Why Does God Make Most Suffer?

I'm a full believer in a higher being or power. A "God" as in the Old and New Testament. I'm short on time to post so I'll ask the question as blunt as possible.

If you follow the word of God and the Bible, shouldn't you be rewarded with an easier life. Why is it that most church going people and followers of the Bible live a life that is so poor and struggling? This way of life has me second guessing things.

My mother was an Ordained Minister and she separated from my father when I was ten years old. She never remarried and lived the rest of her life really poor and struggling then cancer took her life at the age of 56.

It would seem that with all the good she did in the name of Gods work she would of been rewarded with an easier life and not die so young.

I'm afraid that with me following the same lifestyle I'll never stop struggling. Face it in todays society you have to be hard to survive or you get eaten by everyone else.

I'm starting to feel that the lifestyle that is guided by the Bible is impossible to go by in todays hard world. You just can't survive without being a little hard or dishonest!

Lay it on me... What do you think? Pros or Cons!

reply to post by MrMysticism


Hello,

If you follow the word of God and the Bible, shouldn't you be rewarded with an easier life.

I'm afraid your view of reality has been contaminated by our self-centric society. The fact that you view yourself as a seperate lifeform from God and reality looking for a "reward" shows this.

Remember, everything is one. Your mind breaking it up into...

you, me, your dad, my dad, your mom, my mom, your neighbor, this planet, that planet, this country, that country, etc....

IS ALL IN YOUR MIND. Your human brain seperates facets of life and then assigns them attributes, measures them against one another.... etc etc.
Reality has nothing to do with you, it has to do with God.

reply to post by MrMysticism


Hmmmm....

I'll try my hardest to steer clear of the "you won't get an easy life as you believe in (and are asking for help from) something that doesn't exist" response and ask you this.....

What gives you the right think that you, as a believer, deserve an easier life than someone who happens to be a non-believer?

Do you think that you should have been spared the suffering cancer causes because you believe?

ill give you my view, but im cooking so i have to be quick, if you want scriptures, ill be happy to give them to you

god created adam and eve with free will. god wants us to worship him because we love him. adam and eve sin.

their sin, was a display of independence from god. they were basically saying that they did not need god. notice alot today share this mentality.

why didnt god just kill them off and start over?

because questions were raised. the biggest of them is whether or not humans really need god, can humans govern themselves?

this sort of question requires time before a conclusion can be reached. after 6000 years, do you think mankind can rule themselves?

the answer is obvious. suffering is common place.

but there are some issues with god making one's life easier.

- we are all imperfect, we dont deserve life because we sin.
- if we are all imperfect and even god's servants sin, then who is god going to play favorites with?
- what does it matter if god will fix everything in the end?

the bible says that it rains on the righteous as well as the unrighteous. god is letting man rule themselves and letting them live with the consequences of their desicions until it is time to take back the world that is his. this means that everyone suffers

remember, jesus suffered
the apostles suffered.

remember job, he was an example. job suffered but in the end was blessed. revelation talks about a time when god will wipe every tear.

so whatever suffering you experience now, just be patient.

you can make your own life easier by freeing yourself from desire. Are you looking for a better life instead of enjoying the life you already have? if so, what you have now will never be enough to satisfy you. Enjoy whatever you have now. Take life as it comes, expect nothing and be prepared to face anything.

Your faith should be in the principles of your religion, not in the rewards that may or may not come from following those principles. The golden rule is all you need.

Originally posted by ThePiemaker Enjoy whatever you have now. Take life as it comes, expect nothing and be prepared to face anything.

personally i agree with you, but to a point. sometimes the suffering is so bad that you cant be happy now.

If you can't find a way of being grateful for life now, you won't find it when you have 10x more. Happiness is a state of mind, that's all.

Furthermore, evil has to exist for good to exist. The good you experience feels only as good as your bad experiences feel bad.

You want to sit in the park in peace or ride a wild roller coaster ride? We already chose. We're on the ride right now. Just try to enjoy it and everything will be alright. Your body isn't who you are after all.

reply to post by miriam0566


yea, suffering isn't easy to handle. There's some natural suffering that has nothing to do with the way we've screwed ourselves. I suppose at that point all you can do is free yourself from the desire of not wanting to feel suffering. Embrace the suffering. If you're willing to take on suffering, suffering loses it's meaning.

reply to post by MrMysticism



I like to look at life's challenges as lessons to be learned. The more open a person is to the lessons the less they are likely to hurt.

[edit on 6/9/2008 by eye open doors]

Let me explain some things...

God said..

" Unless you come after me and carry your cross you cannot be my dsciplles "

What jesus means is very simple, we have to share in his sufferings and carry the cross of life like he did... suffering on earth is very short compared to eternity... it produces humility, patience, thankfullness when it ends and it humbles you out.. I know this because I suffer emmensly every day and have my whole life and i know what good it brings to the soul...

Not outwardly good, but good it brings to the soul..

and as for the reward.. Souls should not do works of God for a reward but because they are good, yet always have a humble attitude.. then the reward comes afterwards which to the humble soul doesn't really matter..


and as for Miriam saying human deciding that they can live without God..

what pride does to souls is amazing..

every breath we take is sustained by God.. every one of them, every shelter is created by God yet us little humans forget this always..

I have no clue Miriam how humans can think this way... but I see it all the time as well..

peace.

We are God's unwanted children, God has never met you, nor would he like you. In all probability he hates you. Why? Because simply put you are a cancer on this planet. All humans are. We multiply grow use up all natural resources, cause all evil in the world. Kill maim destroy rape steal and everything else that god has said not to do.

So why does God cause so much suffering? As punishment for being born. As punishment for him giving you a great gift that you don't deserve and never asked for. He punishes you, me, everyone because he is thoroughly sick and disgusted with the human race and for good reason.

Or my theory, God doesnt know you, doesnt know you ever existed, does not cause evil in the world, evil and bad things just happen and God just doesnt care. Why would he? All these evil and bad things arent happining to him so why should he care that your life is crap?

reply to post by MrMysticism


Happiness comes from within and suffering is all in the eye of the beholder. How do you know that your mother suffered and wasn't happy? I'm sure she was perfectly happy to do what she did and see you, her child grow up and be happy. Anyone can do anything they put their mind to and that, my friend, is REAL. You manifest your own destiny, god just lays the paths for you to take.

reply to post by whatukno


And your quote came from Fight Club...nice... I love that movie.

and as for Miriam saying human deciding that they can live without God..

what pride does to souls is amazing..

every breath we take is sustained by God.. every one of them, every shelter is created by God yet us little humans forget this always..

I have no clue Miriam how humans can think this way... but I see it all the time as well..

peace.

i believe what i believe because i know god is not responsible

james 1:[13] Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:

eve ate the apple because she wanted to "be as gods, knowing good and evil." gen 3:5

god later says "Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now,"

what does it mean to be like a god? obviously it has nothing to do with power or ability, god dictates policy. if they are gods, then they will go about their lives making their own decisions.

i mean honestly, do you believe a world like this is the way it is because a loving god purposed it that way?

reply to post by MrMysticism


Its overpopulation. DUH! Its only gonna get harder for you as long as the population increases and stupid people have more children than smart people.

You should know the answer to this if you have read the bible a bit.

reply to post by Mad_Hatter


Not all of it just the first part. The rest was spawned right from my own head. Well except the part that I stole from the matrix. That wasnt mine either.

But the very last part thats all wukky

reply to post by MrMysticism


G-D has a hands off policy for most people on this earth starting with adam and eve rejecting their Creator as seen in genesis3------they made the choice of believing and acting upon satans lies.
our first parents chose for themselves and us their grandchildren death and hardship by their decisions.
according to the epistle of barnabus 15:4 G-D has allowed humans 6000 years after being cast out of the garden of paradise to experiment with their own forms of government so we can find out by experience that we are not capable of ruling ourselves without G-D.
when those 6000 years are completed Messiah will return to prevent us from totally annihilating ourselves and all life on the planet(matthew24:22)

I like all of your input. Obviously not all are going to be educated in this subject and just because my mother was an ordained minister that doesn't make me educated in it either.

I like the replies miriam0566 has made. It has helped me see things in less selfish way. I'm the type of person that always reminds myself that most people are never satisfied with their life and think that "the grass is green on the other side" no matter how their life is going.

I have lived life on both sides of the tracks and have seen everyone unhappy with there life no matter how they are living it. I try to remember that and stay grounded and happy with the way I'm living mine.

I'm just struggling to get through some issues that don't need to be mentioned, but in general they are short-term issues. It's just in that short time frame things are really hard and difficult emotionaly and financially.

Thanks for your input people and always welcome more.

reply to post by MrMysticism



God is your Father. Ok if you are a dad and you have a child and you are walking together side by side. Your child fell down and got his knee hurt. Did you make that happen? No, but you were there beside him you picked him up and brushed him off and walked with him again.

It’s the same way. God holds our hands He will walk with us. However, you have to ask Him too. You have to show Him you want Him through Prayer, Bible studying, Fasting, talk to Him. He’s there and He will hear you.

This is more of satans world he’s came down upon us to make war with us. To steal (kidnap) us away from our Father!

Revelation 12:12
Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.



Death happens every day in this world. It sounds like your mother was a great woman. God must of needed her then and there. God takes people for a reason when he does. Some as young a baby in the womb some with days or weeks after birth some later. Every day people die. This is a fact, however they only die an earthly death not a spiritual death. Sometimes a child dies so God can take that spirit on up. Have you ever thought about had he not took that child something more terrible could of happen and it could of affected the child or others in worse ways. However, by taking the child the child is now safe and saved by God. He takes people of untimely deaths the same reason. We call it untimely deaths, however to God it is timely right on schedule. We have to look at the bigger picture.

Peoples spirits will live on forever. People will see one another again.



[edit on 10-6-2008 by Shar]

reply to post by MrMysticism

If you follow the word of God and the Bible, shouldn't you be rewarded with an easier life. Why is it that most church going people and followers of the Bible live a life that is so poor and struggling?

Jesus said:
John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Jesus promised that those who follow Him would have life more abundantly.

But this promise is only for those who follow HIM. (IE: Do what He says...) A mere confession doesn't do it. A follower of Jesus needs to do what He commanded:

Luke 6:46-49 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
47 Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:
48 He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
49 But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.

Here we have a perfect example of someone knowing what Jesus said to do...and not doing it...and suffering disaster. And please note that Jesus wasn't talking about atheists or some cult here, He was plainly talking about those who call HIM (Jesus) "Lord, Lord". These were people who had a confession that Jesus was Lord, but didn't do what He said to do.

In another Gospel, He says a similar thing:

Matt 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

With this being said, I read on in your post:

My mother was an Ordained Minister and she separated from my father when I was ten years old.

"Ordained Minister"? Your mom was an Ordained Minister?

Did she ever read:
1 Cor 14:34 Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law.

or

1 Tim 2:12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.

There aren't any woman preachers/teachers in my Bible. It is against what the Bible teaches.

Someone may say, "Well that's no big deal...it doesn't really matter that much...it's a tiny little thing"

Jesus replies:

Luke 16:10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.

Disobeying a clear doctrine in Scripture and doing it in such a public display is an offense to the Church and to God. It is an outright scandal and would have never happened 100 years ago.

I don't know 'why' your mom died at such an early age. I am just going on your report, here, and your report says your mom clearly and openly violated what the Bible says to do (or NOT do).

Luke 16:10 (above) says it better...and explains it better.

You asked a blunt question...and then you said "Lay it on me".

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