from a christian perspective, "why do people suffer?"?

Question

if you have this extra info:

*describe the reasoning that supports this belief
* if you can, add some comparisons of other religions reason for suffering
*are these beliefs easy to uphold in modern times?

thanks!

Answer 1

If you look at Genesis, the world is in a state of malfunction because of sin. ie, man was given authority over the earth, man rebelled therefore God said decay would come to the earth, and corruption to mankind. So there is suffering.

However, that same suffering can be turned around and used for good. If you look at this Bible passage, it talks about the end result of standing in faith and going through suffering, in Romans 5:

"And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope."

Also, the sufferings of Christ took away the sin of the world.

Answer 2

Suffering can build character and resolve. Think of it this way: If a 1-year old falls and gets a large gash on his forehead that is bleeding profusely, a doctor will be required to put in a few stitches to help reduce the bleeding before numbing the area to finish the stitches. The 1-year old cannot grasp why mommy and daddy would allow him to suffer in such a way. Since God's ways are higher than man's ways, we may suffer and have no earthly idea why God must put us through the pain. Nevertheless, the pain may be for our own good. Much suffering is incomprehensible to us, so this concept may be emotionally difficult to believe, but it is not intellectually difficult to understand.

Answer 3

When God first created the universe he created it with laws, both physical and spiritual. One of the spittual laws was "The consequence of sin is death". When God created mankind he gave us choice - free will. Man chose sin which brought sin and death into the world. This sin, death and suffering befalls all people in every place and walk of life. The Good News is this: God was not content to let us die in sin. He sent his Son Jesus to suffer the penalty of death for ALL. This is why Jesus is also called the "Lamb of God." Inthe same way that the blood of lambs protected the Israelites from the Angel of Death, so Jesus' blood protects us from death for all time.

So yes, there is suffering in this world, but we can have Joy too and peace. When we accept Christ we enter into His rest and His Peace. Bad things may still happen, but we are comforted that it is for a small span of time and then the resurrection.

Answer 4

SIN, that is the reson why we suffer, we are separated from God, and so He is separeted from us, but there is hope, He has bridged the gap(with His own arms) when He died on the Cross, We now have a way to Him, we have a way to have joy even in our suffering, He can set you free of sin, but only if you repent and trust in Him.

Answer 5

Since the fall, there will always be suffering for blessing.
It is what it is. There is good and evil in the World therefore suffering and blessing... it's really that simple.

Answer 6

People suffer because the earth contains sin.Sin separates us from GOD.

Answer 7

My Priest recomended this book, "Healing the Culture", by Robert J Spritzer. Here is what is says about suffering:

"Why God Allows Suffering
by Marie Harkins and Camille De Blasi

No one wants to suffer. In fact, our natural human response is to run from suffering whenever possible. Unfortunately, each of us will have to face it in varying degrees. Heartache, pain, and loss are unavoidable facts of human life. But even though suffering is never "good" in itself, tremendous good can come from it when people rise to the occasion. In fact, every moment of suffering opens a door to the possibility of bringing greater love, compassion, contribution, hope, inspiration, and faith into the world. If we fail to understand the true meaning of suffering, we will miss the positive effects that can emerge from it, and we will completely overlook the intrinsic dignity of the suffering person, resulting in a shallow understanding of what it means to be "compassionate." (If you have not yet read the first article on the four levels of happiness, click here).

Suffering 1

From a Level 1 view of happiness, suffering is meaningless. If we are living for material wealth and sensual pleasures, any kind of suffering at all will plunge us into crisis. Obviously, it is difficult (if not impossible) to acquire new possessions and to experience pleasure if one is very ill or severely disadvantaged. From a Level 1 view of life, then, suffering can lead only to depression, despair, and complete loss of self-worth.

Suffering 2

Similarly, living for the competitive edge frequently leads us to view suffering as a setback. After all, if I can no longer run the fastest mile on the track team, get the highest grades, or outpace my colleagues, what do I have left to live for? I will begin to believe that my life (and my suffering) is meaningless. Level 2 can produce some positive effects, but not long-term ones. For example, if I sense that there is an end in sight, I may be inspired to take courage and endure the pain. If I sense that the suffering can give me an advantage in the future, such as earn me the respect of others or make me stronger, then it is tolerable for a while. But such effects do not last. Ultimately, the results of Level 2 suffering become depression, despair, self-pity, bitterness, anger, resentment, and isolation.

Suffering 3

But there is much more to human suffering than initially meets the eye. From a Level 3 view of life, we are able to recognize that even in the midst of terrible pain, great good can emerge. Through it, I can choose to view suffering as an opportunity for great growth ­ growth in wisdom, love, forgiveness, concern for others, compassion, leadership, and humility. In addition, I can recognize that suffering does not bring about only personal growth, but also encourages tremendous growth in the lives of countless others. Suffering persons can be a cause for others to look outside of themselves, to see beyond their own difficulties, to express authentic love, compassion and empathy for another human being. In essence, by allowing others to enter into his or her vulnerability, the suffering person wields a tremendous power: the capacity for bringing a depth of love and hope into the world that perhaps would otherwise never be possible.

Suffering 4

From a Level 4 view of life, suffering obtains even greater meaning. When offered to God in humble trust, our human suffering can be an incredible agent of grace and holiness for ourselves and for the world. Level 4 allows us to trust that even in our deepest pain, even when we cannot see it, God can bring about a good that we never thought possible. Such a perception allows us to look to Him with confidence, to surrender ourselves to His perfect wisdom, and to declare with true courage: "Thy will be done."

Answer 8

Because of sin.

Adam & Eve brought about death.....but Christ has brought about eternal life for us.

Praise God!