Suffering!

Suffering is not a topic that can be explained well enough for someone to become comfortable with it. By the absolute nature of what suffering is one cannot become comfortable with it. To try to understand why it happens, especially to a small child, or anyone really, the subject of suffering cannot be explained into our comfort zone. This is a subject that must be accepted by Faith. You cannot explain it any other way!

There is suffering and there is evil on this Earth, and to try and minimize it would be fruitless. Suffering comes from disobedience, and it cannot be said in any other way. People who want a reason to not completely follow God, use this for an excuse. If it were not the suffering issue, it would be something else. They want God to march in and rescue them and stop what they are experiencing! Man has been trying to do that since the beginning of time. And just because God will not stop the suffering the way they think He should, they say that they cannot follow Him. And, they speak loudly saying: How can that be a loving God?

Across the pages of the Bible God has made attempts to stop evil. He has had armies march, and He ordered them to wipe out the cruel nations that have caused chaos and suffering – and destroy their kings! When God did this, they still cried out, how can that be a loving God? God had to order them to wipe out the people because evil resided in the people themselves! If you want evil removed - you must start at its origin!

At the time of the flood, the earth was wiped clean, and evil still began again. Repeatedly, God has attempted to clean the Earth. God did this out of His love for each of us!

“Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give men in exchange for you, and people in exchange for your life.” (NIV) Isaiah 43:4

And man, still does not see it for what it is! God made His decisions out of great love. Would you not protect your household? God made the decisions that He did to protect and attempt to get rid of evil. But people have choices and Satan was busy even from the beginning. And, in the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit, did not reside on the Earth. This made things much harder, and because of that, things were dealt with in a whole different manner. Entirely different manner, it was a much harder life all the way around. People do not have all the facts, and there are some that God cannot reveal, therefore people tend to look at what they think God did to represent a God who is heartless and destroys. That is not the case. In fact, it is quite the opposite.

God sent His Son to the Earth, and He suffered daily, and then He suffered the ultimate death of that time - the cross! Jesus was shamed beyond words. God allowed it to be so, for it was for the purpose of “the” ultimate love, and that was to pave the way for the redemption of man. God has said, ‘What Satan means for evil; He will turn to good.” and He will. . .! There is good in the world no matter what!

We must accept this by faith, and we must step out and do good. If we, don’t we will never trust God. There is no way that you can fully understand the depth of this issue while on this earth. You cannot have all the facts unless you could read God’s mind.

Satan uses evil acts to keep people from God, that is one of the main purposes of why he does what he does. However, one cannot use this is as an excuse to stay away from God!

Suffering could be explained and explained, and someone could come to somewhat of a peace about it, and then the first time they saw a child abused and beaten the old feelings would come back again! Step forth in faith and do what God asks.

Here again, there are degrees being placed on suffering, suffering is suffering! Does anyone know when a child is being abused if at the point of their worst pain, whether God steps in and takes some of that pain or all the pain at that point? How do we know what God does for that child at that time? People over the centuries have been getting hung up on questions regarding suffering. And the point is this: Suffering is the excuse that people want to use not to come after God and give up what they need to, follow God!

This may sound harsh, but this is truth. There are just things that cannot be fully answered in a way to explain it away enough to satisfy people who are wanting an excuse to hold back.

“In conclusion, brothers, focus your thoughts on what is true, noble, righteous, pure, lovable, or admirable, on some virtue or on something praiseworthy. (Philippians 4:8 CJB)

When God’s people dwell on evil and suffering it becomes a stumbling block to their growth. And with this situation it is the same, and whoever is dwelling on this, and declaring that it keeps them from trusting God completely. So, it is to them, a stumbling block.

Suffering comes from disobedience, and it comes from individuals causing individuals to suffer because of their faith! It cannot be explained any other way.

“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (NIV) Isaiah 55:9

“Yet you say, `The way of the Lord is not just.’ Hear, O house of Israel: Is my way unjust? Is it not your ways that are unjust? (NIV) Ezekiel 18:25

(sw-h)

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