I’m writing this entry in answer to comment #2, which was posted on my last entry, “Hello. God Calling!"
Adam made some very valid points in his comments. People throughout history have struggled with this very issue. Human suffering is one of the biggest challenges to faith. I know, because suffering was one of the issues I struggled with for many years as I watched my grandfather suffer and die from cancer and my grandmother struggle and die from Altzheimer’s disease. Neither of them let go of their faith, even in the face of their pain. I still struggle sometimes with the issue of suffering as I face my own health issues, which God, for whatever reason, has chosen not to heal. I don’t believe there IS an answer that will completely explain human suffering, but my faith remains strong in spite of it. I believe that someday, God will answer this question. Until then, I wait.
The error in Adam’s statements come from his conclusion that those who are not healed are worth less or loved less than those who are. That is simply NOT TRUE. Jesus loves us all, every one of us, even those who reject Him. When Jesus walked this earth, he healed hundreds of people and raised many from the dead, but, even then, he did not heal or raise them all. He, Himself, died a horrible, painful, humiliating death at the hands of a sinful world. Almost all of His disciples, men He loved very much, died horrible deaths in the hands of this sinful world. Why should we today think we deserve anything less? We are ALL sinners. We ALL contribute to the disease of sin that plagues the world we live in. As hard as it is to accept sometimes, we ALL deserve the suffering we get. Christ is the only one who didn’t.
And therein lies the answer. Human suffering is the result of sin. Sin rules this world for now and it will continue to do so until Christ returns to destroy it once and for all. None of us are exempt from the disease and suffering of sin. We have no right to be. I don’t know why He heals some and not others. Only He knows the answer to that. When He walked this earth, His miracles were for OUR benefit, to show us He was who He said He was, to show us that He has the ultimate power over suffering and death. He didn’t heal them all because the time for healing the world had not yet come and it still hasn’t. But He does still perform miracles to remind us that He is there and He still has the power to destroy suffering and death. If we choose to hold onto faith, even in the face of our suffering, HE WILL RETURN and, when he does, all those who remain faithful will be healed and set free from suffering for all eternity.
I stand by my statement “He cares about each one of us and if we trust Him, He will take care of us.” He may not heal me today. He may not heal me tomorrow. He may not even heal me during my earthly life, but He WILL heal me and He DOES take care of me. Suffering may rattle me sometimes, but I refuse to allow it to break my faith. Satan can do whatever he wants to my body, but he CANNOT touch my soul. My soul belongs to Christ!
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