In this 3-minute video, I provide a few thoughts for Christians facing suffering:
In this 3-minute video, I provide a few thoughts for Christians facing suffering:
9 replies to "Musings: A Response to Suffering"
I appreciate this video.
21 months ago my husband was assaulted in a public restroom in a movie theater on his birthday leaving him disabled.
Our house is in foreclosure and our youngest child is in the Army deployed to Kuwait.
In March I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I had a mastectomy 3 weeks ago and reconstructive surgery next week.
I know that being faithful in prior, smaller sufferings has prepared me to be faithful now. We’ve never been angry with God or asked why.
I like what Mike says about children doing chores for the good of the family, it does help to know that suffering has a purpose. However, also as Mike said, It’s not always comforting to know that you suffer for the sake of another.
When I discovered this conflict within myself- God impressed upon me that there really is one thing that I should crave through this suffering and that is a closer walk with him.
Nothing else compares to this benefit and my comfort: though He slay me, yet…
Penny,
I’m so very sorry to learn of what you and your husband are having to endure. I very much appreciate your comments.
Penny, Mike,
Penny,
Thanks for sharing about how being faithful in smaller sufferings prepared you for the present suffering. May God give you even closer walk with him.
Mike,
Slightly off topic, but related: in the video you had a picture of Youcef Nadarkhani; do you know that he seems to deny the trinity, following Oneness Pentecostalism? If so, or if not, how does this effect the way we should relate to him and the situation? I’ve been at an impasse on this. (Source:http://www.mohabatnews.com/index.php?id=3467%3Ais-nadarkhani-an-evangelical-chrsitian-special-report-on-non-trinitatian-cult-inside-iran-&Itemid=279&option=com_content&catid=36%3Airanian-christians&view=article)
Penny,
Grace and love to you this Mother’s Day. I pray the Lord keep your son safe from harm and that you and your husband be healed and strengthened.
God bless!
@ Aaron (comment #3)
I too am troubled by that article’s allegations about Youcef and I don’t know how we as Christians should react if the article is true. A similar case occurred last year when Rashid & Sajid Emmanuel were shot dead in Pakistan. Many international Christian organisations lamented their murders as an example of anti-Christian persecution but none of them seemed to realise that Rashid & Sajid were affiliated to the Church of God General Conference which is a unitarian sect.
One point to note is that the persecutors in these cases do not differentiate between a true Christian and a nominal/fringe Christian. As far as they are concerned they are simply persecuting Christ.
Mike,
I enjoyed your video. I was just wondering, could you please recommend what you think is the best book on 1) the intellectucal problem of evil and 2) the existential problem of evil from a pastoral perspective (i.e., something to help you get trough suffering).
Thanks
Mike,
Sorry for the typos. I just noticed them.
T’sinadree:
I’m not an expert on that topic. May I suggest you contact David Wood who is completing his PhD dissertation on this topic at Fordham? You may reach him through http://www.answeringmuslims.org.
T’sinadree are you still there? The Problem of Pain by C.S. Lewis, and A Place for Weakness: Preparing Yourself for Suffering by Michael S. Horton – There are many many more but those are a couple-one tried and true and one newer one that I think is excellent.
Jeff