Spiritual guidance powered by AI and grounded in Scripture
Your Question:
Why is God allowing me to suffer so much when I'm trying to do the right thing?
Answer:
My friend, I understand your frustration and anger towards God. It's natural to feel that way when we're suffering, especially when we feel like we're doing the right thing. But as a pastor and a follower of Christ, I've come to realize that God's ways are not our ways, and His reasons are often inscrutable to us. It's not about us being consulted or giving God our permission to suffer; it's about Him using our sufferings for our own good and for the good of others. As 1 Peter 4:13 says, "But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may also be overjoyed when his glory is revealed." Our sufferings can be a means of transforming us into the image of Christ, making us useful in His hands, and enabling us to understand what takes place in the lives of others. It's not about us being able to make sense of it all; it's about trusting God and His goodness, even when we don't understand. It's okay to be angry and frustrated, but don't let that anger consume you. Instead, let humility be the order of the day. Recognize that you don't know all you think you know about God, and that your sufferings can be a means of spiritual growth and transformation. As the passage says, "We begin to pout, become irritated with God, and then say, 'Oh well, I can't help it. I prayed and things didn't turn out right anyway. So I'm simply going to give up on everything.'" But that's not the way of the follower of Christ. We must learn to trust God, even in the midst of suffering.
Sources:
warranted christian belief
alvin plantinga
depression
edward welch
my utmost for his highest
oswald chambers
mere christianity
c s lewis
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