Spiritual guidance powered by AI and grounded in Scripture
Your Question:
What do I do when my faith is shaken by suffering?
Answer:
When my faith is shaken by suffering, I realize that it's a common human experience. Many people, including myself, have struggled with faith during difficult times. As a pastor, I've seen this in my congregation and even in my own life. It's essential to understand that suffering doesn't necessarily mean God is absent or unloving. Instead, He can use our suffering for our good, even if we don't understand why it's happening. In times of suffering, it's easy to become a "fair weather friend" of God, trusting Him only during the good times but questioning His presence during the hard times. However, as St. Basil said, faith should be "ambidextrous," welcoming both pleasure and affliction. This requires us to do battle with depression's tendency towards passivity and to actively seek God's presence and guidance. As Diane's story illustrates, even in the midst of suffering, God can meet us and bring us closer to Him. When facing a crisis of faith, it's essential to remember that faith is not just about receiving what we want from God but also about accepting what He gives us and glorifying Him in all circumstances. As the Bible says, "Faith always triumphs, whether or not circumstances change." This means that even if God doesn't deliver us from suffering, He will go with us through it and use it for our good. So, I encourage myself and others to trust in God's goodness and sovereignty, even in the midst of suffering, and to seek Him with abandon and total confidence.
Sources:
my utmost for his highest
oswald chambers
raising passionate jesus followers
phil diane comer
depression
edward welch
confronting christianity
rebecca mclaughlin
building dynamic faith
jerry falwell
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