Why would a loving and holy God allow a child to suffer through a serious illness such as cancer. Lastly, we will consider suffering as a human issue and what the Christian response to suffering should be. If anyone can create a self-sustaining system on paper which offers improvement, I challenge them to come forward with this system. The answer is a definite no. God wanted his people Israel to experience physical blessings as well as spiritual oneness with him. Before this career change, he was on the road to becoming a professor of religious studies through the University of Chicago Divinity School. God is ready and able to help us fight. The conclusion that the death of a conscious being is an evil thing requires the assumption that physical death is the final end. Those who continue to claim that the Bible is full of scientific errors have either not bothered to research the subject or bring a very strong bias to the question. It is not always Gods will to heal a person physically. God took a risk with them. Why doesnt God heal everyone 3) Suffering exists. It is not a place from which we must to escape to find the deeper, spiritual reality. That may not be the case at all. Certain sinful behaviors have inevitable consequences in our lives. The goal of human beings is to see around this illusion in order to detect the deeper spiritual realityto experience Brahman. Second, we can unite our own suffering with that of Jesus. Is it because God is aloof? In fact, there is little if any discussion of what we call free will in the Bible. Through suffering, he came to know Christ. However, even the fact that judgment will occur does not make death an evil thing. Related Articles: God's Love for Mankind, Why Does God Allow Evil and Suffering? Every evil is an opportunity for God. (Virtually) all suffering can be used for the good in the end. I am thankful he had the courage and love to give me a choice. Humans suffer because of earthquakes. There are aspects of fear and loss that wear on a personmind and spirit. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.. Of course, there are some very caring Hindus, but it is not surprising, given their world view, that so many of the basic physical needs as well as issues of social justice remain unsolved in India. Copyright 2022 Evidence for Christianity. The Hindu world view is that the physical world is an illusion. They are part of Gods plan for working in this world. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.. So we can stop fretting and trust Him with our lives. I disagree with doctrine that suggests that if you are not healed, something is amiss in your life. Why Did God Create Cancer We must always remember the pain that Jesus endured for us on the cross. In my struggle, I reach out for the help that only you can give. God Can God Cure Cancer The meaning of this verse makes it clear that pain and suffering have a way of bringing our strengths and weaknesses to the surface. 4. Prejudice such as that exhibited by the apostles has not disappeared from the face of the earth. His interest in religious scholarship grew during his three years as a member of the Christian Brothers and his subsequent study of theology at the University of San Francisco, where he obtained baccalaureate and masters degrees. Why do you make me look at injustice? In Christ, God himself wishes to share this path with us and to offer us his gaze so that we might see the light within it. They have also used it as evidence that the God of the Bible cannot be real. For Jesus said, From within, out of a persons heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder (Mark 7:21). At times of serious illness or crisis, it is to one of these systems that we may turn for solace, comfort, and meaning; for the inner strength to endure the physical and emotional challenges of illness; and for guidance in our personal response to it. Lamentations 2:1112. If they overeat to dangerous levels, they are unaware. A brand new love is made all the more delicious because we have waited in loneliness for so long. As the truism goes: no pain, no gain. (c)2016 BILLY GRAHAM DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC. From the writings of the Rev. We learn from this that God may not answer our question why? That being true, we need to be very cautious to give pat answers to our friends as to why they are suffering. James tells us to, Consider it pure joy, by brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. One day a few years later I got the kind of call none of us ever wants to receive. I don't know anyone who is kinder or more thoughtful. 1. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Notice that God is not telling us that all things are good. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. (Joshua 24:15) Jesus seems to agree that human beings are given free choice whether we will serve God or not. Is this because God was not powerful enough or not loving enough? Are all to be considered equally? He already knows how He is going to bring about something beautiful from it. I will copy and paste the article, which is at the web site. Religion teaches us that we can find order and direction by doing things that foster our spiritual well-being and energy. In my studies, I have found this theme to be a very common one in the New Testament. One of the causes of evil and suffering in this world is free will. The Word on Fire Show is a weekly discussion in which Bishop Barron and Brandon Vogt take a deep dive into all things faith and culture. God is not being unjust when he takes something you wanted away from you, hes just saving you from future predicaments you would have never even Suffering for doing good is not punishment from God. I believe Romans 8:28 applies best to personal situations for believers in God. One teaching of Islam which is relevant to the problem of pain and suffering is predestination. Is it because he does not love us enough to step in and prevent the suffering that happens in the world which he created? Why Does God Allow A person may sincerely pray and truly have faith that God can heal, but if it is not Gods will to provide the healing at that time, then no healing will come (see 1 John 5:14 ). God is always saving you from things you dont know could harm you. Concerning a man born blind, his apostles asked Jesus, Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind? (John 9:2) Here we see the human prejudice toward assuming human suffering is automatically the result of someones sin. Although we struggle sometimes to accept it, it is always true. He already knows it, of course, but we need to be honest with Him and ourselves and face our own need of healing. Lots in the Bible and in Christendom is said about God's love, God's justness, his power, etc. Why does God allow things like cancer and natural disasters Rather he says that for us personally, and to some extent for others as well, it is completed, matured, filled up, realized when we suffer. It has been argued, for example, that if patients heal themselves, or heal their lives, then physical healing will follow. Suppose there is some realm or cause within or beyond evolution. Let your tears flow freely. What about death? Rather look to them with full hope as they arise. From my illness may I gain a truer appreciation of lifes gifts, a deeper awareness of lifes blessings, and a fuller sympathy for all who are in pain. Coping with Cancer: One Patients Way of Coping, Coping with Cancer: Feeling Right When Things Go Wrong: Beliefs I Use to Help Me to Stay Alive. suffering and God: a response to Stephen Fry My God and God of all generations, in my great need I pour out my heart to you. May you and your friend turn instead to Christ, and find in Him the comfort and strength you need. How can Jesus be the first born son of Israel and also the only born son? Billy Graham, Q: Most people are comfortable to say that Jesus was a great man. As St. Paul taught us in Romans 8:28, We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. All things do in the long run work together for good because all things will be made whole in the kingdom, where there will be no tears, no sin, and no death but only joy, gladness, goodness, and life. No, weather is a blessing. God took a huge chance in us. Having a deep faith in God and a certain hope that his promises to us will be fulfilled is especially challenging at moments of intense suffering. I answer this in my lesson on the problem of suffering. When we seize Gods strength we grow with a deeper sense of Gods love and we begin to feel His comfort. What seems complicated to explain or even contradictory at first is actually quite simple. This personal faith is frequently deep and forms a foundation of emotional and spiritual strength when we face crisis, cancer, and especially death. Without failure, success loses all its ability to satisfy. We have all watched the mother who expends all of her energy protecting her little charges from all possible sources of displeasure or pain. (See the article: Does Your Attitude Make a Difference?) Many patients feel that if they can fix whatever is wrong in themselves, or adopt the right attitudes and behaviors, then the malignancy will be stopped. Without the magnetic properties of iron, highly energetic charged particles from the sun would destroy all life on the earth. Premier On Demand 78.3K subscribers Subscribe 29K views 3 years ago This 90 second answer from Glen Scrivener We cannot simply state platitudes and make all the emotional and rational problems associated with suffering simply disappear. And if God simply chose to take Nabeel (and others) home through cancer, then why are serious sicknesses in the Bible associated with sin and the devil? To those who suffer, God does not provide arguments which explain everything; rather, his response is that of an accompanying presence, a history of goodness which touches every story of suffering and opens up a ray of light. I will share just a couple of the relevant passages. Suffering is not inherently evil. There are tragedies so horrendous that it seems patronizing to say, No problem, God can use that for the good. It seems unreasonable to explain the genocide of the Pol Pot regime in Cambodia by the ultimate good which can come of it. The sin of Adam and Eve Why What should our response be? The concept of maya is common to Jainism, Sikkhism and Buddhism as well. God's plan is to fix the heart of mankind. We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website. But why do Read More, Q: An article in the Scientific American astounded me saying that astrology is founded on the position of the stars, but there isRead More, Q: I heard a song that says, I thank God for unanswered prayers. It troubled me because I believed that God answers all prayers and that we often think that the prayer is Read More, Q: Does God determine everything that happens to us or can we make our own decisions regardless of what God would prefer we do in life? We need to be careful how we judge situations. Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. I certainly have not had any sort of extraordinary suffering in my life. Pope Francis wrote quite eloquently about this matter in Lumen Fidei, paragraph 57, when he reminds us that God provides us with an accompaniment through our times of pain and suffering. Therefore, he is not the Messiah. Although the more one thinks about it, the less feasibly such an existence could be possible. St. Bernadette SoubirousO my Mother, take my heart and hide, Thursday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time, Les JMJ nont pas vocation convertir : les propos de Mgr Aguiar suscitent la polmique, Frres de Saint-Jean : Jattends que le rapport se traduise en actes , RD-Congo : Lglise catholique face la vague denlvements Kinshasa, Human Rights Council condemns acts of religious hatred, The Moscow Patriarchates irreversible decline in Ukraine. My heart and prayers go out to you and your beautiful niece at this most difficult time. 7. 3 reasons why God allows suffering. Poverty, hunger, depredation in general. WebNot so. Because His love usually manifests itself in good things that happen to us, we sometimes fall back in shock and consternation when we see a child struck by disease or some other trauma. Emotional pain is a warning against sinful behaviors and a signal to flee emotionally harmful situations. How can a good God allow innocent people to suffer? Cancer Let each person reach their own conclusion in the matter (but be thankful for being able to reach your own conclusion!). The answer is an emphatic no. They understood the mystery at work in them. And he cares for It is a problem of the heart. Cell replication allows our bodies to grow and develop, yet can result in cancer when natural processes misfire. He has showed you, O man, what is good. Our perspective on these realities and questions emerges in large measure from our religious, spiritual, or philosophical orientation, and it influences how we experience the illness its meaning, how we feel about it, and how well we come to terms with it. Through suffering they experience Christ. Rituals and prayer are the central and best-known religious techniques. Even when sickness is not directly from God, He will still use it according to His perfect will. It was created (or evolved, depending on your perspective) so that we can thrive. In drawing near to the suffering, they were certainly not able to eliminate all their pain or to explain every evil. Cancer is not one of those things. Success is incredibly sweet when we have suffered with repeated failure. If God is all-powerful and omniscient, why does he allow babies to be born with cancer? If pain and suffering is not evil then the apparent contradiction raised by the skeptic or even by the sincere seeker goes away. How did I respond to suffering today? Why Did God Create Cancer? - Beat Cancer : Beat Cancer Dwight Longenecker Stephen Frys passionate condemnation of God for creating a world This is Gods plan. Why does God allow How many men and women of faith have found mediators of light in those who suffer! The point is this, Job suffered greatly, but it was not because of his sin. St. Why does God allow babies to be born with leukemia? It requires the Christian response, which is compassion. God St. Paul taught us this in his letter to the Colossians: Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ on behalf of his body, which is the church (Colossians 1:24). ROLE OF THE TUMOR Cancer and Alright but god can stop cancer. WebThe thought that sickness is punishment from God has a long history. Obviously, not all atheists can be characterized that way, but the philosophical underpinning of atheism tends to produce a cynical and cold view of human beings, with its obvious affect on how those who are suffering are treated. WebAnd I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. Why God But there is a key part that seems to get glossed over, freedom. This is not the silver bullet to the problem of suffering. 5. Jesus was greatly moved because that is the Christian response to suffering. Jesus told his followers, Go and make disciples of all nations.. Death for the believer leaves a legacy. Why Does God Allow Such Capable Christians to Die It is a gift from God. She will be healed spiritually and emotionally by God. Instead he appealed to their hearts, their minds and their consciences. What could I say in such a situation? Like I already said, the questions you are asking are mostly answered at the web site already, so you should do some searching around. The Christian response is compassion and caring, but cancer is not evil and it is not Gods job to prevent suffering. WebJeremiah J. Johnston, PhD, MA, MDiv, BA, is a New Testament scholar, pastor, author, nationally syndicated radio host, Bible teacher, and apologist, and he ministers internationally as president of Christian Thinkers Society. Human nature causes us to want to pull backto protect ourselves from experiencing the suffering of others, but that is not what Jesus did. Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him. (Hebrews 5:7,8) When we suffer, God does not mind at all if we cry out to him. WebThe child is innocent yet he will grow up to sin as all do. One persons godly response to suffering might be just the thing that brings another person to God. The institution tends to be impersonal, but Muslims do have some notable programs to alleviate poverty. Let us look at what the Bible says about physical death and then ask whether this agrees with reason. They assert that when we suffer, all that God can do is to be present with us. Physical suffering is more obvious, but emotional painchronic fear, loss, loneliness and mourningthese are more prevalent and often more devastating. This is as true today as it was in the days of Moses. The Christian world view can be defined by the teachings and the actions of Jesus Christ, but let us go back into the Old Testament to get started. Simply tell people to pray about it (without taking steps to relieve the suffering). WebThe Bible says that He truly is the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). Why Does God Allow Pain And suffering, as we will see below, is very meaningful.[1]. Considering all the human suffering in the world, the disease, pain, violence, crime, premature death and much more, it seems reasonable to conclude that there are two possibilities. Well, lets start with murder and work our way towards cancer. God had gifted her with a marvelous ability to communicate His Word. Why does God allow babies to be born with leukemia? Those of us who have been parents understand this. In fact, we have a word for the kinds of people who seek pain for its own sake. They wonder how to act and how to function at this time. Most theologians and religious leaders today acknowledge that there are no simple answers to these questions. Why does cancer exist? - Quora. These laws have inevitable consequences. For someone facing cancer, the suffering is far more than just physical. Rather, says Jrgen Moltmann, in accord with many contemporary theologians, God suffers with us. Then he said to his disciple, The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. A loving God does not, could not, desire our suffering. If John the Baptist doubted Jesus in Matthew 11:3, does this contradict his being sure of Jesus in Matthew 3:14? How can the idea of a loving and powerful God be consistent with the existence of evil, pain and suffering in the world? Try to do this in the most personal way possible. We are His Christian soldiers. In the Bible, God takes the issue of suffering head-on. Dont be angry at God, or think He has abandoned you because He hasnt. My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? (Matthew 26:38, 39, 27:46). What we are left with is the clear biblical teaching, which seems to be confirmed by our own experiences; God has given his creatures freedom of will to do good or to do evil. God understands our suffering and our emotional response to it. He did his best to alleviate physical suffering. What is the cause of all this suffering, and what is the explanation from Gods perspective? His power is made perfect in our weakness, and our suffering can be transformed for good, but that is not why it initially happens. Why cant I go to Communion if I dont go to Mass every Sunday? Christ is the one who, having endured suffering, is the pioneer and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). WebIf God exists, why do some little children die of cancer or other terminal ailments? Christ was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief (Isaiah 53:3). The Lord is sovereign and He controls all adversity in our lives. Why would a loving and holy God allow a child to suffer Is God to blame for this? At the end of this emotional appeal, God pleads with his people, Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. Similarly, at the end of his life, Joshua left this charge with the people of God, But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. In view of eternity, our light and momentary afflictions are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. (2 Corinthians 4:17). Is it wrong to want to die Every three months scans were done to look for tumors in his chest or abdomen. Compassion and listening are in order. As I pondered the subject, I came to realize that the problem of suffering and of the existence of evil in the world is the most significant apologetic question for the majority of people.
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