Suffering

Why does God allow us to suffer?

I refuse to believe that all suffering is due to disobedient acts. There are too many who have suffered great losses, such as the loss of babies, children, have been victims of rape, molestation, beatings, etc... I know God would never create that sort of suffering. That kind of pain comes from evil, not good. One who wants to see us fail. Break us from God rather than turn to Him during such suffering.

I do believe that God allows pain and suffering in our lives. He doesn't shield us from everything. Just like, as parents, we sometimes choose to let our kids suffer through some life issues because it helps build them, shape them into better people. Here are three reasons I believe God allows suffering in our lives.

Humility
It seems that whenever I stop pointing up and start pointing towards myself I tend to fall FLAT on my face. Out of all the seven deadly sins (wrath, greed, sloth, pride, lust, envy, and gluttony) mine is pride. I work hard and I struggle with giving God the entire glory. In my heart I feel God's hand upon my life, I know it's all Him and none of it me, but there are still times (often) where I've either physically or mentally worked hard and I want some kind of recognition. It's not something I'm very excited to share with you, but there you have it. It's me.

In a world where humility is a lost art, where accomplishments are more important than character, humility is a pretty good way for God to show us what it really is all about. Him.

2 Corinthians 12:7-10
7To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 10That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Build Strength
I used to dream about being 30. It seemed like such a great age. People in their 30's seemed to have it "together". Life seemed to be easier for them. And now that I'm 30 I dream about being 10 again. The truth is, life isn't easier at 10 or 30 or even 50. Life at 10 gives you struggles that only a 10 year old brain, heart, faith can handle and as we grow and our struggles grow so does our brain, heart and faith. It's the little trials that help us handle the bigger trials. As we grow in life, so does our suffering.

If I never suffered I would be a weak person. I would never know true joy if I didn't face true sorrow. I'd never be able to really strengthen myself as a Christian if I never suffered or felt pain in my life. You can't build muscle if you don't work them... you can't build strength if you don't work on your weaknesses.

Romans 5:3
Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance.

To Help Others
Funny enough, this is probably my most favorite reason to suffer (sick, I know). To go through a terrible time in my life and to know that someday I will be able to help others makes the pain subside that much faster. It's a almost freeing to be able to talk to someone and know that they have experienced the same thing. That when you ramble about things that might not make sense to most of the world, to that one person your words are understood.

I don't seek out people who have had similar sufferings as I have, but I'm also not hiding my weaknesses, my sufferings or my joys. If God leads me to someone or someone to me because we struggle with the same thing, then I'm that much more blessed to have suffered.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4
3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

God has a purpose for our suffering. We may not know why He allows those pains in our lives but there is always a greater purpose - something more grand than any one us can ever understand. These sufferings leave with us tools, words, and strength that you can't get from living in constant joy. When suffering strikes, faith will strike back.

Psalm 119:71
71 It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.