Happiness/Suffering on Earth?

[k5thbeatle]

Happiness and suffering? The two words seem incompatible with each other. I’ve posted here before regarding a good friend struggling and our recent conversation this past week made me think about this more. We know as cathoilics/christians that suffering is a part of life and can bring us closer to God. We also know God created heaven for us to be eternally happy if we accept Him and follow in the ways of his Son. But while we must accept our trials and sufferings here on Earth the question arises, “Does God want us to be happy while on Earth?” Back to my friend’s situation as an example. Constant daily financial setbacks, worries, and anxiety. I know he’s really struggling to the point it is affecting his daily life (loooong story and not something he can just walk away from). In my opinion he is truly suffering with this. So how could I criticize or blame him for stating he is not happy? How does one endure such hardships and remain happy, positive, and upbeat? Is it a sin that he is not happy? To be honest I can’t blame him but how does one remain steadfast under such circumstances? How does one be “happy” in such cases? I know many saints were able to do this but I can’t find blame in my friend for being flustered under the conditions he finds himself?

 

[Edward_H]

Happiness and suffering? The two words seem incompatible with each other. I’ve posted here before regarding a good friend struggling and our recent conversation this past week made me think about this more. We know as cathoilics/christians that suffering is a part of life and can bring us closer to God. We also know God created heaven for us to be eternally happy if we accept Him and follow in the ways of his Son. But while we must accept our trials and sufferings here on Earth the question arises, “Does God want us to be happy while on Earth?” Back to my friend’s situation as an example. Constant daily financial setbacks, worries, and anxiety. I know he’s really struggling to the point it is affecting his daily life (loooong story and not something he can just walk away from). In my opinion he is truly suffering with this. So how could I criticize or blame him for stating he is not happy? How does one endure such hardships and remain happy, positive, and upbeat? Is it a sin that he is not happy? To be honest I can’t blame him but how does one remain steadfast under such circumstances? How does one be “happy” in such cases? I know many saints were able to do this but I can’t find blame in my friend for being flustered under the conditions he finds himself?

This won’t likely help.

• God has both a positive and a permissive will. He permits things to happen to us.
• Yes, we accept that struggling is part of our life.
• But, I don’t believe God wants us to be sad in our struggle, but He instead wants us to embrace the cross, to struggle willingly and most importantly lovingly, to seek it with a sporting spirit, knowing with great confidence that we are His children, and He will not leave us to starve.
• The act of rectifying your will to God, repeatedly even - of embracing the cross He permits - cheerfully, actually can steady us and give us the grace to carry on heroically, like a saint.
• He may be telling your friend to “take a gut check” on his business. Maybe he’s ignoring his family, maybe he is overly prideful in his accomplishments, maybe, maybe maybe
• Maybe God permits this misfortune so it will affect people like you or me, to renew and deepen our own gratitude for our current condition, perhaps to soften our hearts.

Just some initial thoughts.