Once we have that data, our thinking centers (the first responders) determine how to react and with what intensity. Well, God has existed from eternity past as the Father, Son and Spirit, together in a relationship of perfect love. For now, in this life, we see things imperfectly. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.". You can't be fruitful if you neglect the Source. This also gives you a great window to look at their inner workings and maturity level. Its easy to see this in someone else life and doubt in our own life. First, we can find meaning in the midst of suffering. Compounding the pain of suffering are the answers often given by Christians. In Romans 5:3-5, we are taught that through seasons of suffering, God will produce in us endurance, character, and hope which will then enhance our ability to enjoy the love of God which the Holy Spirit has placed within our hearts. We have to ask ourselves if we trust that Gods plan is good, even if at the moment it doesnt seem good. Recent research clearly shows three specific areas of our brains emotional machinery (called the limbic system) that are prime targets. But God promises freedom from the trauma and hurt that we may face in this present age. The Bible contains a lot of suffering, but surprisingly says little about it. All suffering includes pain, but not all pain is suffering. My wife Leslie has a medical condition that puts her in pain every single day. The third point of light: The day is coming when suffering will cease and God will judge evil. Helping your child understand exactly what happened the truth of the situation minimizes the psychological, spiritual, and brain damage we discussed above. The things that we might cons ider bad, such as getting robbed or breaking a leg by falling down some stairs, would both be bad. Suffering will force us to move, we dont get to decide that. It states: Blessed be theGod and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies andGod of all comfort,who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. God is working all things, even the bad things, for our benefit. A doctor who just numbed your broken leg so you didnt feel the pain rather than putting a cast on it would not be a very good doctor. These make it more difficult to process the next hurt properly, increasing the probability that the hurt crosses the threshold from healthy learning experience into a damaging traumatic experience. Justice will be served in a perfect way. If it did would you share this post with a friend or two? We love stories of other peoples suffering being used for good. and no doubt he did. Mental illness can also result from poor decisions as it did with Jonah. So, lets look at what suffering is and how a good God can allow suffering to exist. Thats why we want to help you. And I get that. Hope is not lost. ", And maybe that's a good analogy for heaven. God May Be Allowing You to Suffer Emotionally So You Will Admit Your Need for Healing in a Certain Area of Your Heart and to Prevent You from Repeating Past Mistakes. This is not an extensive list, rather the top four things I think we should recognize. Yet, it is so easy to tense up, to get nervous, to get so concerned with wanting to say the right thing that you end up saying nothing at all. So this would be my plea and my counsel: that we be patient, that we not make light of the time it may take and the pain that has been endured, and Trauma is a distressing, painful, or shocking experience that causes harmful psychological, physiological, or spiritual effects. Until we understand that there are things we will not see this side of heaven, this question will cause us to stumble. Writer. Just type in your email address below. However, God never leaves us to suffer pointlessly. And I'm glad that I don't have to just speak out of my own experience. Is it possible that maybe something bigger is unfolding? Its so exciting! And since Gods presence is what will produce the most pleasure in us (Psalm 16:11), the pain we experience is actually meant to produce more pleasure since the pain is meant to lead us deeper into Christ. All was fine until I told him where to turn left as we approached the street that led to my employer. Whats been your experience wrestling through this question, why does God allow suffering? Type in your email address and a copy will be sent right to your inbox. Engaging with God in the Midst of Trauma Recovery If you touch a hot stove your body reacts with pain that causes you to quickly move your hand. God will also allow emotional pain when we sin and turn from him so we remember this pain and dont do this again in the future. If you have any issues, please call the office at 385-246-1048 or email us at [emailprotected]. Suffering is a personal problem; it demands a personal response. Or the millions that have no access to basic human needs. Because love always involves a choice. You can rescue a couple from the brink of divorce and restore a family! We greatly appreciate your consideration! Your spouse got sick. We'd love to keep you up to date with what is happening at CARM. Paul points to this mindset in 1 Corinthians 13:12. And Jesus said they are coming. Because of love. Tradwives are heterosexual women who prefer the traditional roles where men work outside the home, and they work by Matt Slick | Mar 8, 2023 | Bible Verses, Questions. I wrote my first novel last year. The megachurch, known for its popular Elevation Music, has voluntarily withdrawn two weeks after the recent Southern Baptist annual meeting. 4 Reasons God Will Let You Doubt His Blessing Before, 5 Undeniable Signs God Wants You to Pursue a Relationship, 3 Things God Wants You to Do to Receive His, 4 Biblical Ways to Be Emotionally Healthy Without Looking Weak, 5 Things God Is Saying Through Your Loneliness, 4 Things that Happen When God Is Leading You Towards a Good Relationship, 5 Biblical Feelings a Woman Will Have When She Meets The Man God Has For Her, 3 Reasons God Allows Confusion When You Meet The One. ", you'd instantly react by saying, "It has been absolutely wonderful! We will get to why does God allow suffering? In Genesis 1:31 God looks over His creation and declares it VERY good. He set out on a path to redeem humanity. It searches for situations that are similar to past hurts so we can avoid them. For even Jesus became our greatest source of comfort through the sufferings he endured himself, for as Hebrews 4:15-16 states: For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. But most of the time, no matter what, they stick with us. In the beginning, God created a world absent of suffering. Because humans have free will and a sin nature, things like abuse and neglect are unfortunately part of our fallen world. The 364 terrific days far outweigh the one bad day. Well we cant fully answer that question on this side of heaven. Romans 8:28 echos this promise. Most kids in foster care are forced to use trash bags to move. Not only is He in control, Hes a good God that is working things for His glory and our benefit. Even apart from the Bible, the world is filled with the evidence of a benevolent . That day will come, but not yet. You'd remember that first bad day. Join Parker Buckman as he navigates mystery, adventure, and suspense in the. They may have even gone through something horrible and tragic. One day it will all make sense. Some people ask, "Couldn't God have foreseen all of this?" They also believe their dad is the strongest man alive and that mom is the prettiest woman ever and can walk on water (in other words, kids are gullible and dont have a very good grasp of reality). The assumption in that question is that we know better than God and that we are the center of importance. Billy Graham: Why Does God Allow Suffering? Join hosts Jeff and Shaunti Feldhahn for this series of six short videos (roughly 3-4 minutes each) called Thriving in Love & Money. Theyll offer helpful tips, informed by years of research and based on their new book, to help you and your spouse explore the underlying issues that lead to financial conflict and consider healthy ways to move from his vs. hers to ours when it comes to money. Each weekly CT Pastors issue equips you with the best wisdom and practical tools for church ministry. Thus God had to give us the ability to chose, He had to give us free will. I could barely see the white stripe on the edge of the road. AGW Ministries is meant to be an online blessing to you. It was not in His original plan that suffering would take place. This holiday season, take a journey to Galilee and discover what it was like to walk with Jesus! They will act as a neutral guide to help you find . One answer is that he's actually delaying the consummation of history in anticipation that more people will put their trust in him and spend eternity in heaven. Did you know the Hebrew root word for "marriage" is the same as "mess"? There are women stepping forward, having been profoundly healed and brought to a deep and profound trust in the sovereignty of God, who are willing to say that at those moments God was not powerless. When you put your hand on a hot surface, the pain you feel causes you to move your hand which prevents further injury. We decide where we move too. Plus you get FREE access to all of our eBooks. So one reason God allows emotional suffering in our lives is because he knows that sometimes there is nothing that will increase our passion to pursue him more than this pain. From a Christian perspective, I would state that trauma exists in the world due to sin. Lets dive into the question, Why does God allow suffering? It was programmed to say those words. Take the free Marriage Assessment from Focus on the Family to learn how to strengthen your bond with your spouse and get the tools to help you need to grow closer together. What Does the Bible Say about Suffering and Why Everyone Goes through rejection by a crush, or any other rejection, especially when others knew about it. Couples who cherish each other understand that God created everyone different, and as a result, they treasure the unique characteristics in their spouse. But God wasnt taken aback or surprised. For even Jesus became our greatest source of comfort through the sufferings he endured himself. Taking the bad of this world and redeeming for something good. The first thing we must recognize is that God sees the larger picture and is orchestrating everything for His glory, which is to our benefit. Your childs life may not be going the way they want it to. Spiritually and psychologically, Satan uses traumatic experiences as opportunities to conspire with our flesh and brainwash us with propaganda and lies. In times of distress, we want to know that our suffering matters to God and that He cares about our pain. All rights reserved. God is never the instigator of abuse ( James 1:13; Deuteronomy 32:4 ). My wife and I had a funeral for him, and well, we dont know why God let him die. My gift to you. Psychological trauma is damaging to all three spheres (spiritual, psychological, and physiological) in many ways. ", And those two tragic events are just added to the everyday pain and suffering being experienced in individual lives. We hate SPAM and promise to keep your email address safe. Notice what Paul said 2 Corinthians 1:3-5. You only read half the book!". He was broken, like bread, for us. These answers don't comfort and often aren't even true. Listen to methat is not to deny the reality of your pain in this life. This then produces an expanded state of awareness of a more whole self . God protected a number of His believers from harm, such as David from His son Absalom, or offering some . Individual as well as corporate traumatic events are laid bare before the reader, their grotesque reality a continual challenge to faith in and life with God. And the Bible teaches us to bring this message to those in the midst of suffering. God is restoring creation to His original design. Just pray more. We think theres no way something good could come from our suffering. We commonly think of trauma as extreme situations such as wartime violence, sexual violations, or other life-threatening situations like natural disasters or motor vehicle accidents. We do know, however, that He wants to use hardship to make us stronger. If you have a pain in your chest, this could mean you are having a heart attack. Our emotions are on high alert. It was frightening! But thats how we are acting, isnt it? We get to choose. He didnt give a lecture on why suffering exists, rather He says Im with you and I will not leave you. I . God designed humans to love. Yes, yes I know better, but did not engage my brain in that moment. But one-day suffering will end and the final chapter will be written. It's completely free - my gift to you. What they desperately need now is the very real and comforting presence of Jesus Christ in their lives. God is still pursuing His people. We rebelled against God, and still do. Until we place our trust that Gods plan is good, even when it doesnt seem to be, we will never be at peace with this question. this article, untold trauma, pain and suffering, due to crippling conditions, infections and disease of every sort, are occurring around the world. We are the creators of suffering. Get your copy for today for FREE with a donation of any amount! If you want more about Gods response to the pain we face check out: Why Did Jesus Weep. So why is there suffering if God didnt create it? Trauma Treatment and Recovery from a Christian perspective And since Gods presence is what will produce the most pleasure in us (Psalm 16:11), the pain we experience is actually meant to produce more pleasure since the pain is meant to lead us deeper into Christ. The harm was too great, the damage was too extreme, the depth of my suffering has been too much.". You have your first child and he's healthy and strong. God wants us to be pure so we will remain intimately close to him, for as Jesus said in Matthew 5:8, Blessed arethe pure in heart, forthey shall see God.. Let's say that on the first day of 2012, you had an awful day. That is a different course of action than many expect from God. Have you ever heard the question, If God is love (good) and is all-powerful why doesnt He just get rid of suffering? A Biblical Understanding of Trauma - and How to Heal We saw the steeple of a church and the cross of Christ. God brings healing not just to the physical body, but even to the mind and to the soul. Grief causes ones life to halt and become devoid of meaning. Viewing difficult situations with Godly lenses and responding in healthy ways strengthens our brain chemistry. To me, that's evidence of a loving God, that he would care that much for us. But pain insists upon being attended to. Karl Benzio, MD, is a board-certified psychiatrist and is a member of the Senior Leadership Team at Liberty Universitys Global Center for Mental Health, Addiction and Recovery. So many things happen in your kids lives every day. Of course, we knew the consequences of free will. For we can see in the early chapters of that book that Job was not guilty of any wrongdoing. Christian or not, it's a question that comes up repeatedly during times of grief and tragedy. God May Be Allowing You to Suffer Emotionally So You Will Be Better Equipped to Help Others in Their Times of Need. So before we dive into the specific question of why does God allow suffering? There are so many tragic stories, so much pain. Double your gift for struggling couples and expand efforts like Hope Restored marriage intensives! The psalmist declared, "The earth is full of your lovingkindness, O Lord" (Psalm 119:64). Why Does God Allow Suffering? Process adverse events ASAP. You had an emergency root canal at the dentistand then ran out of pain-killers. Put your email in the box below! The problem of reconciling human suffering with the existence of a God who loves, is only insoluble so long as we attach a trivial meaning to the word love, and look on things as if man were the centre of them. Postscript: As everyone familiar with Joni Eareckson Tada's story knows, she has turned her bitterness into belief and her disabilities into amazing talents. It either drives us closer to God or makes us bitter at God. Sometimes we dont understand why bad things happen. Harm that was brought upon us by another human. This is at no cost to you and helps keep Rethink up and running. When we look back at the story of Adam and Eve in the Bible, the world was peaceful and without strife in the Garden. Help prepare your children to respond to questions and criticisms of the Bible and to understand that the Bible is accurate, reliable and relevant. Personally, I suffered the loss of my son shortly after his birth. The mind that experiences a trauma determines whether it will be traumatic or not. Why Does God Allow Trauma To Happen? God is loving. Dont forget to leave a comment! Why Does God Allow Evil - Answering the Hard Questions - Crosswalk Time magazine puts your photo on its cover as "The Person of the Year." Have you been engaging in sinful behavior you know displeases the Lord? A preacher reflects on a local mass shooting. A friend betrayed you. OK, so God is an all-powerful, omniscient being who created everything, and made man in his image. In the midst of suffering, facts and truth bring little comfort. Really, these emotions are neither sins nor are they negative, but are a valuable warning system. Why does God allow bad things to happen? | carm.org The boy said, "Thirteen years." Y'all please check out their fic . But God isnt finished yet. He had been in and out of hospitals his whole lifeand yet he made the astounding comment that he thinks God is fair. Who but the sovereign God can take an abused woman, a woman who emotionally has been so hurt that she is incapable of loving God or men right nowwho else but a sovereign God could take her and, five or ten years from now, have her whole and able to be married, able to love, and able to have sex with delight instead of horror? C.S. Real love always involves a choice. Above I quoted part of what Jesus said in John 16:33. So one reason God allows us to suffer emotionally is so we will be better equipped to help others in their times of need as well. These same principles are true when it comes to emotional pain. Yes, he does. Your childs life may not be going the way they want it to. We were following the taillights of that truck when the fog slowly began to lift, the rain began to let up and we entered a town with some lights. Again the question not so quietly arises. This sovereign Godthe one restoring, nurturing, caring for, protecting, changing, and providing for her and her every need according to his riches in gloryis her only hope. And when we seek the Lord and find his love and comfort, we experience far more joy and satisfaction in the Lord than the suffering we endured. Do not be anxious for I am your God. Why did God allow this? Even before you had children, couldn't you foresee that there was the very real possibility they may suffer disappointment or pain or heartache in life, or that they might even hurt you and walk away from you? This is a much more difficult question to answer. Of coursebut you still had kids. Winning Your Inner Battles is a free series of eight short videos featuring Levi Lusko. Here are some additional things to consider if your child has experienced emotional or psychological trauma: Uncomfortable feelings are okay, so allow your kids (and yourself) to feel them and talk about them. Want articles like this one delivered straight to your email? I know most of us wouldnt say that. They may have even gone through something horrible and tragic and experienced psychological trauma from it. Or what if we could be in our childrens shoes, watching them experience those same situations? But you can help. The truth is, how you view your son and talk to him has a significant effect on how he thinks and acts.
Grief Counselors That Accept Medicare Near Me,
Symptoms Of Gallbladder Mucocele In Dogs,
Cherokee Lake Thomasville Ga,
Articles W
