Suffering is real. How can we make sense of it? What can we learn from it? Can we overcome it?
People have different ideas about what is wrong with our world. Obviously economic injustice, political factors, racism, religious hatred and greed are factors in the existence of suffering. But they are not the only ones. They all point to a far more insidious source - one which is in fact not at all far from our human hearts.
Suffering and pain tell us that something is wrong. If it wan't for the fact that we suffer and experience pain, we might become totally detached and say that "all is well". While some might try to push that philosophy even today, reality has a way of intruding on us. We will never be able to totally escape from pain even by means of drugs, or suicide. The reason for this is that there is an afterlife. This world is only a test to see who will ultimately choose to love and worship the only One worthy of our total love and affection - God himself.
Is God really Good? - This is the big question. At first glance it might seem impossible to answer this in the affirmative. Many people alternate between hating God and denying his existence. Some, seeing the evil in religion - including the Christian religion as it is practiced - see an answer in erasing from our consciousness the belief in God.
The real reason for suffering is that God respects us enough to let our actions have real consequences. He gives men the possibility to actually have a huge say in their own eternal destiny, as well as their destiny on earth. God is looking for people to share His goodness eternally with. He is looking for a real love relationship. That would be impossible if we had no real choice in the matter. These real choices do have big effects. All we do is reverberating throughout eternity and has more consequences than we could possibly imagine. Bad choices hurt people - including yourself. Bad choices invite the involvement of evil spirits, which keep people in bondage to things which bring no lasting satisfaction and often outright misery and unhappiness.
Hugh Ross' answer to this question in summary
Have you Been Hurt? If you are suffering,
prayer can make a big difference, if it is offered IN FAITH by someone
who is REAL with God. I'm
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Thanx for those words
Hi Michael,
I thank God for you and everyone out there preaching the good news. Of course by the time I was reading this I was seaching for answers and yes there is nothing new to me in above the mentioned. But hearing those words right now as I hurt, mean so much to me. Actually dramma began last sat as I was preparing for exams. I opened my email and bang the love of my life had signed out earlier! He did want to know any more. I was at a loss of words. I didnt know what had happened. We met last year in Africa and we were both doing mission work so at the end of it all, three of us got baptized by this Pastor. His divorced three times so I didnt think anything at time as there was nothing between us. His really annointed and a true servant but he has been under trial right from Jan till now.
When he asked me out I said we should pray about it and we did pray so we were still in the middle of prayers but things were progressing well. We live in two different countries so we have been on the phone and email and chatting..
Two weeks ago he got so depressed he wanted to end his life or quit ministry go back into practising medice, coz he thought God wasnt listening to him anymore. I encouraged him, gave him examples of Joseph, Job, Jesus, Paul and etc so he got back on his feet he preached on sunday and everyone was blessed and etc.
Sat he sent me an email to say he was done. We had chatted on thursday night and we were happy and were planning the wedding so I was shocked and furious and confused and in disbelief. So I bombed him with email but there was no responce. I had booked a ticket to go to Denmark but then this morning he said I shouldn't go as his considering another relationship.
Wow it shook me again but I know we must give thanks to God in all things. I was so gratefull for it to end now as opposed to have been married to him for a few years. I am however hurting coz I was seeing a future with him and we had so much planned. Irrespective of that, my anchor holds. I am so encouraged by your article. I questioned myself today why had God allowed me to experience this pain, even though we were still praying about it and we had kept ourselves pure.
You also pointed out that many at times we hurt coz we have made the wrong choices. Its so true.
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