How to answer this?

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Lifelight

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Recently, I had a conversation with someone concerning the needs of people in daily life. The conversation touch subjects on poverty, cancer, and events occuring in today’s society. This person was speaking of a friend having a difficult time and I suggested prayer. I commented that God can help and would provide. This person then laughed and said “God provide? Where is God when people are starving, having a difficult time or dying of cancer?” I am a catholic and wanted to respond to the questions but found myself not knowing exactly what to say at that point. I was concerned that I would not give this person the correct response or teaching.
Can anyone suggest the proper teaching in answering some complicated questions such as these? Thank you. God Bless!

In Gratitude,
Lifelight:heart:
 
Most people who believe in God would agree that many things about God’s creation are hidden to us. Things like DNA and the Big Bang were unknown to humanity for thousands of years and I’m sure there are lots of other things about our world that we don’t understand yet. We don’t know why God chooses to reveal certain things to us and hide other things. In some ways, it would be more of a surprise if we KNEW all the reasons for human suffering than not knowing them - so much about our world is beyond our understanding already!

I love to reflect on John 9 when I’m questioning suffering of some kind, the story of Jesus curing the man born blind. What is glossed over in the Gospel but terribly important is that the blind man was blind from birth but an adult when he meets Jesus. The man lived for decades, not only blind, but blind in a society where blind people were told from birth that they were cursed by God and whose only place in society was begging. They were taught no skills and contributed little or nothing. So for DECADES, this guy suffered physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. And now, 2,000 years later, millions of people like me get closer to Jesus through his story - ONLY BECAUSE he suffered so much leading up to that moment. No one told him that he would meet Jesus someday. He suffered and had no idea why, but God turned it into something good.
 
Lifelight said:
Recently, I had a conversation with someone concerning the needs of people in daily life. The conversation touch subjects on poverty, cancer, and events occuring in today’s society. This person was speaking of a friend having a difficult time and I suggested prayer. I commented that God can help and would provide. This person then laughed and said “God provide? Where is God when people are starving, having a difficult time or dying of cancer?” I am a catholic and wanted to respond to the questions but found myself not knowing exactly what to say at that point. I was concerned that I would not give this person the correct response or teaching.
Can anyone suggest the proper teaching in answering some complicated questions such as these? Thank you. God Bless!

In Gratitude,
Lifelight:heart:
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What I find interesting about those who make such remarks is that while they shun prayer; and I can see their point, they do nothing to prove their own belief. In other words if God does not answer prayer then why do they themselves not take effort to help those who are hungry, poor, homeless and sick? As someone who believes in prayer at least I can say I’m following my own principles when I pray to help others, but if I did not believe in prayer myself then I would most certainly have no need to dissuade others and to be honest I would be the first one in the soup kitchen to pour soup and the first one in the hospital to volunteer. If you’re friend is right and there is no God to answer prayers, then all the more he or she must work to answer the call of the needy.
 
Having no idea what this friend was having a difficult time with, possible answers include:
  1. Inviting the friend out to dinner.
  2. Buying the friend a bag of groceries.
  3. Sending the friend a handwritten card.
… and yes, by all means prayer, too
along with the above or some other
appropriate response to help the friend!
 
Lifelight said:
… This person then laughed and said “God provide? Where is God when people are starving, having a difficult time or dying of cancer?” I am a catholic and wanted to respond to the questions but found myself not knowing exactly what to say at that point…
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The answer is simple…

God is there in the hearts of those who are moved to compassion at the plight of others. The Good Samaritan was not a Jew. He did not ‘know’ God in the way that God was known by the Jews and yet he stopped to help. He did not pass by.

If your acquaintance asks again where God is, gently point to their heart and say “in there, whether you know it or not, whenever you are moved to care for someone who isn’t related to you.”

We were created with compassion by God. We have the free will to use that compassion. You don’t ask where God is in the world. You ask where God is in you.
 
To DexUK, the phoenix, couponfit, Fogwalker,

A most sincere “thank you” for your insightful answers to my question. I also agree that John 9 is wonderful to reflect on in times of suffering. God is good!

I keep this person in my prayers and trust in God to guide him in life. My Faith will never waiver and I will continue to help others to the best of my ability. My heart knows God is Life…God is Love…and He brings me stillness with comfort in prayer. I am truly blessed.

I will keep you all in my prayers. May God continue to bless and enlighten you always!
Have a blessed week!

In Gratitude,
Lifelight:heart:

“Jesus, I Trust in You…Jesus, I Trust in You…Jesus, I Trust in You”:signofcross:
 
Fogwalker said:
Most people who believe in God would agree that many things about God’s creation are hidden to us. Things like DNA and the Big Bang were unknown to humanity for thousands of years and I’m sure there are lots of other things about our world that we don’t understand yet. We don’t know why God chooses to reveal certain things to us and hide other things. In some ways, it would be more of a surprise if we KNEW all the reasons for human suffering than not knowing them - so much about our world is beyond our understanding already!

I love to reflect on John 9 when I’m questioning suffering of some kind, the story of Jesus curing the man born blind. What is glossed over in the Gospel but terribly important is that the blind man was blind from birth but an adult when he meets Jesus. The man lived for decades, not only blind, but blind in a society where blind people were told from birth that they were cursed by God and whose only place in society was begging. They were taught no skills and contributed little or nothing. So for DECADES, this guy suffered physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. And now, 2,000 years later, millions of people like me get closer to Jesus through his story - ONLY BECAUSE he suffered so much leading up to that moment. No one told him that he would meet Jesus someday. He suffered and had no idea why, but God turned it into something good.
Click to expand...
This is simply beautiful!! Thank you so much!
 
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