Why does God let some people suffer so much but others living a "blessed" life?

[LethalMouse]

Well, i kind of beg to differ. People with mental illnesses hardly have a choice. The schizophrenic in an asylum has a more severe case of the illness as opposed to the other living a normal life.

Like how an anorexic can be eating like, 1000 calories as opposed to another one who is afraid to drink water because the person believes water has calories. You can show her proof that it’s false, but the person won’t buy it bc the illness is that severe. So it’s kind of offensive when people imply that it’s their fault for having such a ****** life, and that they can just choose to do stuff

In the case of physical illnesses, we all have different levels when it comes to the need for achievement (n-Ach). paralysed man could have a higher level than an abled bodied man, vice versa. That could vary between different goals, passions, etc, but it’s not laziness.

Saying we don’t have a choice doesn’t make it true.

They have done studies for example where in small highly religious villages mentally ill people do better than here under doctor care.

Again under our religion theoretically we can seek God to help us right?

Now I actually just posted in another thread but to recap the theory we are 3 people

1. Who we show
   2.who we show ourselves
2. Who we actually are.

I submit #2 could be an athesit or a hardcore Catholic while number 3 begs to differ.

So what you “see” as someone’s choice or even yours is hogwash.

So the good religious person is kind of like that antigay preacher who got outed by his male hooker…

And we may never agree but I am saying if person number 3 makes the right choices, then the other issues are near irrelevant.
Plus you state “need for achievement” HA

If you have no need you’d never complain then you are happy!!! Fine idc.

But when you issue a complaint then you made a bad choice.

It is like I tell my son “If you do it right and it doesn’t work you can complain, but when you chose to do it wrong and it failed you don’t get to complain”

And when things are measurable it is notworthy there are people with advamced conditions even mental that function fine and others with less that do not. This stems to the person number 3 and the CHOICE they made.

Like a bipolar, one who has it minor and is nuts… they are at their core just a bad person with an excuse.

Some severe bipolar overcome it in short order and is not nuts. They at their core are good.

 

[Lea101]

Saying we don’t have a choice doesn’t make it true.

They have done studies for example where in small highly religious villages mentally ill people do better than here under doctor care.

Again under our religion theoretically we can seek God to help us right?

Now I actually just posted in another thread but to recap the theory we are 3 people

1. Who we show
   2.who we show ourselves
2. Who we actually are.

I submit #2 could be an athesit or a hardcore Catholic while number 3 begs to differ.

So what you “see” as someone’s choice or even yours is hogwash.

So the good religious person is kind of like that antigay preacher who got outed by his male hooker…

And we may never agree but I am saying if person number 3 makes the right choices, then the other issues are near irrelevant.
Plus you state “need for achievement” HA

If you have no need you’d never complain then you are happy!!! Fine idc.

But when you issue a complaint then you made a bad choice.

It is like I tell my son “If you do it right and it doesn’t work you can complain, but when you chose to do it wrong and it failed you don’t get to complain”

And when things are measurable it is notworthy there are people with advamced conditions even mental that function fine and others with less that do not. This stems to the person number 3 and the CHOICE they made.

Like a bipolar, one who has it minor and is nuts… they are at their core just a bad person with an excuse.

Some severe bipolar overcome it in short order and is not nuts. They at their core are good.

Need for achievement is an actual thing Achievement motivation theory or something like that. If you are an athlete and have a high need for achievement, you would aim for the Olympics, after that, the world record etc. Someone else with a lower need would choose to participate in local events etc. Someone lower would not feel the need to challenge themselves. Stuff like that.

That is, of course, in reference to the paralysed man still being motivated to take part in sports.

“Bad person with an excuse” is kind of a heartless way of putting it…especially when referring to people with mental illnesses.

 

[USMC_Convert]

Oh! Oh! Pick me! Pick me!

God actual answers this, see the book of job, especially the part when God responds to job…

 

[LethalMouse]

Need for achievement is an actual thing Achievement motivation theory or something like that. If you are an athlete and have a high need for achievement, you would aim for the Olympics, after that, the world record etc. Someone else with a lower need would choose to participate in local events etc. Someone lower would not feel the need to challenge themselves. Stuff like that.

That is, of course, in reference to the paralysed man still being motivated to take part in sports.

“Bad person with an excuse” is kind of a heartless way of putting it…especially when referring to people with mental illnesses.

But you ignore my point. If you do not have the need you would have no complaint.

If someone is truly happy for example being a poor (say part time min wage for life worker) and happy eating doughnuts and cake, and happy sitting on a couch doing nothing.

IF THEY ARE TRULY LACKING IN NEED FOR ANYTHING MORE.

There is never going to be a statement of “why me” never a depressed sigh.

They would be happy!!!

No in all thing we are what we chose within the hand we are dealt. You may have a bigger or smaller hurdle than me BUT if we do not overcome it that is a matter of choice.

If I choose to comolain my hurdle is too big to me than that is in fact a choice.

Yes this is not something many may agree with but under my third person concept I basically believe even if you had schizophrenia you could in essence “easily” overcome it through God and by making a choice to overcome.

For evwry terrible thing from physical to mental that is a “cruel hurdle” there is someone with the same or bigger hurdel who lives as if it is not there. Even if only one person, it proves the point.

Your hurdle in the end is in fact your choice and yours alone.

 

[LethalMouse]

Oh! Oh! Pick me! Pick me!

God actual answers this, see the book of job, especially the part when God responds to job…

Dang I didn’t recall that pasrticular answer. But dang tis good

 

[LiamQ]

Your hurdle in the end is in fact your choice and yours alone.

This is one of those things that makes perfect sense in theory but frankly can only be achieved through tremendous graces.

I’m not sure how old you are, LM, but expecting people who are undergoing incredible suffering to just “man up” and “stop whining” and “hey, smile, dude!” is rather naive.

To respond with complete acceptance to extreme pain is not normal. It’s an example of heroic virtue and potentially deep holiness, and would be something that would work in one’s favor for canonization.

 

[LethalMouse]

This is one of those things that makes perfect sense in theory but frankly can only be achieved through tremendous graces.

I’m not sure how old you are, LM, but expecting people who are undergoing incredible suffering to just “man up” and “stop whining” and “hey, smile, dude!” is rather naive.

To respond with complete acceptance to extreme pain is not normal. It’s an example of heroic virtue and potentially deep holiness, and would be something that would work in one’s favor for canonization.

You miss my opinion of complaint vs not.

That is I am not without fail against hurdles. I just cant employ mental trickery to not see that I could have hopped over them.

I when less a believer sure the fist shaking at God seems cool.

As more a believer I find no such thing and I see what can be done. It is to stand on the edge and see what one can do.

Still since I cannot live in denial I am fully aware I am not a 100% believer and am aware where those pitfalls enter into play.

While you may say “no judging” I see many whom I can tell believe less than me even if they think they believe more.

The diff being ability to see my person number 3.

So I KNOW where and why I fail

They fail too but they do not accept the knowledge of how or why or where.

Where I have failed someone has succeeded

Where you fail soneone has succeeded

All the reasons you are I can cite allll day are in the end meaningless as in fact success was ripe for the taking and we CHOSE to fail.

 

[Rosebud77]

OP mentioned people with incurable illnesses. So I feel like the ‘why meee’ is usually valid. It’s not just “dang it, I stepped on a puddle with my socks on” or something like that. I mean…imagine living with a mental illness or ALS or something that really, really sucks. I don’t even have a mental illness and yet you can find me having meltdowns all over the place. Imagine how they feel!

You can’t just tell them to “be positive”, unless you want a cold glare from them.

There are people who have it worse than you and usually people will use that as an excuse whenever others are being sad. But if you flip it around and say that we should not be that happy because others have it better…it’s odd.

I have an incurable illness. Spend most of each day abed and in pain So does one of my family and neither of us has ever said WHY ME? It is not valid. Self pity is a dreadful thing.

It is as it is.Life is still a gift. A blessing. Each day, each breath,

you are listening to the wrong people.

You really are!

 

[Rosebud77]

You know how people can claim to not believe in God but live on forums like these and often mention reasons why they are mad at God? So they dont really “not believe” do they?

Same logic even to those who seem or claim to be shall we call it a “good catholic”.

One man has a bum knee and sits around and gets fat etc…

Another has no legs and rubs a marathon.

Yet the guy with the bum knee is soo unfairlt treated by God.

There a schizophrenic people who lead normal lives

There are those rocking back and forth in an asylum.

Even in the extremes it is amazing how choice comes into play.

 

[Rosebud77]

Well, i kind of beg to differ. People with mental illnesses hardly have a choice. The schizophrenic in an asylum has a more severe case of the illness as opposed to the other living a normal life.

Like how an anorexic can be eating like, 1000 calories as opposed to another one who is afraid to drink water because the person believes water has calories. You can show her proof that it’s false, but the person won’t buy it bc the illness is that severe. So it’s kind of offensive when people imply that it’s their fault for having such a ****** life, and that they can just choose to do stuff

In the case of physical illnesses, we all have different levels when it comes to the need for achievement (n-Ach). paralysed man could have a higher level than an abled bodied man, vice versa. That could vary between different goals, passions, etc, but it’s not laziness.

Mental illness does not make you inhuman.

You need to get away from negativity and read the reality of hope in so many posts here .

 

[Rosebud77]

Need for achievement is an actual thing :( Achievement motivation theory or something like that. If you are an athlete and have a high need for achievement, you would aim for the Olympics, after that, the world record etc. Someone else with a lower need would choose to participate in local events etc. Someone lower would not feel the need to challenge themselves. Stuff like that.

That is, of course, in reference to the paralysed man still being motivated to take part in sports.

“Bad person with an excuse” is kind of a heartless way of putting it…especially when referring to people with mental illnesses.

No it isn;t. That is just someone 's theory. And it is erroneous.,worldly…

Lea; you seem tp listen to so many and so much and refer to so much and never once the Word of God? You are eating the wrong spiritual food! Do you have a Bible?If not I am happy to send you one and no that is not sarcastic etc. When I was new in Ireland my old neighbour, a faithful Catholic, told me she did not have a Bible.

 

[Elena321]

This is always a difficult question; what purpose does suffering serve? I don’t think anyone can really answer it directly. God is infinite and without limit whereas we, as physical creatures, are necessarily limited in this life. Our ability to understand the works of God is finite. We simply cannot fully comprehend how certain aspects of an individual’s life fit into God’s infinite plan. There will come a day when we may be capable of understanding and it will make sense, but until then we must have faith that God does have a purpose for each and every one of us.

When I was younger I used to play a game called Third Reich, that was a simulation of WWII in Europe. Players could control the actions of one or more of the various political factions involved: Germany, US/UK, USSR, Italy or France. Some of the factions, like Germany and US/UK were very well positioned and started with strategic and material advantages over other factions like Italy and France. To harmonize this historical reality with the need for a somewhat level playing field in a board game, different victory conditions were laid out for each faction to determine if their efforts in a particular scenario resulted in a stalemate, or a marginal, tactical or decisive victory. Those factions with the material and strategic advantages were required to accomplish more than the others to obtain the “Decisive Victory.” In more than one scenario, France, by far the weakest faction, merely needed to survive to the end to obtain a decisive victory.

In life, some who are given many advantages must also achieve much to fulfil God’s purposes for their life. “Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.” Lk 12:48. On the other hand, those whose lives seem filled with unwarranted burdens and obstacles need only survive, while trusting that God’s omniscient mercy will always accommodate those sufferings with justice. This very scenario is played out in the Book of Job.

Well explained.

 

[Rosebud77]

This is one of those things that makes perfect sense in theory but frankly can only be achieved through tremendous graces.

I’m not sure how old you are, LM, but expecting people who are undergoing incredible suffering to just “man up” and “stop whining” and “hey, smile, dude!” is rather naive.

To respond with complete acceptance to extreme pain is not normal. It’s an example of heroic virtue and potentially deep holiness, and would be something that would work in one’s favor for canonization.

My friend; you are wrong. I and many I know undergo terrible suffering and we do not need to be told to man up etc.

It is not illness etc that mars lives; it is our atttitude to it.

Yes it is normal to accept pain. Not heroic virtue or deep holiness although seeing some of the answers here…

The person closest to me in this life has so much wrong with her body. Frequent TIAs and small heart attacks, And arthritis and osteoporosis. Ulcers, etc etc . I only know all this as I help source supplements etc that will help a little … She works for others with all she has and is. Accepting fully the pain and suffering and working on. My own life is very limited by illness yet I work on as that is not the end of the world. Still much I can do for others.

We choose attitudes and we can change how we see things, with the eye of faith, the Word of God and His love. Faith in life a reality.

 

[Elena321]

I didn’t say it was not possible.

Often said God doesn’t give you more than you CAN handle.

Can is the opportune word here, just because you can does not mean you will. But that then becomes on us.

And note IMO for what little it is worth, the people making threads of this nature are often a “WHY MEEEEE” type?

Or would they praise their own awesomeness?

Were you referring to me as I’m the OP/thread maker?
If you were,that makes me a bit sad. because I’m not a why me type of person.
I’m not referring to my personal circumstance I was referring to observing the “disparities” between the (seemingly) blessed vs people that seem to be living endless suffering and I was feeling sad for them.
For me personally,I am blessed to have a great family and live in a country with often beautiful sunny weather

Regarding the saying “God doesn’t give you more than you…” Tbh I’ve always found that saying a bit disrespectful and flippant to the people suffering greatly.
For example,I’ve read of people who were carers for disabled people commit suicide and I feel really sad for these situations.
I think they did have more than they could handle and the sad thing is no one often was willing to help them.

 

[Lea101]

No it isn;t. That is just someone 's theory. And it is erroneous.,worldly…

Lea; you seem tp listen to so many and so much and refer to so much and never once the Word of God? You are eating the wrong spiritual food! Do you have a Bible?If not I am happy to send you one and no that is not sarcastic etc. When I was new in Ireland my old neighbour, a faithful Catholic, told me she did not have a Bible.

I do have a bible.

 

[Elena321]

Another has no legs and rubs a marathon.
Yet the guy with the bum knee is soo unfairlt treated by God.
There a schizophrenic people who lead normal lives
There are those rocking back and forth in an asylum.

To be fair to them,I’m not referring to people with “bum knees” or other minor issues.
I mean people with severe issues.
Regarding your two Schizophrenia example the difference is not due to their lack of perspective or attitude-it’s due to the difference in their illness severity.
Like Autism,or TBI,Schizophrenia is really just an umbrella term and can also be on a spectrum with some having a lesser manifestation(or more treatable) & others haveing a more severe untreatable form.

 

[Lea101]

LethalMouse;14112220:

Another has no legs and rubs a marathon.
Yet the guy with the bum knee is soo unfairlt treated by God.
There a schizophrenic people who lead normal lives
There are those rocking back and forth in an asylum.

To be fair to them,I’m not referring to people with “bum knees” or other minor issues.
I mean people with severe issues.
Regarding your two Schizophrenia example the difference is not due to their lack of perspective or attitude-it’s due to the difference in their illness severity.
Like Autism,or TBI,Schizophrenia is really just an umbrella term and can also be on a spectrum with some having a lesser manifestation(or more treatable) & others haveing a more severe untreatable form.

Exactly. I know a family friend (schizophrenic) who was ‘convinced by her illness’ to kill herself and I will not be told that people like her suffered because she was too full of self pity by people who simply do not understand tbh.

 

[Rosebud77]

Elena321;14113874:

Exactly. I know a family friend (schizophrenic) who was ‘convinced by her illness’ to kill herself and I will not be told that people like her suffered because she was too full of self pity by people who simply do not understand tbh.

NO ONE is saying that Lea except you. Many of us here have personal and practical experience of these things. No one here is talking of self pity except you.

 

[Lea101]

Lea101;14113879:

NO ONE is saying that Lea except you. Many of us here have personal and practical experience of these things. No one here is talking of self pity except you.

Really? So I was the very first person in this thread that said anything along the lines of self pity/‘why meeee’?

 

[Elena321]

Elena321;14113874:

Exactly. I know a family friend (schizophrenic) who was ‘convinced by her illness’ to kill herself and I will not be told that people like her suffered because she was too full of self pity by people who simply do not understand tbh.

Sorry about your family friend Lea.
I think this sort of suffering is “next level” beyond bearable so to speak.