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Why Does God Allow Christians to Suffer?
The Relevant Christian Magazine ^ | 7/31/14 | Chuck Ness

Posted on 08/10/2014 9:31:05 AM PDT by OneVike

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We have all suffered, and as I write this I know many FReepers who are currently suffering through a season either physical or emotional pain. Some of us have learned to live with this pain as Paul did with the thorn in bis side, but some are agonizing as they wonder why they are and how come God does not seem to be hearing their call for help. That's a tough question to answer, so it's my hope and prayer that you will find some solace in this article.
1 posted on 08/10/2014 9:31:05 AM PDT by OneVike
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To: OneVike

For is starting to clear the way for the final battle between him & the evil one [and all of those who follow him...]


2 posted on 08/10/2014 9:36:07 AM PDT by TMSuchman (John 15;13 & Exodus 21:22-25 Pacem Bello Pastoribus Canes [shepard of peace,dogs of war])
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To: JesusBmyGod; buffyt; rom; persistence48; Hanna548; DvdMom; leftyontheright; FrdmLvr; jblann1; ...

If your going through a time of suffering and wonder why, or if a friend or a loved one is and you are struggling to answer their question of why, maybe this article I wrote on Why Does God Allow Christians to Suffer? will have some answers for you.
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3 posted on 08/10/2014 9:36:24 AM PDT by OneVike (I'm just a Christian waiting for a ride home)
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To: OneVike

“God is not our celestial butler.” —Dennis Prager


4 posted on 08/10/2014 9:36:42 AM PDT by onedoug
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To: onedoug

Good reply, I like that.

I wish I would have used it in the article.

LOL


5 posted on 08/10/2014 9:38:04 AM PDT by OneVike (I'm just a Christian waiting for a ride home)
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To: OneVike

Because they won’t defend themselves?

Ask Richard the Lionhearted what he’d do with muzzies.

He’d cleave them them from head to chaps.


6 posted on 08/10/2014 9:44:59 AM PDT by x1stcav (Leftism is like rust. It corrodes twenty-four hous a day.)
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To: OneVike

Watch Oh God the movie. George Burns explains it perfectly.


7 posted on 08/10/2014 9:45:43 AM PDT by Minsc
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To: OneVike

Since The Lord Jesus Christ suffered for us, shouldn’t we as gracefully bear our sufferings for His Namesake, because of what He has done for us? Yes.

Living on earth hurts us all to differing degrees.

He never said He came to remove our sufferings on Earth but to call sinners to repentance and to salvation eternally.

He sent The Comforter to aid us in our walk as followers of The Lord Jesus Christ, not to cook our breakfasts and wash our clothes and make our daily lives painfree.

He lets us suffer for His Own reasons. Isn’t that sufficient?


8 posted on 08/10/2014 9:49:55 AM PDT by Resettozero
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To: OneVike

To have free will, and to be able to actually make choices implies that we might make bad choices. And surprise! We do make bad choices. Then we suffer. If God wanted to eliminate all suffering, He would have to eliminate all freedom. He makes a choice on our behalf, and that choice is to allow us to choose as well, because we are made in His image.


9 posted on 08/10/2014 9:52:54 AM PDT by ClearCase_guy ("Harvey Dent, can we trust him?" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBsdV--kLoQ)
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To: OneVike

He is a refining fire.

The Israelis are being forged right now, and the hammer is Islam. Their conversion to Christ will emerge from showers of sparks.

The inhabitants of the Tigris Euphrates Valley will be converted by the contrast between the Christians of the US Armed Forces and ISIL.

I think if there were an easier way, there would be no need for God to allow crazed bearded little wussy boys to run rampant.


10 posted on 08/10/2014 9:55:50 AM PDT by blackpacific
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To: OneVike

Does God allow people to make mistakes?


11 posted on 08/10/2014 9:58:10 AM PDT by Jack Hydrazine (Pubbies = national collectivists; Dems = international collectivists; We need a second party!)
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To: OneVike

Most suffering are the consequences of sin being visited upon us. Spiritual laws, like laws of gravity have automatic consequences when broken.

But God works all things out for good to those who are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28), and often God will use trials to build within us His character. For His strength is perfected in our weakness, for the witness of The Lord is made manifest in accomplishing His Will through our frail, weak selves if we would but be obedient.

It often does not seem fair to us. Same as a child who cannot see the end result of what a parent is preparing for him some years down the road. No, the child cannot have a chain saw at age 8, even though he cries for one. But in time, with training he will be ready to have one and be able to use it with skill and without risk to himself or others. That is a physical analogy to a spiritual truth we cannot yet see.

The suffering and slaughter of Christians in this evil world may not seem fair to us. God is often testing to see if we will hold onto our faith in Him, or if we will buckle and give up to do things our own way.

I think the more OUr Father in Heaven allows us to suffer trials, the more He is perfecting that person for the Office Jesus Christ is preparing for them to inherit for eternity.

We have to trust God. We must trust that no matter the physical issues, our spiritual life is what is most important to God. He who began a work in us will see it to completion, and often that requires us to overcome everything this rotten physical flesh has to dish out.


12 posted on 08/10/2014 10:01:57 AM PDT by INVAR ("Fart for liberty, fart for freedom and fart proudly!" - Benjamin Franklin)
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To: OneVike

Suggest reading two books “The Problem of Pain” and “A Grief Observed” both by CS Lewis. Read them in that order.


13 posted on 08/10/2014 10:03:21 AM PDT by Harmless Teddy Bear (Proud Infidel, Gun Nut, Religious Fanatic and Freedom Fiend)
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To: onedoug

There it is! This isn’t an entitlement program!


14 posted on 08/10/2014 10:05:02 AM PDT by SgtHooper (Anyone who remembers the 60's, was not there!)
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To: Jack Hydrazine

“Does God allow people to make mistakes?”

If God didn’t allow people to make mistakes would we ever be able to really get anything right? I believe that much of what is seen as God’s judgement, especially on the scale of nations and civilizations, is really just the result of giving humanity free will and allowing us to experience the consequence of our actions.

If all my college exams consisted of multiple choice tests with only the correct answer as the available choice would my 4.0 average have any significance?


15 posted on 08/10/2014 10:05:48 AM PDT by Junk Silver
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To: OneVike

Hitler lived to be older than my mother who died of cancer. Go figure. There is no rhyme nor reason as to who suffers or dies. Apparently God only intervenes for some, not all.


16 posted on 08/10/2014 10:06:31 AM PDT by umgud (I couldn't understand why the ball kept getting bigger......... then it hit me.)
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To: ClearCase_guy

Although suffering and sadness is not always the result of bad choices in the same way that ‘good’ choices do not inoculate us from suffering.


17 posted on 08/10/2014 10:07:43 AM PDT by erlayman
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To: OneVike

God told Job “ Where were you when I created this world? where were you when I create everything here”? I think he was essentially saying, so you suffer, so does everyone else. Guess what? That’s the way it’s gonna be.


18 posted on 08/10/2014 10:09:26 AM PDT by Safetgiver ( Islam makes barbarism look genteel.)
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To: umgud

I look at it this way. Your mothers suffering is over, Hitlers will last an eternity.

In the grand scheme of eternity, her suffering was but a blink of a blink of a blink of time.

Again, Hitlers is forever.


19 posted on 08/10/2014 10:09:56 AM PDT by OneVike (I'm just a Christian waiting for a ride home)
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To: OneVike
Lourdes: “I know a lot of people have lost their faith, but mine is stronger than ever.”

Karen: “Good for you. Next time you get on your knees could you see if the Big Guy can get us a operational B-2 Bomber loaded with nukes?”

Lourdes: “I don't pray for God to give me things. I don't think it works like that.”

Karen: “The what do you pray for?”

Lourdes: “I ask God to show me what I can do for him.”
From the TV Show Falling Skies

20 posted on 08/10/2014 10:13:35 AM PDT by Kartographer ("We mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.")
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