Suffering

Opening Discussion

How many of you have questions about suffering? What are some of those questions?

What types of suffering do people go through?

What are some responses you have heard to suffering?

Know What Matters

Suffering is Universal, regardless of religion, background, belief, or perspective all the universe goes through what we would call suffering. Universal Need.

Suffering is not always linear. Linear means A causes B. Suffering has multiple perspectives and some of it won’t be logical.

Sin is not always the basis of suffering.

Suffering leads to only two responses with God from us: Bitter or turning to Him. Sometimes we are both.

God’s true perspective on Suffering not What or Why or How, it is Who.

Garden to the Garden: God’s creation didn’t start out with suffering and it doesn’t end with suffering either. God is not creator of evil or suffering

Question behind the Question, what is the true question being asked?

Know Your Tools

Question behind the Question: What is the perspective of the person asking or wondering?

Understanding Suffering: Even in the Bible there are multiple types of suffering, recognizing the difference is a lifelong process.

1) Suffering as a result of Mankind’s actions. Adam/Eve (Gen 3)

Human Actions with sin: We steal, we get caught, we go to prison.

Other’s human actions with sin: My parents stole, my parent’s got caught/prison, I’m now in foster care.

3) Does God punish? Yes but it’s not that simple.

God’s punishment on Israel, took hundreds of years and was in the form of enemy armies for failure to honor own covenant.

God’s punishment red flag always “God is punishing YOU” even if it were true, is the speaker God? Then how do you know?

God’s punishment is justice and mercy. He must punish because He is Just, the whole message of Jesus is that he chooses not too because he is Merciful.

4) Nature Suffering. A tornado may just be because our world is chaotic and fallen

The Problem of Evil

Philosophical: The Logical Problem and Probability Version - Dr Craig Videos

God’s purpose is not to make us happy.

God is not a cosmic babysitter he is God the Father.

Answering Suffering is relational. The value of an answer depends on the depth of the relationship.

Know Your Self

Can you trust God in your suffering even if he doesn’t tell you why?

Happiness

D

Triple AAA

Sources

God, Freedom and Evil by Alvin Plantinga