To the Christians, Muslims, all others out there - can you tell?

Question

me if it says in the Bible/Quran (any other) that BAD - really bad things happen to your in life -- for years and years -- is it because God is mad at you for something or if it says those who suffer will be okay at some point? I REALLY NEED TO KNOW THE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION. If you aren't a Christian, please tell me your religious affiliation - Muslim or any other and what does your BOOK tell you? Because it is so hard to live like this - working your butt off and getting nowhere and loving people and it doesn't get better. You do your best and you can't help but feel like a failure no matter what you do. I'm 48 yrs. young - have raised 2 kids (great youngest son - - drug addict older son and he stole from us-he's not around-no, not dead-just away and that is a good thing); I have a granddaughter and a grandson on the way to being born -- I love my kids (yes, both) and my grandkids are wonderful. I need some hope that things will change and can't help but feel I'm being punished.

Answer 1

I feel your pain, and not to rub salt in the wound, but have you read the book of Job? It's not a pretty picture. I on the other hand take a life lesson from Wyle E. Coyote, supergenious. No matter how many times he gets blown up, knocked off of a cliff, run over, etc... He still gets up and trys to catch that damned road runner. Never quit, never surrender. There is always hope for change. I hope that helps.

Answer 2

It is also the fact that the element of good is more in the creation than the element of evil. We all see that there are more people who are healthy than those who are sick. There are more that eat well then those who starve. There are more that live decent life then those who commit crimes. Goodness is the rule and evil is the exception. Virtue is the norm and sin is the aberration. Generally trees bear fruits, the flowers bloom, the winds move smoothly. .

This is a temporary world and every thing here has a time limit. When its times comes it will die, come to an end and finish. Neither the good things of this world are forever, nor the bad things eternal. We are here for a short time and we are being tested. Those who will pass this test they will find an eternal world that is perfect and permanent. Those who will fail this test they shall see the evil consequences of their sins and corruption.



How many times it happens that we are not careful and still we reach safely to our destinations. The way people drive in some cities, it is a miracle that more accidents do not happen and more people do not suffer. Allah says: (Allah) Most Gracious! 2- It is He Who has taught the Qur'an. 3- He has created man: 4- He has taught him speech (and Intelligence). 5- The sun and the moon follow courses (exactly) computed; 6- And the herbs and the trees both (alike) bow in adoration. 7- And the Firmament has He raised high, and He has set up the Balance (of Justice), 8- In order that you may not transgress (due) balance. 9- So establish weight with justice and fall not short in the balance. 10- It is He Who has spread out the earth for (His) creatures. (al-Rahman 55:1-10)

Abu Yahya Suhaib bin Sinan (May Allah be pleased with him) reported that: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "How wonderful is the case of a believer; there is good for him in everything and this applies only to a believer. If prosperity attends him, he expresses gratitude to Allah and that is good for him; and if adversity befalls him, he endures it patiently and that is better for him".

[Muslim].

Answer 3

In Pslams 73, in the Bible, the writer asks this very question. He asks why the wicked seem to prosper and the Godly fail and fall down. The only answer he has is that someday all will be made right and everyone will be put in their place. This day is judgement day. He realizes that through all his troubles, there is a reason for it all, he may not understand now, but someday he will. Psalm 73:26 says, "My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever." The thing is, despite all the troubles we face in this world ruined by the Devil, God is our hope. Faith Hope and Love are the good things He gave us. There is a country song by Brad Paisly that answers your question as well. He says, "Farther along we'll know all about it, farther along we'll understand why. Cheer up my brother, live in the sunshine. We'll understand it, all by and by." We don't really have all the answers now, but we will sooner than you think. Later, in Psalms 75:2 it says, "God says, 'At the time I have planned, I will bring justice against the wicked.'" It doesn't mean you are being punished right now, it simply means that God has a purpose to put you through this. The first answer is right, God never puts a challenge before you that you cannot overcome. There is a Marine saying, "Pain is weakness leaving the body." I think this pertains to life. We struggle, we fall, we hurt, but if we make God our primary focus, we come out stronger and better. If you haven't accepted Jesus Christ into your heart I ask you to think about it very seriously. I'm not going to force it on you, but in my experience (and thousands of others) it's much better. Although you still have struggles and pain in this world, with God, you find your burdon can be lifted.

Answer 4

Ok, hon, to be honest, sometimes bad things just happen, and some people just get way more than their fair share of misfortune. This world fell along with Adam and Eve, so there are random acts happenning all around us all the time: some are good, and some are bad.

You are not responsible for the bad decisions of your children, unless you specifically counseled them to make that decision!

I highly doubt God is "punishing" you for anything specific, but He may be using the misfortune in your life to help you understand how much you need Him. If your misfortunes cause you to call on God more often, and rely on the Holy Spirit to get through every day, and drives you to consider your life's path and surrender it more every day to God, then your misfortune is a gift. Strange but true. Like CS Lewis called pain a gift, "God's megaphone". The fire that removes dross from silver and gold. That kind of thing.

Unfortunately, there are no guarantees in this life that I know of. Some of the godliest people that I can think of underwent horrific trials. In fact, that's almost an axiom! The closer any saint came to God, the more the world tried to chew them up and spit them out. Consider how Jesus fared in His earthly life. Was God punishing HIM for something bad, when He was being driven from town to town and under constant threat of incarceration, assassination, torture, and murder? Obviously not.

Seek God, and keep pounding on the "pearly gates" for directions. Get other people to pray with you. You don't need a thousand to do this, 2 or 3 really Godly people will do fine.

Peace to you.

Answer 5

Thank you for being open minded enough to hear from other religions as well as your own. I am Muslim and Islam has a very different view of suffering. Suffering has MANY reasons. Yes sometimes it is as punishment, but many times it is a test, other times it is because you have a lesson to learn. And also suffering erases sin. So if you are a good person who is in submission to God but you have commited more sin than good deeds you may suffer in the end of your life to balance the scales so you can go to heaven.

I can only say this 5 years ago my life was He** I was a Christian with a "Christian" husband who drank and hit me and was horrible to our children. The police in the area were best friends with my husbands boss so no matter how many times he hit me he was never arrested so If I left him by California law he would get joint custudy(unless there is legal proof of abuse it is not even heard in court cases) so I could not leave or that would just transfer his anger onto the kids. I knew nothing about Islam. But one night after my husband had a particularly bad drunken rage I had locked myself in my childrens room. That night I threw my face on the floor and begged God to save me from this life. From that point my life changed drasticly. It would take hours to explain everything. But simply put he pulled his antics when we were visiting a friend in another town and was arrested and I finally had my out. Within days a Muslim student entered my class(I am a teacher) and I started studying Islam.

5 years ago I could not imagine being happy but I now am the happiest person I know. I feel it is all because of Islam (being in submission to the will of God) I look back now over the course of my life and I can see that every bit of suffering I went through was a lesson leading me to accept Islam. I am not saying that Islam is the only way or that all Muslims are as happy as me. But I can say that if you truely submit to the will of God heart and soul, your life will change God willing.

Answer 6

As a Christian, I understand a little about suffering (by GOD's grace) and its nature. For example, if we do something wrong or make a bad choice then we may suffer from the resulting consequences or we may be spared from the suffering.

Sometimes we suffer for no apparent reason: for example, a person we've never met before makes a racist remark to us. We know, as much as possible, that we did nothing to provoke that person, yet they made that remark.

Sometimes suffering may have no apparent reason for its happening.
Even if we have a relationship with GOD, we may suffer for no apparent reason. The thing to remember, especially for Christians, is that GOD can help us through a time of suffering or help change us as a result of suffering.

We can help others who suffer as we do, we may learn something pleasant or unpleasant about ourselves or others. The thing is to never lose hope, to never give up on life and living. Our situation may improve soon, then again it may not. Unfortunately, life is not perfect nor safe.

I wish I could provide you with answers but I cannot. I leave you with my impressions and my prayers; I believe that although you are suffering that you're not being punished; the suffering may feel like punishment however.

I hope and pray that GOD will show His presence to you and comfort you, that you will make it through these hard times and be given a sense of peace and joy. GOD bless you!

Answer 7

Reward and punishment comes on judgment day (Qiyahmah). Christians, Jews and Muslims believe that.

Do not despair. Just continue to do your best. You are not being punished. You are just gaining paitience.....that is a blessing that comes with a great price of suffering...

Isa 45:7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these [things].

Mat 5:45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

Rom 5:3 And not only [so], but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

Rom 5:4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope

Hbr 10:36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

Jam 1:3 ... that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

Jam 1:4 But let patience have [her] perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

Jam 5:11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

Mat 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

Mat 24:13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Answer 8

All what happen to us,bad or happy things,is a test from God to see how we will treat with these things.Will we be exaggerated in our reactions?desperate and hopless when bad things happen to us?or be patient and hopeful whatever happen to us?
It is also what we called a destiny.That is our destiny.
also remember what goes around comes around,sometimes when we are so sinful,God may send a message to us by letting something bad happens to us,to make us think of what we have done and to repent from our sins.
read these verses from Holy Quran :
(Whatever affliction has befallen you, it is for what your own hands have earned, and there is many a sin that He(Allah) pardons.)
(No affliction befalls in the earth or in your own selves, which We have not recorded in a Book (the Writ of destiny) before bringing it into being. This is an easy thing for Allah, (This' is done so that) you are not disheartened over what you may lose nor feel exultant over what Allah may give you. Allah does not love those who are arrogant and boastful, who are themselves stingy and also urge others to be stingy.)

And let me tell you something,if you are patient whatever happen to you,whatever you had suffered,God will reward you sooner or later,just don't be hurry!
("O My servants, who have believed, fear your Lord. There is good for those who have adopted the righteous attitude in this world, and God's earth is vast. Those who endure with patience shall be rewarded without measure. ") Holy Quran

May God(Allah) helps you and reward you what you deserve.

if you have comments or questions just write to me :)

Answer 9

Dear Sis,

well , i am muslim, and im gonna tell u some of what my book, the Qur'an, tells me ..

Allah says in surat azumar (the groups) : " Say: O My slaves who have been prodigal to their own hurt! Despair not of the mercy of Allah, Who forgiveth all sins. Lo! He is the Forgiving, the Merciful."

And he says in surat Yunus (Jonah) : " If Allah afflicteth thee with some hurt, there is none who can remove it save Him; and if He desireth good for thee, there is none who can repel His bounty. He striketh with it whom He will of his bondmen. He is the Forgiving, the Merciful."

And he say in surat albaqarah (the cow) : " And when My servants question thee concerning Me, then surely I am nigh. I answer the prayer of the suppliant when he crieth unto Me. So let them hear My call and let them trust in Me, in order that they may be led aright."

So sis, do not despair , just have strong faith , and do not stop praying. And always thank god, for good things & the bad things.

I hope that i've helped a little..

Hopefully u'll rest oneday, insha'allah.

May Blessings of Allah be upon u.

Answer 10

Look at it this way God is perfect, right. He created a perfect couple, right. And what do you know, DISOBEDIENCE. If god is perfect and His creation sinned, don't take it so hard if your kids don't measuire up to certain standards. Just know that a wonderful God has made a way for us all to get back on track with Him which could include you, your kids and grand kids.
http://www.carm.org/doctrine/100truths.htm