not punish anyone.. we do it ourselves..
The NEW God...... GIVERNMENT... fickle, stupid and a bully..
A couple of good books — one out of print.
“When Bad Things Happen to Good People” by Rabbi Kushner
“Without Thorns It’s Not a Rose” by Father Jack Scott — you might find this is a used book store. Helped me tremendously.
Thanks, I have never watched it. What is the gist of the show?
Maybe He is allowing those mistakes so that you will learn to eventually better handle mistakes by others.
Good books.
I read the first one. I’ll keep an eye out for the other.
He already intervened for all a couple thousand years ago.
I wish He didn’t allow us to make mistakes....Being very, very serious, How do you expect to learn? The only job I EVER had that I didn’t want to make mistakes in was in VN as an EOD specialist. After that, OK, so I F’d up. I learned. Either you take yourself too seriously, or you take the job too seriously. A mistake is not incompetence nor is it failure. It is a learning experience. Sort of like high school.
We just had this lesson in Sunday School this morning.
“Think it not strange the firry trial that has come to test your faith…” i.e., to see what kind of faith you have - is it the kind of faith that “saves”, that endures to the end?
This isn’t a comprehensive lesson, but here are a few possibilities:
If you are suffering as an evil doer then suffering = God’s “reproof”
Suffering unjustly due to the sin in the world and the curse = God’s efforts to “improve” you, character development (no spoiled brats in heaven). Everything can’t always go your way and you become dependent on the Lord to fight your battles and to show grace and truth to others in your pain.
Suffering for godliness, i.e., being a Christian = God’s Approval as they say in AWANA - Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed and more importantly, God is not ashamed to call them his own!
God does have creations that are without suffering. They are called angles. They have seen the glory and power of God directly. In his wisdom, God granted choice and the choice is very simple. Either follow God’s way, or be separated from God.
Some of the angles became jealous of God’s power and decided to not follow God and do things their own way. Thus they were cast out of heaven and separated. Since God is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, these angles (now devils) were separated from all that is good. In time, their spirit of hate, anger, discord, selfishness, etc. came to be the only expressions that they knew.
God brought a different creature into the world (Man) who while in the garden of Eden was without suffering and sin. But man was tempted by the devil and chose to bring sin into the world. It is NOT God’s fault that we suffer, it is MAN’s fault. This choice separated man from God and we were cast out of Eden.
But God loves us and does not want to be separated from us, so he first create the law so that man could learn right from wrong. But man still failed to choose righteousness so God provided an atonement for our sins through his son Jesus who was without sin, took on the sins of everyone and suffered the just punishment for sin. A perfect God can not allow sin to go unpunished. If that was allowed, then there would be no justice in the world.
So the really important question should not be “Why does God allow Christians to suffer” because MAN chose the path of suffering. The really important question is “Do I choose life or death; blessings or curses”.
Deut 30:19
This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live
Catholics, Get Ready to Suffer
Mood changes as pope, young people reflect on suffering in Way of CrossM
Following The Truth: Appreciating The Gift Of Suffering (Catholic or Open)
Cardinal Burke: suffering does not rid life of purpose
In historic TV Q&A, Pope Benedict speaks about suffering, comatose persons, persecution (Catholic)
Pope Addresses Suffering in Historic Television Appearance
(Why Am I Catholic?) For Peace While Suffering (A Few Words for Wednesday)
Praying in Sickness and Old Age
The Church as a Hospital
[CATHOLIC CAUCUS] The Apostolate of Suffering Redux
Redemptive Suffering
Through church, Jesus ministers to all who are sick in the world
'Amazing Grace for Those Who Suffer'
Pope Benedict asks sick to offer up suffering for priests (Catholic Caucus)
Why Must I Suffer?
On the Advantages of Tribulations by Saint Alphonsus Liguori
Why Be Catholic? 3: Suffering [Ecumenical]
"Love Really Can Make Suffering Bearable": Woman with Spina Bifida
Experts at Euthanasia Symposium Stress Unity, Strategy, and the Triumph of Love over Suffering
Holy Father prays for peace and unity, encourages the suffering to trust in God
Joy-Filled Suffering, Laetare Sunday
Children 'Suffering >From Lack Of Two-Parent Family', Study Finds
Pope Says Euthanasia 'False Solution' to Suffering, Alludes to Comatose Woman's Fate
Excerpts from THE FRUITS OF HIS LOVE - The Value Of Suffering - Mother M. Angelica
Why Not You? (on suffering)
Vicar takes down crucifixion sculpture 'because it's a scary depiction of suffering'
The Value of Suffering in the Life of Christian Perfection
IN BRUSH WITH DEATH, PRIEST SHOWN HELL, PURGATORY, DEGREES OF SUFFERING
Prayers to Saint Agatha [For Those Suffering from Breast Cancer]
REDEMPTIVE SUFFERING(Catholic Caucus or by Invitation Only)
Thanks for adding this to your list.
:)
BAM!
Really a stupid question. Peter and Paul suffered immeasurably and both were executed, to say nothing of early Christians being fed to the hungry lions. “Take Up Your Cross and Follow Me.” That’s the short and only answer.
Interesting. Would that be the answer you give a young child who is suffering from cancer?
Just a short to the point answer that basically says, “Get over it and quit whining”, is that really how you expect to answer people who truly need an answer?
I agree the answer can be short and to the point, but Christians need answers that they can take to heart and maybe one day help others who may one day have the same question.
I can see that you have never been asked to teach a Bible study class, or even a Sunday school class to children.
Attended Mass at a very prominent and rich Houston parish.
They prayed for the Pope (standard) and for many other things in daily live (commendable).
But nothing was mentioned about the terrifying plight that our Christian brothers and sisters are presently subjected to.
Truly shameful.
Just kicking it up a notch this Sunday.
Can’t get over it. I am still vey annoyed.
Is the Church trying to be politically correct for fear that it may offeeeeeend muzzie Americans and for fear that it may take sides, politically?
Was there any anoucement about the Catholic bishops calling for next Sunday to be a day of prayer for the Christians suffering in Iraq?
At my parish there will be 30 minutes before the masses the praying of the rosary.
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