Does suffering prove that there is no God? - Judges 6:12
Two people quoting:
Templeton - If there is a God, why is there so much evil?
Augustine - If there is no God, why is there any good?
A Christian's answer/ explanation for suffering.
There are three reasons for suffering.
1. We live in a broken world.
God gave us freedom, a world without freedom is essentially a world without love. Real love means making a choice. God gave us the freedom for us to even thumb our noses at him.
The cosmos was invaded by evil. God warned Adam and Eve they would die the day they sinned. Life is not a right we deserve, it is a gift from God everyday.
Why am I still Alive, not why did that person die? is what we should be asking.
Evil things do not define the character of God - he didn't intend them in the first place.
2. Suffering can be caused by others - the result of greed and selfishness of others.
3. We bring it upon ourselves. - God gets the blame for the negligence of ourselves. Yet we demand our freedom, still wanting him to step in and prevent certain choices.
God isn't our enemy -> He is a friend that sticks closer than a brother. - Take him out of the picture.
So - How do we find peace in the midst of suffering?
- Peace in the valley means to be still and rest
we fall apart in despair because we believe that this life is all there is. We would have a reason to be cynical. There is so much more than just this life - and that will change your whole perspective.
The purpose life is to be Godly and prepare for eternity.
2. Trust God's character.
Psalm 46:10 - " and know that I am God. when you trust someone you have to know them and their character first.
Colossians 1:17. The sun doesn't stop shining because there is a cloud covering it. the same when we are suffering that God isn't just looking the other way.
Matthew 28:20 and Proverbs 18:24
His presence becomes more real in the valleys of life.
John 19: 10, 11: "Do you refuse to speak to me?" Pilate said. "Don't you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?" Jesus answered, "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.
see Romans 8:28
3. Just keep praying anyways.- He is our present help and refuge. Prayer makes a difference - it may not change your circumstance but it may change you. Alot of times we don't persevere in prayer. We need to trust. Do not feel inadequate or unworthy.
God sometimes just says no. Other times he just delays for reasons unknown to us at the time. Don't over analyse your prayers.
We may feel unworthy or inadequate or struggle with doubt, or better ways to say things , but just pray anyways. Just pray anyways because it changes and it makes a difference. God wants us to enjoy a relationship with him.
4. Refuse to give up on God. - Choose to believe. God is God and I am man. don't ask for an explanation. Despair or trust in God - those are your only two choices really. So Trust in him anyways.
1 comment:
Excellent thoughts here.
It does really come down to 2 choices, doesn't it? Despair or Trust. Despair seems the easy and most desirable choice many times while trust seems the hard and least fruitful. I think many times people default to despair because we think somehow it will end the struggle for an answer and we can go on from there. But, what it really does is rob from us the great opportunity to get closer to God and allow him to show us the bigger picture from his perspective.
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