by Chuck Ness
“Why didn’t God just create us so that we would never have to experience pain, suffering, or sadness?”
The best way to answer this question, is to start at the beginning where original sin began. Now the best description I have ever read that describes sin is, anything that falls short of the perfection of a perfect GOD. When we refer to sin we also use the word evil, which is the opposite of what God embodies. Now we know that God has the power to make the world free of evil, yet to truly stop evil from ever happening is to deny one the free will to do as one desires. However, God wanted a creature that was as close to being like HIMSELF, without being HIM. Thus when HE made man, HE made man in HIS image with free will.
With this 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. Thanks to some coaxing from Satan, Eve was deceived into consuming the fruit and offered some to Adam. Adam, choosing Eve over GOD, also ate of the fruit. Thus, the first two humans exercised their God given right of free will, and they chose unwisely.
Adam and Eve’s disobedience ushered into the universe pain, suffering, lust, greed, envy, wrath, pride, calamity, gluttony, laziness, and death. Their desire for that which was forbidden put an end to a perfect creation, while creating a wall of separation between man and GOD. Instead of a perfect World where a perfect God could have a perfect fellowship with a perfect man, they chose the opposite. This rejection not only destroyed the perfect fellowship of man and GOD, but it destroyed the perfect universe.
Like Adam, every human has been given the right to freely choose between right and wrong. While Adam did sin, he was not created with a will to sin, Yet, because he ate of the forbidden fruit, all men now have a sin nature handed down to them from Adam with a will and a desire to sin. Since that moment, all humans have a 50% chance that we will choose to do the wrong thing and thus we will inevitably suffer the consequences of our sins. OH, God could have made us perfect without the ability to sin, but then we would be nothing more than Chatty Cathy dolls repeating and doing whatever was programmed into us. However, is that the kind of life you would wish to live?
Well obviously, God did not want man to be a puppet. So the short answer as to why pain and suffering exists is because God gave us free will. Now this does not mean we can blame GOD for sin, because HE gave us the rules to obey. Adam and Eve broke them, and mankind has been doing so ever since. I did write a commentary about who the author of sin is. However, that is not my concern for this commentary, but if you would like to read it, it’s titled, “Who Created Evil”.
Thus, Adam and Eve sold us into the slavery of sin, so that all believers and non-believers wrestle with the daily struggle within us called original sin. Which is the moral corruption we possess as a consequence of Adam’s sin, resulting in a sinful disposition manifesting itself in habitually sinful behavior. Paul eloquently explained that struggle in his letter to the Romans,
For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. (Romans 7:15-20)
I for one praise GOD daily for giving us a way out of our predicament. For HE sent HIS Son, Jesus Christ, Who lived a sinless life, was crucified on the cross, died, and then resurrected back to life, so that if we believe in Him we can gain forgiveness and have eternal life. However, just because we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior 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? Satan believed GOD did so with Job.
“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 if you love your GOD. Anybody would love a God if He protected them the way He does you. I’m not impressed. Besides, your God doesn’t offer me anything, because He doesn’t let you enjoy life. I live in the real world.”
What if those who suffer, saw the way we dealt with pain, suffering, and disappointment? This may or may not be why God allows tragedy and mishaps to come upon Christians. Mind you, we live in a fallen World, and thus we are all subject to the same laws of probability for troubles related to calamities as the next person is. Yet as a Christian, we should take our tragedies and use them as an example of how our Father in heaven gives us the ability to live beyond our sufferings and disappointments of life. His loving mercy allows us to be free enough to learn and grow through our trials and tribulations, just like the Apostles did.
When I go through trials and tribulations, I try to think of someone I know who is going through worse things, and I consider how they deal with it. For me I don’t have to look too far, because my wife is a paraplegic confined to a wheelchair. She has been in one since 9:10 pm October 26, 1987. See, I know because we were in the same car with two other girls that went off a 35 foot embankment. The girl driving the car died, one girl lost the use of her arm, and my future wife ended up in a wheelchair. Unlike my wife, I walked away from that accident with scratches and bruises.
The car we were in. Click the image if you
wish to read what I wrote about the accident
Now this happened quite a few years before we both gave our lives to Christ, but she still has many trials and tribulations related to it. Seeing her dealing with the consequences of our drunken road trip gives me the strength to get through difficult times in my life. I’m reminded daily, “But for the grace of God there go I.”
Unlike my wife and I, the Apostles did not go through trials and tribulations because of the consequences of their sins. Their trials and tribulations came about because of who they followed, Christ Jesus. One day Peter and John were flogged and ordered not to speak in the name of Jesus. When they were released, they considered it worthy to be able to suffer for the name of Christ.
And they agreed with him, and when they had called for the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name (Acts 5:40-41)
They Apostles said this because they were told by Jesus,
“Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:11-12)
James tells us that we should consider it all joy when we encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of our faith produces endurance.
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. (James 1:1-2)
These and other passages describe rejoicing, not in spite of the suffering, but because of it. Paul tells us not to lose heart over the fact that our flesh is decaying with age and infirmities:
“because our trials will renew our spirit daily…………for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal,” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)
A few short paragraphs later, he described the many trials and tribulations he went through.
in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness (2Corinthians 11:23-27)
Paul even suffered from a lifelong malady that he prayed to GOD about. Yet each time the answer was the same.
And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (2 Corinthians 12:7-9)
It’s been said that Paul’s faith in God was persistent, consistent, and profound. He may have started out as a persecuting serial murderer of those who followed Jesus Christ, but after his conversion he became a tireless worker for the Gospel who finished well. He was the greatest and most successful evangelical missionary preacher the world had ever seen. It’s without a doubt that in times of struggle and hardships we can shine the brightest and reach the lost better than at any other time. We just need to face our pain and suffering like Christ did. It was Christ who set the example for Apostles to follow, and eventually it changed an empire. Tertullian who wrote in 197 A.D.,
“The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.” “The Apology of Tertullian for the Christians”
Like many, most of my suffering comes from my own selfish desires to live my life my way, instead of His. I feel unworthy to complain about the trials and tribulations I face because of my sins. Yet, I know that regardless of the reason for my trials, He is there for me, and will give me comfort in my time of need. If one day I am honored to suffer the ultimate price for Him, then I pray I will do so proudly by standing tall and walking the walk that many have walked before me.
I stated earlier that we all have a 50% chance of choosing what is right and what is wrong in this fallen world. However, that’s only if you put your faith in the World. If your faith is in the One who died for your salvation and you always go to HIM when you make important, and even some non important decisions, then you can be assured that your choices can be 100% correct all the time.
Yet even if you do stumble and fall into a season of pain and suffering, remember to use the comfort you get from God in your suffering as training so you might comfort others. Be an example to those whose faith is weak, by showing them how you love and trust in Him. Knowing that His strength is made perfect in our weakness, we must boldly approach our infirmities and hardships with the knowledge that we will receive a greater prize than this World has to offer. This is one of the greatest lessons we can teach those lost in the World. So ask not why you suffer, but praise God for the chance to shine and be an example as our Lord was for us.
I pray that those who have ears to hear will hear His voice and call upon the name of the lord Jesus Christ.
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The following 25 comments from readers who responded to my post when I first wrote this for my blog , “GATE,” at the Chico Enterprise Record on November 8, 2009 when I still wrote for the Chico California newspaper.
Frank | November 8, 2009 10:17 AM | Reply
God allows you to suffer to teach you character and to grow in character.
Of course, if one wants to wallow in pity for all the suffering then you just become a caricature.
Jethro | November 8, 2009 10:22 AM | Reply
We have free will but the wonder is why did God give us free will?
Rebecca | November 8, 2009 10:24 AM | Reply
Actually, the question is
“Why does God allow/permit the righteous to suffer and the wicked to prosper.
Dr. Beckner | November 8, 2009 10:52 AM | Reply
This is a nice attempt, but unfortunately all attempts to explane the suffering in this world will fall short of someones expectations. (and I understand you were specifically speaking of Christians)
I guess we all desire to know why suffering happens because we all suffer to a certain degree and we are looking for someone to direct the answer to our specific need. I think that is why the bigger question we hear more often than not is, “Why does God allow the innocent to suffer, and why are children allowed to be brutalized and killed by God?”
For me the answer is rather simple, but I am sure others will disagree with me for the reason i stated above. I think the answer lies in the a basic math principle “Infinity”.
Think about this for a moment if you will, heaven is eternal life in God’s love. An infinite immersion in all that is good. Any finite quantity becomes zero *when compared to infinity*. Any mathematician worth his salt will tell you that X over infinity is zero for all finite values of X, be it one, one hundred, or one hundred trillion.
That means that any amount of finite suffering we experience in this life becomes irrelevant if we except Jesus and ascend to Heaven. The innocent are guaranteed access to Heaven, so their suffering, too, becomes zero when they enter the eternal. No one in Heaven could ever look back at worldly suffering and think it relevant in relation to the eternal.
One final analogy: it’s akin to me asking you for a mundane penny in return for a trillion dollars. That’s an exceptionally good return, right? Except it’s greater than that because a trillion dollars might run out, but God’s love never does.
Just a thought. Good message Chuck.
Nancy D | November 8, 2009 11:11 AM | Reply
You have a beautiful way with words and your heart is obviously filled with God’s love. Thanks for posting this, Chuck.
Tim | November 8, 2009 11:35 AM | Reply
“Today I take in the question of, “Why does God allow Christians to suffer?””
God is a guy. Once he has you he loses interest and I think the key to having salvation and a happy life is hiding a bit of yourself from God and making Him chase you a little.
Tina | November 8, 2009 12:07 PM | Reply
I came to the realization that God doesn’t “allow” suffering he accepts it as an inevitable part of His creation. God’s greatness is immeasurable, of course. I don’t mean to imply that He lacks the ability to stop an event from happening or cause the miraculous to occur, He does. But what would life be like if God intervened? What lesson is to be learned when consequences and risk are minimized?
Once “up has been created, “down” is also present. Once “joy” is created, “sadness” is also present. And so it goes. As Dr. Beckner indicates, whatever we suffer here will ultimately be insignificant. Perhaps the question should be, what is the purpose of our lives? The Bible indicates that God’s greatest desire is that we come to know and love Him. The creation itself, our various trials, and what we choose to do in every circumstance of our lives all present opportunities to grow in that direction.
He gave us a tool to guide us in this risky adventure. The Bible is wisdom and contains all of the comfort, advice, and answers we need. The better we understand what He is telling us in His book, the more we experience grace as we live our lives and mark the hours that move us toward eternal peace and love.
Good post Chuck.
Chuck— replied to comment from Jethro | November 8, 2009 12:13 PM | Reply
We have free will but the wonder is why did God give us free will?
With out free will we would be robots, and God would be a cosmic rapist forcing his love upon us. Would you not want your spouse to willingly love you? Or do you force your love?
This world is like dating, when we have lived and decided, than we get married, but in the Christians perspective we marry Christ and than the dating is over. However during the dating process we had free will to chose who our lover would be. This world or Christ.
I chose Christ out of my own free will that was granted to me by God.
Who do you chose?
Bob replied to comment from Frank | November 8, 2009 12:15 PM | Reply
Of course, if one wants to wallow in pity for all the suffering then you just become a caricature.
Yeah, but Job was stuck. He couldn’t do much of anything until he physically felt better. Him praying for his friends seemed to be what triggered his bodily and financial restoration. But really, for the longest time, isn’t it true to say that he pretty much wallowed in his own suffering? I mean, sure, he was asking a lot of questions and praying, but he was still stuck for a long time.
Chuck– replied to comment from Rebecca | November 8, 2009 12:17 PM | Reply
“Why does God allow/permit the righteous to suffer and the wicked to prosper”.
The wicked only think they are prospering, it all comes down to what you consider to be prosperous. Jesus owned nothing, traveled less than 30 miles from his birth place, yet he was richer than the emperor of Rome.
Bill Gates, George Soros, and others like them are not better off than I am, they just have more temptation to sin, and thus a more difficult time lies before them when they need to get through that needle.
To me it is all perspective, what do you treasure and hold onto to? This world is passing and that is the lesson we should grasp from the pain and suffering we endure. Someday the pain for the followers of Christ will be over, but those who think they are well off yet do not accept Him. Well my friend, their suffering has just begun.
Jethro | November 8, 2009 12:23 PM | Reply
I had to come back and ask another question. You still have not answered my first one. Maybe you can take them both together and give me an answer.
I also would like to know,
“Why did God permit his Son to die? Why could he not just offer forgiveness to those who wish to have it. After all, if it is all based upon faith, and Christians say God can read the heart, then why not offer it to those who truly need and desire it?”
I am not being argumentative, I honestly would like to know, along with the free will question I asked. I know how these blogs work, and that it may be a day or two before you get to the answer, so I’ll check back periodically.
Chuck— replied to comment from Bob | November 8, 2009 2:25 PM | Reply
Yeah, but Job was stuck……..Him praying for his friends seemed to be what triggered his bodily and financial restoration.
Job was stuck alright, but it was more than just his present pain and misery that kept him down. The lesson you should take from Job, besides the lesson we learn to persevere in our suffering, is that Job was stuck on his self righteousness, and it wasn’t until he realized that he was nothing that God lifted his plight. However, Job thought that his own self righteousness was enough, but only the righteousness of God through Christ can save, not our own. Job finally admits it and like I said God than lifts the plight off of him.
Many Christians are where Job was. They think that they are so righteous that they are better then other Christians who seem to always struggle. Thus we have this division of status in churches even. The Pharisees suffered from this and Jesus pointed it out. Self righteousness is a big downfall for those who think they are better than they truly are. That is why we are told that the best of our works are but dirty rags.
Not by works, but by faith shall we be saved and when all Christians ultimately learn that, then they will be truly set free from the bondage odf self righteousness that many well off and decent Christians still suffer from like Job finally realized.
Nat | November 8, 2009 2:35 PM | Reply
If we have the right to chose between right and wrong, there is a 50% chance that we will chose to do the wrong thing and thus suffer the consequences of our sin.
But this does not hold true for liberals and their elitist political representatives…
1) they do not know right from wrong OR claim that the difference is a matter of opinion or a “gray area”,
2) they chose the wrong thing nearly 100% of the time,
3) there is rarely, if ever, any consequences to those choices.
Nat | November 8, 2009 2:39 PM | Reply
If we have the right to chose between right and wrong, there is a 50% chance that we will chose to do the wrong thing and thus suffer the consequences of our sin.
But this does not hold true for liberals and their elitist political representatives…
1) they do not know right from wrong OR claim that the difference is a matter of opinion or a “gray area”,
2) they chose the wrong thing nearly 100% of the time,
3) there is rarely, if ever, any consequences to those choices.
Billy Joe replied to comment from Jethro | November 8, 2009 3:28 PM | Reply
“Why did God permit his Son to die?”
Hmmm. Are you implying that Christ is dead? Mere coporeal death is nothing to a supernatural Christian. I mean, people die all the time. It is obviously inevitable. The question (or answer if you will), is what happens after physical death.
To a Christian, physical death ain’t no big thing. Why should it be any different for one of God’s aspects (Jesus)? Being a supernatural being by nature, physical death would have no effect. It’s just a change in packaging.
One should never be terribly bound to our current container. After all, we’re just passing through. I’m not terribly concerned that my earthly vessel is temporally limited. Why would Christ/God view physical existence to be any different? After all, God’s already been doing the supernatural thing for long enough to have a handle on it.
As for the rest of you question, I think I’ll leave it to Pastor OV to answer.
Chuck — replied to comment from Jethro | November 8, 2009 3:55 PM | Reply
Basically, the reason Jesus had to die for our sins was so that we could be forgiven and go to be with the Lord. Jesus is God in flesh (John 1:1; John 1:14; Col. 2:9) and only God can satisfy the Law requirements of a perfect life and perfect sacrifice that cleanses us of our sins.
All people have sinned against God. But, God is infinitely holy and righteous. He must punish the sinner, the Law- breaker. If He didn’t, then His law is not Law for there is no law that is a law without a punishment. The punishment for breaking the Law is death, separation from God. Therefore, we sinners need a way to escape the righteous judgment of God. Since we are stained by sin and cannot keep the Law of God, then the only one who could do what we cannot is God Himself. That is why Jesus is God in flesh. He is both divine and human. He was made under the Law (Gal 4:5-6) and He fulfilled it perfectly. Therefore, His sacrifice to God the Father on our behalf is of infinite value and is sufficient to cleanse all people from their sins and undo the offense to God.
I could go more into it if you like. So if you still have questions Jethro let me know or email me here and I will answer any and all questions you have.
Chuck — replied to comment from Nat | November 8, 2009 6:02 PM | Reply
But this does not hold true for liberals and their elitist political representatives
Actually, they can chose to do right and thus is the reason we see non Christians treating people better than some Christians, but the difference is on judgment day who do you call Lord?
The annals of history are replete with good people who made all the right choices in this world accept for one. They did not chose Christ as their Lord and Savior, thus on judgment day they will be cast in the same lake of fire as the those who lived lives of evil, not my words, the words of Jesus. Secularists do not wish to hear this, but there is but one door, and that is through Christ Jesus who said,
Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:15-16)
But I do agree that as a Christian we have a better chance of being right more than 50% of the time when we listen to Christ, but many Christians still do not listen to Him, thus so many Christians have troubles brought upon by their own bad choices.
Mike replied to comment from Bob | November 8, 2009 6:08 PM | Reply
“Him praying for his friends seemed to be what triggered his bodily and financial restoration.“
Thus the paradox. Some of the things God requires seems counter-intuitive because of our ingrained worldly value system. If we are suffering from persecution, we are to pray for our enemies. I suppose to give them a chance to repent but at the same time it is pretty difficult to ignore our own predicament and follow Jobs actions and ask why. Only through the Holy Spirit will we be able to overcome.
Sue | November 8, 2009 6:17 PM | Reply
I would not have the strength of my faith, the wisdom nor the love for my Lord today had I not been allowed to experience trials, tribulations and suffering in my life through the years.
I am who I am today BECAUSE of my experiences. God has been faithful through everything and has never forsaken me. I have gone through times of doubts, as everyone who is honest must admit. But through it all I have learned to trust, rest and rely on the promises of a merciful and loving Creator who created me for a purpose. Praise his Holy name!
Nancy is right, you have such a beautiful way of weaving words together. Good message OV, thanks.
Chuck — replied to comment from Mike | November 8, 2009 8:36 PM | Reply
“Him praying for his friends seemed to be what triggered his bodily and financial restoration. “
Thus the paradox. Some of the things God requires seems counter-intuitive because of our ingrained worldly value system.
Again I must reiterate that Job was suffering from self righteousness, he was not healed because he prayed for the others. He prayed for the others after God showed him his fault and God told him to. So Job was a dutiful man and prayed for the other three as he was instructed to do. I am sure that if Job refused to obey God and decided not to pray for his so-called friends, that God may not have restored him, but then again He may have restored Job regardless.
The point I am making, is that Job was healed by the grace of God because God wanted to heal him. There is nothing we can do, and that is what Job learned through his trials. All his good works and deeds and prayers were no better than a woman’s menstruation rag, as the Scriptures point out.
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Now just so someone does not think I am being rude for using such a term as woman’s menstruation rag. Allow me to present to you a little lesson in the Hebrew language.
In the New American Standard Bible with concordance numbers, Isaiah 64:6 says this about that which we think is our righteousness,
Isa 64:6 For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy(5713c) garment(899b); And all of us wither like a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
So the Hebrew word translated into filthy here was from the Hebrew word, H5713c – עדּה or iddah. Looking at the accompanying concordance we see that the Hebrew word iddah was an unused word at the time. Unused by the masses but still used by religious Prophets and Religious scribes. It was not a word you used in public and so the people would not use the word in public. (the more things change the more they same the same). However I digress, the word translates into – menstruation however. So the translators used a word that was common to use in those days which is the word filthy.
Now we have the word garment, and the Hebrew word it comes from is H899b – בּגד or beged. Looking at the accompanying concordance we see that the Hebrew word beged means a few things depending on the context. So we have various words to chose from such as, a garment as used in this context because of what the word proceeding it was and what Isaiah was talking about. There are also such words as, covering, cloth, clothes, clothing, garment, garments, lap, robes, saddle cloths, and wardrobe. You can see no other word would fit the context it was used in here.
I only did this for those who may have a problem with my choice of words to describe mans righteousness which is usually accompanied by our works, and Job thought his righteousness was good enough, but he learned that is was not.
I also enjoy it when I get a chance to use the things I have learned in Hebrew or Greek. It is said that you lose that which you do not use, so I need to practice now and then.
Ettore Grillo | November 9, 2009 2:02 AM | Reply
First of all, in order to shade light on this topic, we need to analyze separately the concepts of “good”, “evil”, and “suffering”.
What is good? What is evil?
The concepts of good and evil vary according to the different epochs, countries, morals.
For many people “good” is only a paraenesis, an exhortation.
In the Catholic world there are two main streams: The deontological and the teleological. The former maintains the individual in order to reach the good has to follow the precepts and the commandments, the latter asses that what it matters is the end of the action apart of the ethic rules. If our aim is good, we are realizing the God’s will even if we do not follow His commandments.
According to the Buddhist teachings, neither good nor evil exist, but only ignorance and delusions.
On the other hand suffering is part of the life. Suffering is life. Ageing, sickness, death are suffering. We cannot eliminate the suffering from the earth , because – only God knows why- we live in this space-temporal dimension. Once a great Pope said: “ Whoever wants realize the paradise on the earth will bring only the hell”.
Maybe in another dimension there is not good, evil, suffering but only and simply the life!
The book I have recently written may help in this direction and I want to draw it to your attention, as you may be interested in it. The title is “Travels of the Mind” If you have any questions, I am most willing to offer my views on this topic.
Ettore Grillo
PS is happy to post your comment Ettore but we respectfully decline the link and feel it necessary to disclose that links to the publisher of your book may be questionable.
Libby | November 9, 2009 9:38 AM | Reply
“Why does God allow there to be evil in the world? After all, are we not all created in the image of god?”
Always good for a giggle is Chuck
CS replied to comment from Chuck— | November 9, 2009 9:46 AM | Reply
[[Job was healed by the grace of God because God wanted to heal him. There is nothing we can do, and that is what Job learned through his trials.]]
Bingo! and again, it;’s important ot realize God may or may not heal us, and that His decision is not based on what we do, but on His Soverieng right as God alone to deal with His creation as He sees fit. In the end, Job didn’t know God was goign to restore Him, so that wasn’t Job’s motivation for repentance- Job repented because He loved God, and because it was the right ting to do regardless of the circumstances he faced.
Alogn with ohter problems- I am dislexic, and so I write this as someoen who suffers and unfortunately wallows in ‘why me’ most of hte time- I do try not to- but find myself crying out ‘why God?” al lthe time- then I resign myself to hte fact that nothign is goign to change, and ‘just accept it’- (but I never truly do accept it- I just ‘give up whining for a time I guess), and I write this to remind me that I’m WAY off trtack in my htinking- Thanks for your insight and responses to put the perspective back where it belongs- I lose track of thigns because I get consumed by the personal experience of suffering, and everythign becoems about me, and I lose the love for fellow man because all I can focuss on is the pain and cry out’ ‘Why God?”
Chuck replied to comment from CS | November 9, 2009 11:58 AM | Reply
Thanks for your insight and responses to put the perspective back where it belongs
I have been married to a woman who was put in a wheel chair from a car accident we were in a month after we started dating back in 1987 (we were passengers in the back seat).
I have seen her struggle and suffer for more than she deserves, or at least that is my human perspective anyway. However, the true reality is we all deserve what we get, and when we are not getting our just due, that is when we are truly blessed. You are correct that God did not have to heal Job, or else he would have healed the elephant man. Now there was a man who loved God, but like Lazarus, his ultimate healing did not come until he died and went home to be with Christ in the room He had prepared fro him in His fathers mansion. (I just wish I could post a picture of what this man truly looked like. When he found the Lord he never allowed his faith waver regardless of the suffering and ridicule he went through.)
We humans look at this world as if it were something great to hold onto because it is the only thing we know. However it is written:
“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for
those who love Him.1 Corinthians 2:9”
I think of a child, and how they cannot fathom adulthood, so they want everything now. They cannot even imagine waiting two weeks for a birthday or Christmas. Well, we are God’s children, and we too cannot imagine waiting 80 years to get to Christmas. We tell little Johnny that just because Paul’s Mommy and Daddy let him have an i-pod does not mean he deserves one. We think that our worth is in this world, but we cannot bring it with, we leave all for our children and they to theirs. One for one, and dust to dust, In Gods due time, and at His pleasure we shall have what he wants us to have and when he wants us to have it.
If that means we must suffer a lifetime from some debilitating disease until we die unknown, unloved by this world, And in poverty, well then so be it. That too is more than we deserve. When men realize this truth, then they will truly see the joy that Christ offers and the burden of worry will be lifted and we will be satisfied with the care we receive from God as promised by Christ.
“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? …………….. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Matthew 8:25-27 & 34
cs replied to Chuck| November 9, 2009 1:57 PM | Reply
[[We look at this world as if it is something great to hold onto because it is the only thing we know.]]
Yep- I think that’s it- this life is all we know, and I guess it’s natural to think ‘why does it have to be so difficult osmetiomes?”
[[I think of a child, and how they cannot fathom adulthood, so they want everything now.]]
again- spot on- I was acting pretty childish actually- just focussed on me
[[If that means we must suffer a lifetime from some debilitating disease until we die unknown, unloved by this world, And in poverty, well then so be it. That too is more than we deserve.]]
That was one of hte big issues with me- knowing I’ll probably go out without making an impact, and I guess I just wondered why God woudl even create me to go through life obscure and unimportant-
[[When men realize this truth,]]
Well, I think I got a glimpse of it today- thanks to your comments on Job, even during his suffering, how he prayed for OTHERS intsead of himself- made me realize how focussed on myself I’ve been for far too long now.
Good column Chuck, thanks
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