How can all the saints be happy when they know the suffering of this world?

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nobody

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In heaven, there is eternal happiness. But how can they be happy when they see us suffering now? See us sinning and offending God now? See some of us taking the road to hell? If they are somehow shielded from the sadness, how can they pray for us when we ask them to intercede?
 
nobody said:
In heaven, there is eternal happiness. But how can they be happy when they see us suffering now? See us sinning and offending God now? See some of us taking the road to hell? If they are somehow shielded from the sadness, how can they pray for us when we ask them to intercede?
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sorry if my answer is too simplistic, but i’m thinking it’s similar to seeing a baby cry after you take away the pretty and shiny object away from it, the butcher knife. it’s for their own good. it’s in God’s plan. it’s the only way they’ll go on to the next step, and the next, and the next, and the next, until they are fully grown and his plan is complete.

as for those going to hell… free will? if you see a grown man taking a wrong turn at a fork in the road and you have done everything to explain to him that it is the wrong way, what else can you do really? you have to let him make his own ultimate decision. pray i guess…
 
Obviously we can’t understand this fully in this world, but God is INFINITE and the happiness of being with Him far outweighs anything else. Even the knowledge that the human they loved most in the world is going to Hell. Of course they still want everyone to come to Heaven and they will intercede with God to try to help bring that about.
 
nobody said:
In heaven, there is eternal happiness. But how can they be happy when they see us suffering now?
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They know that suffering is not always bad; they “know that all things [even suffering!] work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28) Suffering can bring us closer to God, and union with Him is our ultimate purpose.
nobody said:
But how can they be happy when they … See us sinning and offending God now?
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They have read the end of the story. They understand the possibility of repentance and the depth of God’s mercy. They know that in the end Christ triumphs over evil.
nobody said:
… how can they be happy when they … See some of us taking the road to hell?
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The joy of the saints in heaven is in giving honor and glory to God eternally. While they would like to see everyone go to heaven, they know that the presence of an unrepentant sinner in heaven would not give honor and glory to God. And they realize that those who are taking the road to hell do it by free choice, and a loving God does not violate our freedom.
nobody said:
If they are somehow shielded from the sadness, how can they pray for us when we ask them to intercede?
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Being shielded from sadness is not the same as being shielded from knowledge of the truth. The saints hear our prayers to the extent that God permits them to hear us.
 
They are happy because they see clearly that Jesus Christ triumphs, and that all sufferings brings forth the most peaceable fruit.
 
PhilotheaZ said:
They know that suffering is not always bad; they “know that all things [even suffering!] work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28) Suffering can bring us closer to God, and union with Him is our ultimate purpose.

They have read the end of the story. They understand the possibility of repentance and the depth of God’s mercy. They know that in the end Christ triumphs over evil.

The joy of the saints in heaven is in giving honor and glory to God eternally. While they would like to see everyone go to heaven, they know that the presence of an unrepentant sinner in heaven would not give honor and glory to God. And they realize that those who are taking the road to hell do it by free choice, and a loving God does not violate our freedom.

Being shielded from sadness is not the same as being shielded from knowledge of the truth. The saints hear our prayers to the extent that God permits them to hear us.
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Thank you for your great answer, PhilotheaZ!
 
nobody said:
In heaven, there is eternal happiness. But how can they be happy when they see us suffering now? See us sinning and offending God now? See some of us taking the road to hell? If they are somehow shielded from the sadness, how can they pray for us when we ask them to intercede?
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I like what a friend of mine (a Prostestant) once said about the Communion of Saints. There is a saying that saints are sinners who don’t give up. They’ve "been there, “done that.” My friend saw the Communion of Saints standing along the race track cheering us toward victory.
 
Because it’s impossible to suffer in heaven. Suffering is privation; something that is less than perfection and something not willed by God. It’s permitted by God to allow suffering here on earth to rouse us to conversion but ultimately it is God’s will for humanity to be free from suffering in eternity. Because the saints are perfect to their individual degrees, they participate in the perfect happiness and blessedness of God. Therefore, they are perfectly happy with no defect. That doesn’t mean they aren’t cognisant of our problems and pray for us however. They are diligent intercessors on our behalf. 🙂
 
Saints have joy because they have endured and persevered and overcome this world in Christ Jesus by the Way of His Cross and they know that this is going to be the same for all of God’s Children and they will have a part in this Eternal Victory for all of their brothers and sisters.

I don’t like to think of anyone going to hell, but if that is the choice of some people I cannot choose differently for them as much as I would like to do. They make this choice themselves preferring it than loving God and loving others.

A Saint isn’t miserable even when enduring on this earth because they are reaching union with God. Those who are united to God though they suffer do so with joy and those who are united to God and no longer suffer as they are with Him in Heaven have Eternal Joy.

Saints aren’t ‘happy’ they are rejoicing and joyous and that is very different from our idea of happiness as happiness so often relies on external factors but joy relies on the state of the soul internally and its closeness to God.

So a soul may endure the worst of sufferings but if they are close to God they may experience joy and inner peace.
 
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