Why does God Allow suffering. I am a Christian and I read the Bible but sometimes I do not or understand the point. Especially constant suffering..
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First, I will explain I have severe Rheumatoid Arthritis, which has twisted & deformed my feet, hands and many other joints in my body. It has also damaged my heart and lungs. It is an extremely painful disease and the deformities have their own pain, even if you can find meds to control the RA. I've had this disease for 27 years. Before that, I had severe asthma, which put me into the ER daily for years. An allergist suggested allergy shots to make my asthma milder. I got the shots, which triggered the RA. I've also suffered physical & mental abuse growing up. This is a contributing factor for autoimmune diseases. I wasn't correctly diagnosed for 4 years, then another 5 years on meds that were too weak to help. 9 years of agonizing pain! And then, much more pain and suffering in the years to come!
I finally got on good meds, got some of my life back. God called me to seminary, where I studied the Bible, learned Koine Greek, Biblical Hebrew, hermeneutics, and skills to help people. I did work as a chaplain in long term care, but my meds failed, & I was unable to take the job I was offered, because I could barely walk.
I've spent a lot of time crying my eyes out from the pain and accompanying depression. I've begged God up heal me. In 2015, my meds failed badly, I was unable to get to the bathroom on my own, from my bed. My husband had to put me in my wheelchair. Push me to the bathroom, then reverse. It was terrible suffering. Emotionally & physically.
God was the only answer, and he spoke to me from the Scriptures I read daily. I'm going to share some of those amazing verse, but I suggest you read the Bible for yourself. Ask God to show you, why we suffer, it is all in the Bible.
1. We live in a fallen world, filled with sinful people. There are thorns and weeds, childbirth is hard, and that's just Genesis 3! We will suffer in this life, it is a result of the fall.
2. There is hope in God!
"Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
3 For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour;" Isa. 43:1b-3a
God never promised us we won't have to go through the fire, the floods! But he promises to be with us. Jesus is our creator, to be with him, is better than an easy life in this world.
3. God has promised to sanctify us, and transform us into his image.
"And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." 2 Cor 3:18
That's my goal. I want to grow more like Christ! The Holy Spirit is leading and guiding us!
"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you." John 14:26
"5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight." Prov 3:5-6
"When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me. 27 And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning." John 15:26-27
4. God has promised he will not let us go, and he will transform us. When we get discouraged, remember, Christ is there!
"being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Phil 1:6
5. So what about suffering? Paul sums this up in Romans. If you really want to understand God's plan for us, read Romans over and over, in a Modern version. Paul explains;
"As it is written:
“There is no one righteous, not even one;
11 there is no one who understands;
there is no one who seeks God.
12 All have turned away,
they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good,
not even one.” Romans 3:10-12
"There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus."
Roman's 3:22b-24
This explains we are all sinners, saved by grace.
6. How do we escape this burden of sin?
"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. " Romans 5:1-2
God gives us faith & we are justified!
"But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved." Eph 2:4-5
7 So what is our purpose in this life? To get a Get-Out-of -Hell Free card, and then go back to living our old life? May it never be! When God saves us, we are transferred from the kingdom of the world, to the Kingdom of Christ. That means following & walking with God all the days of our lives! And that means God has to teach us not to sin, to worship him above all else. And sometimes, getting rid of the old sons of our life can be painful, or even cause suffering!
"Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." Romans 5:3-5
God wants us to develop a strong & upright character. It sometimes involves suffering, but that makes us persevere! When we persevere, we develop that character that God wants. And that character gives us hope! And not some amorphous hope. Hope in God's love. And all this by the Holy Spirit.
I can testify to you, that all my physical & emotional suffering is worth it! Because God is in control, and it is he who transforms me, so one day, when I see Christ face to face, I will be like him!
"For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." 1 Cor 13:12
I hope that explains suffering a bit. You need to understand the whole purpose of our life in Christ, and that God really works all things together for good!
"And we know that [a]God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28
That gives me joy and peace, in spite of the suffering!
I finally got on good meds, got some of my life back. God called me to seminary, where I studied the Bible, learned Koine Greek, Biblical Hebrew, hermeneutics, and skills to help people. I did work as a chaplain in long term care, but my meds failed, & I was unable to take the job I was offered, because I could barely walk.
I've spent a lot of time crying my eyes out from the pain and accompanying depression. I've begged God up heal me. In 2015, my meds failed badly, I was unable to get to the bathroom on my own, from my bed. My husband had to put me in my wheelchair. Push me to the bathroom, then reverse. It was terrible suffering. Emotionally & physically.
God was the only answer, and he spoke to me from the Scriptures I read daily. I'm going to share some of those amazing verse, but I suggest you read the Bible for yourself. Ask God to show you, why we suffer, it is all in the Bible.
1. We live in a fallen world, filled with sinful people. There are thorns and weeds, childbirth is hard, and that's just Genesis 3! We will suffer in this life, it is a result of the fall.
2. There is hope in God!
"Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
3 For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour;" Isa. 43:1b-3a
God never promised us we won't have to go through the fire, the floods! But he promises to be with us. Jesus is our creator, to be with him, is better than an easy life in this world.
3. God has promised to sanctify us, and transform us into his image.
"And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." 2 Cor 3:18
That's my goal. I want to grow more like Christ! The Holy Spirit is leading and guiding us!
"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you." John 14:26
"5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight." Prov 3:5-6
"When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me. 27 And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning." John 15:26-27
4. God has promised he will not let us go, and he will transform us. When we get discouraged, remember, Christ is there!
"being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Phil 1:6
5. So what about suffering? Paul sums this up in Romans. If you really want to understand God's plan for us, read Romans over and over, in a Modern version. Paul explains;
"As it is written:
“There is no one righteous, not even one;
11 there is no one who understands;
there is no one who seeks God.
12 All have turned away,
they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good,
not even one.” Romans 3:10-12
"There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus."
Roman's 3:22b-24
This explains we are all sinners, saved by grace.
6. How do we escape this burden of sin?
"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. " Romans 5:1-2
God gives us faith & we are justified!
"But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved." Eph 2:4-5
7 So what is our purpose in this life? To get a Get-Out-of -Hell Free card, and then go back to living our old life? May it never be! When God saves us, we are transferred from the kingdom of the world, to the Kingdom of Christ. That means following & walking with God all the days of our lives! And that means God has to teach us not to sin, to worship him above all else. And sometimes, getting rid of the old sons of our life can be painful, or even cause suffering!
"Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." Romans 5:3-5
God wants us to develop a strong & upright character. It sometimes involves suffering, but that makes us persevere! When we persevere, we develop that character that God wants. And that character gives us hope! And not some amorphous hope. Hope in God's love. And all this by the Holy Spirit.
I can testify to you, that all my physical & emotional suffering is worth it! Because God is in control, and it is he who transforms me, so one day, when I see Christ face to face, I will be like him!
"For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." 1 Cor 13:12
I hope that explains suffering a bit. You need to understand the whole purpose of our life in Christ, and that God really works all things together for good!
"And we know that [a]God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28
That gives me joy and peace, in spite of the suffering!
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1 Thessalonians 5:18 KJV
In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
Philippians 4:12-13,16-20 KJV
I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
[13] I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
[16] For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity.
[17] Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.
[18] But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God.
[19] But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
[20] Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
Philippians 4:12-13,16-20 KJV
I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
[13] I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
[16] For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity.
[17] Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.
[18] But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God.
[19] But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
[20] Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Sorry to hear. I am in the thick of it. I have good days and bad days. I am mentally tired and just waiting for this to pass but I try to enjoy life and focus on my family. I still cry most days then wipe my tears and go do life.. I still go hard for God. He is still my best friend even through the pain.
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I apologize. The first statement I started writing to someone but thought better of it. I thought I had erased it. The second statement I was just being goofy.
I have great respect for those who are fighting against various medical difficulties. And still greater respect for those who minister to others from their experience. Keep up the good work...for your labor in Christ is a thing of beauty.
I have great respect for those who are fighting against various medical difficulties. And still greater respect for those who minister to others from their experience. Keep up the good work...for your labor in Christ is a thing of beauty.
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Thanks for these beautiful verses and reminders. Suffer is hard. My daughter is estranged from the family. Son I struggling. This is a shock to us. Closed Godly family. Don't know where she is in this world. I have to force myself to stop crying. We don't know what Happened, we are as shocked and lots of questions like anyone else. Faith is shaken. Trying to hold onto God's Word
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