God's purpose in Suffering

[Nickelous]

What is God’s purpose in our suffering?
Many people experience a diminishing of there physical capabilities at various stages of their lives. Some of them might feel a sense that their lives have no meaning. How can one speak to them about God’s purpose in their lives?
God Bless
Nick

 

[dje101]

What is God’s purpose in our suffering?

A young boy was climbing a tree. His loving mother, worried for his safety, told him not to do this because it could hurt him and that he might fall. She told him over and over again “one day you are going to slip, hurt yourself, and come crying to mama.” However, the young boy thought that he knew what was best for him. He continued to climb the tree, disobeying his mother’s constant commands and requests to come down from the tree. Suddenly, the boy steps on a bit of wet moss and slips, falling out of the tree and landing on his butt. He begins to cry and runs to his mother. “What did I tell you? You were eventually going to fall.”

The point of the suffering in this story is two fold: that the boy, in doing what he wanted, ended up falling on his butt and learned that there are certain things that his mother may know more about. He learned that his mother is much wiser than he and that he will not climb the tree again. It also gave the mother and son a chance to spend valuable time with each other. The boy ran to the mother as we run to God. God does not force us to do anything (like the mother) nor does he create horrible suffering for us. He allows the suffering that we have brought on ourselves because of sin to teach us a lesson in that given situation as well as provide us with the knowledge that 1) God knows best and 2) He is always there for us.

This is one of the ways that I think of it. It may not be the best example, but it might help answer your question. Does it?

 

[Maureen1125]

Rom. 8:17 - “we suffer with Him that we might be glorified with Him”

If we do not experience some measure of suffering how will we ever know compassion and salvation?

Didn’t Jesus suffer a horrifing and humiliating death all for his love of us? Are we any better then Jesus that we should be spared suffering?

 

[Scoobyshme]

What is God’s purpose in our suffering?
Many people experience a diminishing of there physical capabilities at various stages of their lives. Some of them might feel a sense that their lives have no meaning. How can one speak to them about God’s purpose in their lives?
God Bless
Nick

God allows suffering in order to bring about a greater good. We don’t always see what that greater good is, this side of heaven.

 

[mullenpm]

dje101,

you are not confused at all. Excellent post.

 

[GTNJNightingale]

God allows suffering in order to bring about a greater good. We don’t always see what that greater good is, this side of heaven.

im not sure that’s the right question to ask…we always want to ask as if we are the origin. but Really God is the origin. and we come from him …so rather ask whats Gods purpose in our suffering …maybe ask what was gods purpose to suffer. being that we are the sinners and not him bringing suffering onto ourselves. sin was a punishment for disobedience as well as death…the lord takes pity on our sin (original sin) and can you imagine how much he loves us that he would come down and endure the most excruciating pain for OUR sins/original sin . that is why we must look to the cross to find comfort when in pain…to know that we are not alone and never will be …if we would only chose to love and accept him…he will never turn away from us…rather it is us who turn away from him… just as the evil one wants for us to do…and he plays off of our suffering the most i think…so i don’t know that it was ever really Gods Purpose for us to suffer. rather something we (as men and women) chose from the beginning…i think its wonderful that he knows us so well and us being deceived, he gives us hope and love and forgiveness…because after all he did create us. he is Awesome!