Why do we go through what we do?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by a servant (Chris) on August 18, 2012 at 5:11pm

I believe part of the answer is found in 2Cor 1:3-11 3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. 4 He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. 5 For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with His comfort through Christ. 6 Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer. 7 We are confident that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in the comfort God gives us. 8 We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. 9 In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. 10 And He did rescue us from mortal danger, and He will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in Him, and He will continue to rescue us. 11 And you are helping us by praying for us. Then many people will give thanks because God has graciously answered so many prayers for our safety. In v8 we may have all felt that way before, and even asked God, “why?” In v9 we see that once we stop relying on ourselves on begin to believe, have Faith in God. Those things we change. I myself have to say, I have a long way to go in that area. As we begin to understand we go through things so, we begin to operate in Faith. Then we are able to share that comfort we find in our Faith with others who are going through what ever it may be. Also, when we are troubled in certain areas, and another comes around telling them to just “believe more,” have “more Faith.” We all know that can fall flat. But, when we are able to share we have gone through the same thing they are now going through. And, to be able to share the comfort God has given us to them, and how it all came to pass then, it is easier to hear.

There will always be times, we think or have missed the mark. The enemy will seize these as opportunities, to lead us away from the Truth. Eph 1:7 Through the Blood of his Son, we are set free from our sins. God forgives our failures because of His overflowing Kindness. I love the way this version, {GWT} uses the word “failures,” where other use sins, trespasses, offenses. Not that these are wrong in any way. Many times we must call sin, sin. But, there are times when we “fall short” and we feel exactly like failures. We do not want to let God down in any way. Yet, we find ourselves doing just that in many ways. 1John 4:10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation
(atonement or payment) for our sins. We needed to be brought to the place of forgiveness. This is how we must see ourselves. When we focus on our failures, our sins, that is how we will see ourselves. When we do this, faith has no room to bring us where we must be. Faith works when we believe in the power behind what we have faith in. John 3:16 "For God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. On this of course, we know we build the rest.

Permalink Reply by Rita Cullimore on August 19, 2012 at 6:11am

We need to think about the *why* of going through bad spots. Most probably, it is because of something that we, ourselves cause. On the occasion that it is not something we have caused,  God will always have our back, as long as we keep faith in Him. I, personally, sort my bad spots into two groups what I have caused and what someone else has caused.

Under the *what I have  caused* category, I try to think where I went wrong and what I could have done to avoid it. That helps me to avoid the situation in future.

Under the *what another caused*, I try to figure out what I did wrong to  cause another to bring about a bad situation. 

Under another category of things *unknown*, the list is very short.

Under the category of what God caused, there are no entries. Why? Because God doesn't bring bad things to us. WE bring them to ourselves, or another will bring us to them but many times that is by our own actions.

Under *unknown*, Satan may take credit for that situation. He does cause some bad things to happen.

If we will think before we speak and act, things will go easier for us. If we utilize our faith, wrongs can be righted through the movement of God, through our faith.

Blessings...

Rita

Permalink Reply by dean burrows on August 19, 2012 at 10:30am

Like this Rita  especially the part which makes it clear Our Heavenly Father does not bring bad things on us it is our choices our decisions that find us in the situations we get in.

 Chris the verse out of Corinthians every time I hear those or read them they make me excited as they give me the knowledge that no matter how bad I mess up and I will mess up Our Heavenly Father is there with me comforting guiding forgiving.

As for why do we go through what we go through..   I believe Genisis 3 explains that pretty plain.  Adam instead of looking for forgivenes and correction of his mistake he hid. Then instead of excepting his responsibilty he put it on the woman and on God.  How many times do we find ourselves in a situation and if we are honest about it did not look to God before jumping forward. Or when something happens the lies flow in making us feel unworthy and we decide we have to make correction rather than immediately turn to God.  I have to be honest to many times I jump in mess up and then go oh oh Father help. Oh and in reflection I see how it would have been much better to ask for the help first.

To say God allows to me is to say He gives permission for us to do wrong.  Genisis 1 and genisis 2 explains very plainly the awesome gift and authority God has given us. I believe these 2 chpters explain why God does not interfere as opposed to allow. God has made it clear there is punishment for the wrongs (sin)  therefore I do not see that He is allowing those wrongs/difficulties/pains

Permalink Reply by RoyW on August 20, 2012 at 2:50am

Since God is sovereign, we do know that whether or not it is our fault that something that seems bad is happening to us, God has a purpose for it and I do think the verses you have shared, Chris, are very important in our understanding of that. Paul was suffering primarily because he was out there preaching the Gospel to the enemies of God. He was severely beaten and left for dead. I had a cousin who was born without an arm. She did nothing to deserve that. I had another cousin that was born with cerebral palsy. Some people are born or afflicted with childhood diseases. I have a grandson that was afflicted with type 1 diabetes. He was seven or eight at the time. His parents have suffered tremendously as a result. I think Chris is really hitting on something here. People suffer and often it is not as a result of anything they have brought upon themselves.

We as Christians must admit that these kinds of things do happen to people that have done nothing to deserve them. Yes, we are guilty of some things but I believe Chris is talking of things that happen not as a result of something we have brought upon ourselves. If sin always brought death and disease, we would all be diseased and dead. Eventually, we will all die but some do have more to deal with than others while in this life. It just might be that God wants them to share with others how to endure these times. I have mentioned my cousin with cerebral palsy before. Her mother was a saint. She never missed church and her daughter grew to be about twenty-seven before she died. She carried her with her to each service. I have never seen anyone like her. She never complained but did take her daughter to all the healing evangelists including Oral Roberts. Judy couldn't speak, she couldn't walk, she couldn't care for herself in any way. Why did that come upon my cousin? Whose sin was it that caused this illness? Why couldn't we raise her from this bed of affliction through prayer? The mother was a lady of faith. Today, I believe she has a mighty big mansion as she is now with Jesus. Lazarus had sores on his body while here on earth but in heaven, wow! He was so poor that dogs came to lick his sores. God was obviously aware of his situation but for some reason allowed him to live his life in that poverty. Life here on this earth is for a brief moment. We are all plagued with sin and weakness. The failures we suffer are many.

Chris, I so wish you didn't have to suffer. Yet, I know that God will bring you glory. Maybe He will heal you completely in this life. I know you are facing surgery on  your knees and I pray that goes well. Yet, your words here today are very encouraging to those who are suffering. They are  like ointment on sores. Yes, sin has brought suffering into this world. Yet, some of the worse sinners like that rich man in Luke have so much in this world. When Abraham talked to that rich man while he was suffering in the flames, Abraham told him that in this life he had pleasure but now Lazarus was comforted. I just wonder what we can read into that phrase,

Lk 16:25 "But Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. NIV

I'm not sure what all Abraham meant but it does appear to us that what Lazarus received in this world was bad while the rich man received the good things. But, who would you rather be? I think I would say that I would like to receive good things here and good things in the afterlife. It just doesn't always work that way. I wonder about those who have so much and claim to be of God. The rich man had everything but ended up in hell. I can imagine that he was a religious man. I can imagine that he was well respected in his community. Yet, he would have been so much better off without such a good life here on earth. We just cannot judge people by how many good things are happening to them here. God has a different method than ours. I love these verses.

Blessings, Chris. You are more blessed than you realize. The Spirit is upon you. That is blessing enough.

Permalink Reply by RoyW on August 20, 2012 at 3:11am

By the way, Margarete lived in a pretty plain house and never had a whole lot. She suffered in this life but was constantly giving. Her testimony about Christ was never in a complaining mode. She could have put Judy in a home somewhere but chose to lovingly care for her for her entire life. I think Judy lived to be around twenty-seven or so. I have never met anyone like Margarete. She was an actual saint. Today, she is comforted. I wonder what that phrase means. 

Permalink Reply by a servant (Chris) on August 20, 2012 at 10:06am

Bless you Roy

    I am so thankful that you get me, not everyone does;)  I am learning more and more about myself, as I go through what I do.  As I have said before, I am a better child of God because I have gone/go through what I do.  Phil 3:1 1 Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you these things, and I do it to safeguard your faith.  Make more sense to me now, than if I had not gone through the pain.  Ps 34:1 1 I will praise the LORD at all times.  I will constantly speak his praises.  As we learn to do this, when things are tough.  Then when they are easier, Wow we can really raise the roof.

Roy, I am Looking so forward to meeting Judy and Margarete.  I am always so inspired to hear of testimonies like these.  Bless you for sharing part of, what I can only imagine is a Powerful story of Love, between a Mom and Daughter.

Lord Bless you Brother

 

Permalink Reply by Richard L. Broch, Sr. on August 22, 2012 at 9:45pm

Dear, dear, Brother Chris,

Boy, o boy.......where do I start?

Great question and discussion. Some excellent posts here, Bro.

I particularly appreciated the words of brother Roy. Here's some Scripture to add to his post:

Exodus 4:11, "And the Lord said to him,"Who has made man's mouth? Or who makes him dumb or deaf, or seeing or blind? Is it not I, the Lord?"

Psalm 119:75, " I know, O Lord, that Thy judgments are righteous, and that in faithfulness Thou hast afflicted me."

Psalm 119: "It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I may learn Thy statutes."

 

Job was as righteous as they came.......and look at his experience.

And how about the blind guy in John, Chapter 9?

 

Brothers and Sisters.......You won't hear too many "feel good" preachers talking to their crowds about 1 Peter 4:12,

13, " Beloved, do not be surprised at the firey ordeal among you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you: (13) but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing: so that also at the revelationof His glory, you may rejoice with exultation."

 

I like to think of our relation with Almighty God this way:

A wealthy man has a racing car built to enter in NASCAR competition. He spares no cost and effort in this endeavor.

Finally it's done - a shiny, sparkling beauty that looks great!

............But will it race?.......how will it hold up?......WILL IT WIN THE BIG RACE??? 

Seems a shame to put such a fine-looking machine in the dust and dirt, straining every part, getting banged around

in the race....... but this has to be done to find out how the car will perform and hold up under exreme pressure.

 

O.K., here's the breakdown of the story: God is the wealthy builder....the finished car is a new Christian.....looks good, sounds good......how will this new saint hold up under pressure? Any new race car (Christian) can stand tall

until getting in the race (the ratrace of  life)  and mixing it up with cars from all walks of the world.......getting dirty and banged around........

Will the new car win... and bring it's owner (God) glory?

Nobody can tell until actual race experience. 

 

One thing for sure, guys,

there's great joy under the hood (in our hearts) when we come through the trials...........

 

Grace and Peace to all.

"