Fellow Believers In Christ: On Sin and Suffering?

Question

Is there anything in your life that is a "Thorn in your side" and you know it is a direct result of your disobedience to God's commandments?

How have you dealth with it? Do you praise God for it that it serves as a reminder lest ye stumble and fall again?
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Related Scripture and Study Text: Read on if you'd like.

----------On Sin and Suffering----------
“For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the Lord God. “Therefore turn and live!”
—Ezekiel 18:32

"There are problems we can bring into our lives as a result of sin. I am not suggesting that someone with a physical illness is being punished for sin. The Scripture teaches that even the godly will suffer.

Job was not a sinner. But because he was righteous, the Lord allowed testing to come into his life. Three times, the apostle Paul asked the Lord to take away his physical affliction. But instead of healing Paul, the Lord responded, “My grace is sufficient for you.”"

Yet there are troubles that we can bring upon ourselves. An alcoholic might need a liver transplant. Someone engaged in immoral sexual behavior might have a disease. You might say they brought these conditions upon themselves by their sinful choices. So yes, there are penalties that can come into our lives unnecessarily because of our sin.

We don’t know whether the man at the pool of Bethesda in John 5 was born that way or whether he developed that condition later in life. But we do read that Jesus said to him, “Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you” (verse 14). So we may conclude that this man had done something that brought this sin upon him, and he had dealt with his affliction for 38 years.

I have heard stories of people coming to faith when they were facing death. They were uncertain, and they turned to God. As the psalmist said, “Before I was afflicted, I went astray, but now I keep your word” (Psalm 119:67).

Sometimes sickness, calamity, or tragedy can bring us to our knees so we will turn to God. And if that is what it takes, then it would be better that we were sick and right with God than healthy without Him" ---Greg Laurie Daily Devotional

Answer 1

Yes. Thanks for the devotional.
Isaiah 38:16
Lord, your discipline is good, for it leads to life and health. You have restored my health and have allowed me to live!

Answer 2

Sin, as I understand it, is a breaking from God. And certainly I have experienced those moments in my life when I felt "apart" from God. But I would say my faith has made me understand that the God I believe in never abandons me and waits patiently for me to accept the unconditional love that is there for me. That sense of spiritual security has done a lot to keep me steady and on the right path; therefore I don't go around feeling like I have a thorn in my side. And I know, when I trip, the bruises will heal.

Answer 3

Absolutely,sin will always be there.But I can thank Jesus for my salvation.One day Jesus will come back and set everything straight.Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess.For those unbelievers in the world,it will be the day they all will get angry and scream to us why didn't we tell them?Well,we did,and we do,everyday we come on line to minister to them.Some unbelievers are hear because they are curious,they need to hear something that will click in their minds.Most unbelievers don't believe in sin either,so therefore they look at their actions from a worldly standpoint.An unbeliever can't think in a biblical sense and make sense out of it.The grace of Jesus and my prayer life gets me through this lost and dying world.

Answer 4

The thorn is my side is, ME. My flesh keeps me from being back in fellowship with Christ. Romans 7:15-24 says it best for me. My debt is things I have sow so there for I reap what I sow. I believe Paul had the same problem as me cause when he wrote Romans 7:15-24 he knew his flesh was rotten as well. There is a war going on inside me, my flesh wants to go one way and the Spirit is trying to lead me back to God.

Answer 5

Emphatically so. For years I made excuses for not going back to my church. During that time I sinned grievously, but sought forgiveness and have repented. Now I am fully activated in my church and my callings and I have strong purpose.

Although I learned from my bad choices, I view those years as wasted in my life.

Answer 6

I think for me personally, it's looking outward too much, and judging the world, and not spending enough time being accountable for my own actions.
Reading 'Imitation' by Thomas a'Kempis has really helped me focus on my own life and following Christ.

Answer 7

Yes we all learn the hard way sometimes and even old choices after our lives right now...Just had a job interview...it sounds so good...Hope you will pray for me! Thanks.

Answer 8

I thank myself for noticing that there is something in need of improvement.