A lot of christians have the opinion that suffering simply belongs to life and that christians also have to suffer and that basically there is no difference between christians and non-christians besides the fact that christians are saved.
Does God want us to suffer to teach us things?
Does God use suffering as a tool? What attitude does God have towards suffering? Does he like it when christians suffer? Does a "good" christian have to suffer? Am I not a good christian when I'm happy?
What about the blessing? I cannot believe that there is no difference between a christian and a non-christian when it comes to suffering.
Posted by: MarkSentMe
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Does God want us to suffer to teach us things?
Sometimes God cannot get our attention without bringing a little trouble into our lives to make us call out to Him. Now I'm not saying God is up there and we're down here like pieces on a chess board and He's going,"Hmmm...so-n-so looks a little bored, let's see how he handles...THIS!"
and then He reaches down and smites them! No. Stuff happens. Sometimes bad stuff happens to really good people.
Some people seem to suffer one thing after another after another. Watch for their REACTION to the adversity in their lives. I think that's where the suffering comes from. If a person starts to have a pity-party and believe that they have it worse than anyone else, things will continue to happen.
Self-doubt and self-pity really break holes in your armor.
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basically there is no difference between christians and non-christians besides the fact that christians are saved.
The difference is JESUS. What do non-Christians draw from? When life throws them rotten eggs, what do non-Christians turn to? Who are non-Christians counting on for their salvation?
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Does a "good" christian have to suffer? Am I not a good christian when I'm happy?
There is no such thing as a good Christian. There are faithful and obedient Christians. And yes, faithful and obedient Christians will face adversity. We do not learn and grow if we have an easy life all the time. If we never had one bad day, we would not need God. We would be our own god! And we would become arrogant and self-centered. We are to humble ourselves and rely on God for our every need. God wants us to do some things for ourselves, but He also wants us to come to Him in need and in thanksgiving.
Posted by: Frederik
But I always hear christians say that if you sell out to God you'll have the best life you can imagine. Why should christians suffer and have bad lives?
Posted by: akabezalel
The simple answer to your questions is...
No, Christians do not HAVE to suffer.
God DOES NOT bring anything evil on ANYONE!
Generally we, as Christians, suffer because we do not trust God enough to dwell in the peace He has made available to us.
In other words, we CHOOSE to suffer and then blame the whole thing on God.
We Choose to make the problem bigger than God simply because that takes the pressure off of us to Trust Him and change the way we think and live.
In short we make the problem god and then blame God for our own actions and lack of faith in any given situation.
So the question is... who is God to you? The problem or Jehovah?
It is our CHOICE, if we choose wisely we live in peace and do not suffer, if we choose perversely we suffer and blame God for not protecting us from ourselves.
Posted by: Frederik
This would mean that every christian who suffers is doing something wrong.
Posted by: Christian Commando
Dear Friend- Realize this, God declares it rains upon the just as well as the unjust. He also declares all people, even after recieving Salvation are still born in sin.
Being "born of the Spirit", means we have recieved the Holy Spirit to help us overcome trials, temptations and more. But, notice, when we die, God does not say our phys. body goes to Heaven, but only our spirit.
Later, our bodies will be perfected and Glorified, as Jesus' was when ressurrected, as God declares Jesus is the "First Fruits" and every Child of God after Him, according to thier order.
Keep in mind, we all still sin, which is why we suffer still, even after recieving Salvation.
