What is suffering?
Pain - Unjust situations etc
Look at this in perspective. Life lasts about 100 years at most - Eternity is forever. Even if we sufffer terribly for 100 years it is NOTHING compared to suffering in hell for Eternity. If you go to Heaven you will immediately forget any trouble you ever had on earth...so think about this & follow Jesus - even if your trials are terrible, you have an amazing award! If you are putting the suffering of others as a reason why you won't follow God - grow up! Get to know Him & ask Him why it happens & do something about it instead of whinging. You will end up in hell over what? Do you really care that much for others> or are you living for yourself?
Why do people suffer:
3 main reasons - Sin (yours or other people's), God's Doing, God's Glory
Sin
If you are not following God right now - you have no right to blame God for your troubles, or someone elses. It is amazing to me that so many people can do their own thing - ignore God and what He says and never thank Him for anything good that happens - but then still blame Him for the bad!
If you are not following God then you are probably sinning continually - and sin could be the reason for your trouble. Repent and put your trust in God. Follow Jesus - then you know that the trials & bad things are for GOOD!
If you have been abused or suffered this is not God's fault - but because of someone else's sin - God did not want this and He suffers with you. He has wept with & for you. He will judge & punish the person who wronged you - and He wants to heal you. This doesn't mean that everything will be rosy - and it will take effort on your part. But you need to turn to Him and allow Him to work in your life. Follow Him no matter what & work with someone through the turmoil of changing your belief. I too once believed that god was responsible for my pain - and it was hard for me to accept any different. Now I know clearly that He wasn't responsible for my past abuse, hurts & pain, and that he never wanted most of it to happen. Try to relax & know that He really does care.
God's Doing
Some people (like myself) are very stubborn and proud. They head down a road that will land them in hell and they don't know it - and don't care or stop to look. God can and does sometimes bring bad things to these people to try to encourage them look around - and look to Him. God literally had to break me & destroyed almost everything in my life - and I am very thankful now. I hated it at the time...and you might hate it right now - But God can turn it all around for good if you follow Him.
I never would have looked to an unseen God, or 'religion' if everything went well for me. But because He loves me (and He loves you), He is willing to allow us to suffer for a short time so we can gain eternal life. It is similar with discipline and a child. At the time of writing this I have 3 children. I love them to bits & want the best for them but at times they need discipline. Maybe to stop them doing something that will injure them. ie when living in the country snakes are a real issue, being a long distance from a hospital makes it dangerous. Now for safety a child needs to know when a parent says stop - they stop. This can be true for the roads in suburbia & many potentially dangerous situations. I am willing, for the sake of my childs safety, to issue a disciplinary action that they hate for a few minutes in order for their good. Our lives on this planet are only a VERY short time compared to Eternity...
So maybe you need to look up & realize that your surrent situation is God's love & discipline. He disciplines those He loves...this doesn't mean that all suffering is God's doing but sometimes it can be
God's Glory
There are a few that God allows to suffer to show His Glory. There is a story in the Bible of an evil ruler (Pharoah) who God used to show His power. This ruler was used like a puppet - and He didn't like it. But God is God. That's what you need to see. Even if God was a bad God - He is still God. He created the world & He is in charge & can do what he likes - get over it. You can either follow Him or be destroyed. Thankfully the One who Created you is loving & caring and full of mercy and justice - but even if He isn't you don't have an alternative - it's life with Him or death. Simple!
This can be illustrated by the above ruler who continued to have a hard heart & his kingdom was destroyed, and he probably went to hell still trying to rebel against God.
Another story of a man born blind - Jesus said this was to show God's Glory. This man had every right to have a chip against God - worse than you probably. Being blind in those days would be worse than you can imagine - and Jesus says it was just to show God's Glory! He had to suffer like that for 40 years.
His response though to God's healing was not to be angry & rebel against His maker for the 40 years lost, but to fall down in thanks and worship Jesus for the time He would now enjoy all the more. He was justified as He softened His heart. You have a choice to make right now. Blame & fight & suffer - or turn to God & allow Him to minister healing to you & challenge you about your sin and follow Him. He will never let you down. He will never leave you
Pain - Unjust situations etc
Look at this in perspective. Life lasts about 100 years at most - Eternity is forever. Even if we sufffer terribly for 100 years it is NOTHING compared to suffering in hell for Eternity. If you go to Heaven you will immediately forget any trouble you ever had on earth...so think about this & follow Jesus - even if your trials are terrible, you have an amazing award! If you are putting the suffering of others as a reason why you won't follow God - grow up! Get to know Him & ask Him why it happens & do something about it instead of whinging. You will end up in hell over what? Do you really care that much for others> or are you living for yourself?
Why do people suffer:
3 main reasons - Sin (yours or other people's), God's Doing, God's Glory
Sin
If you are not following God right now - you have no right to blame God for your troubles, or someone elses. It is amazing to me that so many people can do their own thing - ignore God and what He says and never thank Him for anything good that happens - but then still blame Him for the bad!
If you are not following God then you are probably sinning continually - and sin could be the reason for your trouble. Repent and put your trust in God. Follow Jesus - then you know that the trials & bad things are for GOOD!
If you have been abused or suffered this is not God's fault - but because of someone else's sin - God did not want this and He suffers with you. He has wept with & for you. He will judge & punish the person who wronged you - and He wants to heal you. This doesn't mean that everything will be rosy - and it will take effort on your part. But you need to turn to Him and allow Him to work in your life. Follow Him no matter what & work with someone through the turmoil of changing your belief. I too once believed that god was responsible for my pain - and it was hard for me to accept any different. Now I know clearly that He wasn't responsible for my past abuse, hurts & pain, and that he never wanted most of it to happen. Try to relax & know that He really does care.
God's Doing
Some people (like myself) are very stubborn and proud. They head down a road that will land them in hell and they don't know it - and don't care or stop to look. God can and does sometimes bring bad things to these people to try to encourage them look around - and look to Him. God literally had to break me & destroyed almost everything in my life - and I am very thankful now. I hated it at the time...and you might hate it right now - But God can turn it all around for good if you follow Him.
I never would have looked to an unseen God, or 'religion' if everything went well for me. But because He loves me (and He loves you), He is willing to allow us to suffer for a short time so we can gain eternal life. It is similar with discipline and a child. At the time of writing this I have 3 children. I love them to bits & want the best for them but at times they need discipline. Maybe to stop them doing something that will injure them. ie when living in the country snakes are a real issue, being a long distance from a hospital makes it dangerous. Now for safety a child needs to know when a parent says stop - they stop. This can be true for the roads in suburbia & many potentially dangerous situations. I am willing, for the sake of my childs safety, to issue a disciplinary action that they hate for a few minutes in order for their good. Our lives on this planet are only a VERY short time compared to Eternity...
So maybe you need to look up & realize that your surrent situation is God's love & discipline. He disciplines those He loves...this doesn't mean that all suffering is God's doing but sometimes it can be
God's Glory
There are a few that God allows to suffer to show His Glory. There is a story in the Bible of an evil ruler (Pharoah) who God used to show His power. This ruler was used like a puppet - and He didn't like it. But God is God. That's what you need to see. Even if God was a bad God - He is still God. He created the world & He is in charge & can do what he likes - get over it. You can either follow Him or be destroyed. Thankfully the One who Created you is loving & caring and full of mercy and justice - but even if He isn't you don't have an alternative - it's life with Him or death. Simple!
This can be illustrated by the above ruler who continued to have a hard heart & his kingdom was destroyed, and he probably went to hell still trying to rebel against God.
Another story of a man born blind - Jesus said this was to show God's Glory. This man had every right to have a chip against God - worse than you probably. Being blind in those days would be worse than you can imagine - and Jesus says it was just to show God's Glory! He had to suffer like that for 40 years.
His response though to God's healing was not to be angry & rebel against His maker for the 40 years lost, but to fall down in thanks and worship Jesus for the time He would now enjoy all the more. He was justified as He softened His heart. You have a choice to make right now. Blame & fight & suffer - or turn to God & allow Him to minister healing to you & challenge you about your sin and follow Him. He will never let you down. He will never leave you