suffering

[Amatire]

When Jesus said take up your cross and follow me, and that we should expect suffering as christians, did he mean sickness aswell... I have been ill for some time and one of the things that people tell me is that God hasnt healed me because he wants me to suffer and become christlike thru my suffering... to learn some deeply important things that you can only discover this way, like perseverance through doubts and fears, and total dependance on God because you havent the strength or the energy to depend on yourself... but I was always taught that Jesus always healed people who came to him, he never sent anyone away and said, "you havent learnt all I want you to learn thru this yet," or ,"you havent got enough faith yet!" so is there any truth in what my friends have told me. both biblically or thru other people's experiences, and if not, why hasnt he healed me?

 

[KeepTheFaith15]

im also a person who believes that god puts us through things to get us stronger, because your ill doesnt mean he doesnt care or doesnt mean that he wants you to suffer, he wants to teach people lessons and give them tests to see how strong their faith really is and in the end they grow strong because of it.

 

[Blessed-one]

um, some kinds of illness, depending on which kinds they are, are normal in life. For example, if i chose not to wear a coat in winter, and went outdoor in short sleeves, i'll probably catch a cold. Is there a purpose in this? yeah... next time i'll learnt to heed mum's advice and wear something warmer.

however, let us look deeper into the meaning of "take up the cross". During the time of the new testament, Jesus died on a cross. A cross, at that time, would most probably indure a feeling of fear, death and pain. To take up the cross means more than just enduring a cold (for example), if we looked back on the suffering that Jesus endured, THAT is what Jesus meant by taking up the cross. In a most extreme case, we might be threatened or persecuted!

sickness involves all kinds of sickness, it can mean physical sickness or emotionally sickness. For physical sickness... Jesus said to the disabled person in NT, that he was born that way so that God can be gloried through him. How?
through the physical healing in the NT and in the 21st century, and also through the sufferer's testimony in the 21st century. Just because the sickness is not being healed doesn't mean that that person have to live in poverty (physical and emotionally). Take Joni Erickson for example, she's paralysed and requires a wheelchair. God didn't give her the ability to walk, He didn't heal her up physically, yet the accident changed her, and her life is enriched. Her very life is a living testimony!

i think what we need, is to lean on God's strength and trust Him totally in all situations, that through His strength, we'll make the best of life's circumstances.

 

[Dewjunkie]

Amatire,

It is said that God does all things in His time.  He may have it in His plan to heal you completely, just not as quick as you may like.  This is where faith comes in.  I have learned much about faith in the past few months. 

I backslid a long time ago, and spent many years still believing, but not living in God.  I "suffered" through a miserable marriage, a messy divorce, and a few years of questioning God.  A year and a half ago, I began my walk back to God, this time with my new wife by my side.  We had been blessed with two beautiful daughters, two great jobs, a nice home, nice things, etc, etc.  It was easy to faithfully serve God then, because we were so blessed.

Then 2 months ago, my family was in a horrific car accident.  My wife was paralyzed and our 3 year old daughter was killed when the roof of the vehicle collapsed.  God spared our younger daughter and me with minor injuries.  It has been without a doubt the 2 hardest months of my life.  My wife continues to make progress in a rehab hospital, but we have a long way to go to recovery.  But we are faithful that God will heal her.  She has a nickname around the hospital of "Sunshine", because she refuses to let this get her down or move her faith.  If she did, she says, she would have no hope.  I work for the National Park Service in Law Enforcement, EMS, and SAR.  I deal way too much with child fatalities.  Yet I was never prepared for it to happen to me.  Somehow, and I can't explain it, I have not felt any anger towards God. 

I have faith that He is going to use all of this for the greater good, and we will be rewarded because of our faith.  Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but it will come.  And in the end, I will be reunited with my beautiful little girl.  

This is my point: keep your faith strong, for you have no idea what God may use you for.  He is using my wife as a light to others in a dismal place that is usually filled with suffering and anger.  He will someday use me to witness to another family that loses a young loved one on the lake.  And maybe many other ways.  He will not let you suffer more than you can handle, and if you always turn to Him, He will carry you through even the deepest valley.  I know this doesn't take the pain of illness away, but maybe you can serve as a witness to others for the time that you do have to deal with it. 

 

(I apologize for rambling)   

 

[psycmajor]

Amen, Dewjunkie .

 

[Amatire]

wow Dewjunkie that really encouraged me! Sometimes I have faith that things will get better. I know that this isnt God's plan for my life, he isnt going to let my life be remembered for the "sick one". It is a passing moment rather than a defining phase in my life. but it is hard not to listen to the lies of the Enemy when he is telling you that God hasnt healed you yet because he doesnt want to and youre not worthy enough or anything.. when you write it out like that its easy to see it for the rediculous lie that it is, but at night when youre alone it isnt so easy... I guess the thing that keeps me going has to be trust. even when I cant feel Jesus anywhere.

A few months ago I had a picture that I was falling into a bottomless pit and there was no one to catch me. it was really scary, then I hit rock bottom and found that the rock was none other than Christ, and there was nowhere left to fall... it helps me still when I remember it, but if I try and get up and depend on myself rather than God the image goes away, I have to just abandon myself to him and let him have control, then I know there is no sand or useless stuff between me and the Rock..

 

[ZiSunka]

Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" Jesus answered,"Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. "

A lot of the time, God allows His people to suffer from illnesses so that the works of God might be revealed through them.

And I can't remember where, but the Bible also says that sometimes we suffer for the sake of the angels, meaning, that angels observe our suffering and learn about the love between God and us through it, and give him glory because of it. When I find ot, I will post it.

The entire Book of Job is all about suffering, and all of it was done with God's permission, to show satan that even though a godly man might suffering, still he will not curse or abandon God.

 

[elentári]

I know what its like to be sick a lot - and I really dont believe that it is Gods way of teaching me - or that its because I need more faith, or anything ... that doesnt fit with the image of God my bible draws. However, I totally believe that he can use those circumstances for good. That he can teach through sickness, & that he can use it to help us to minister to others, and that he can use it to show miracles.

 

[Galadriel]

Just a question here, umm, why would God have us suffer so the angles can see? Do they not know what it is to suffer?

Dewjunkie, I am sorry for your loss, I can't even begin to comprehend that kind of loss, but surely you shall be reunited with her someday. I feel for you.

Amatire, I also hope that you will gain peace and understanding, I am sorry as well that you are having to suffer.

 

[Blessed75]

I don't believe that God has me suffer. I believe that bad things happen. I believe that God takes our affllications and turns them into affirmations. I have gone through horrible experiences in my life. Looking back on those experiences with that 20/20 hindsight, I see where I've learned things and I've also received the gift of empathy. I can help others who are in the same shoes that I had been in at one time. oh and dewjunkie - what an inspiration you are........

 

[Sean524]

yeah, I generally agree with everything that's been said in this thread. Amatire: I think you have a lot to be encouraged about I just wanted to add that I would be cautious to say God actually WANTS you to suffer.

I believe it's more along the lines of ALLOWING things to happen for your greater good. Suffering and disease sadly is a fact of life in this sin-broken world. God may be using that to help you depend on Him more, or make you stronger spirituality and physically when you come out of the illness. He may be using it to show a miracle of healing (like the blind man who was blind so that "the work of God might be displayed in his life") (I think that's the wording), God might want you to be able to witness to others who are ill and suffering, or He may just want to show you more of His great and intimate love through this. There are MANY possible, Biblical, and encouraging explanations.

But I do think He WANTS to heal you. He WILL do at the time He deems best, which will be the BEST time for you, in His perfect wisdom, whether any of us realize it now or not Keep praying though!

And if you are sick for a long time, just remember He's got all eternity to make it up to you
AWESOME, isn't it? Praise HIM!

You could also think of it in terms of a parent taking a small child to the doctor to get a shot. The shot may be very painful to the child and the child may not understand at all why the parent is putting them through it . . . but it is actually for their good. The parent is doing it out of love, and the child will understand that later as they grow

Or you can think of it like this (I got this from Lee Strobel's The Case for Faith Student Edition) : If you are a hunter and see a bear with it's leg caught in a trap, you may try to help it. Well, the bear my be angry and think you're out to hurt it, especially after you shoot it with a tranquilizer dart and then have to actually first push its leg FURTHER into the trap to loosen it up for removal. The bear, in its limited wisdom and limited perspective, will have no idea what's going on. It will think you are trying to hurt it, but you are actually trying to help.

It's much the same with God and us. We don't see or understand the whole picture. But He loves you no matter what. Just depend on Him, and things will be AWESOME

God bless you, He REALLY LOVES YOU, ALOT. Keep up the fight and the praying