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Your Question:
Is God just allowing me to suffer for no reason?
Answer:
As a pastor, I've seen many people struggle with the question of why God allows suffering. It's a natural response, especially when we're in the midst of pain and hardship. But as I reflect on this question, I'm reminded that God's ways are not our ways, and his thoughts are not our thoughts. He sees the big picture, and sometimes that means allowing us to suffer so that we can grow, learn, and become more like him. I've come to understand that God's reasons for allowing suffering are not always immediately clear to us. But that doesn't mean he's not good or just. In fact, his goodness and justice are precisely why he allows us to suffer. He's not capricious or arbitrary; he's a loving Father who wants what's best for us, even if that means allowing us to experience pain and hardship. As the Scripture says, "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28). When I'm struggling with the question of why God allows suffering, I try to remember that he's not distant or disinterested. He's a God who suffers with us, who weeps with us, and who uses our pain to draw us closer to himself. As the psalmist says, "The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit" (Psalm 34:18). So even in the midst of suffering, I try to trust that God is working all things together for my good, and that he's using my pain to make me more like him.
Sources:
warranted christian belief
alvin plantinga
depression
edward welch
raising passionate jesus followers
phil diane comer
concise history christian thought
tony lane
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