How can there be a God?

Question

I am neither a believer or non-believer. Im an agnostic I've heard. Everyday my doubts grow stronger on if there is a "God". My doubts are stronger than ever today. My friend has been fighting brain cancer for 2 years. He now has to give up and just die because there has been, and is no longer anything they can do. He is 30 years old, a Navy Seal, a true humanitarian, man of God, and has a beautiful 5 year old daughter who he is leaving fatherless in this world. Someone please explain to me why a gracious and loving God would take such a person out of this world? Leaving this baby without her father to be raised by grandparents. I don't understand. I have heard that God works in mysterious ways...this is not mysterious to me, its wrong. Not sure what my question is exactly, just venting a little. Thanks for listening.

Leviatha...Thank you for your helpful words. You sound very wise.

Thanks everyone for your words. Im confused and hurting right now. I dont know what to think but I appreciate all your thoughts and kind words.

Answer 1

I am so sorry you are going through all this pain. And I am so sorry for your friend's daughter.

I am an atheist -- just thought I would send a (((HUG))) your way.

Answer 2

If God prevented his loyal followers from becoming sick, or having accidents, or suffering bereavement etc, we'd see the whole world wanting to join the club! And for all the wrong reasons! No believer was ever promised that the life of faith would be easy. On the contrary, Jesus said the way was narrow and hard to follow. Believers' faith is such that, no matter what the world throws at them, they've staying loyal to God because he paid the price for their sin, so that they will live forever with him. To be released from the burden of your sin is utterly amazing. This gift cannot be bought or earned. It is only given to those who put faith in what God has done, in Christ. So the poor and the voiceless and the sick and the uneducated are rushing ahead into the Kingdom because they hear the invitation to 'Come' and respond. They are blessed!

Do not fret for the future of this child, or her father. There was a child in a Moslem country who died, despite her Christian parents and friends praying for his life. They held the funeral, at which many Muslim relatives were present. After it, some relatives approached the Christian minister, expressing amazement at the faith and quiet confidence of the bereaved parents. They asked for the gospel to be explained to them, it was, and many Muslims became Christians as a result. They will how have an incredibly hard time as converts to Christianity. They might even be martyred for their new-found faith. But God is the God of the resurrection! Believers have real life now, and in the future, eternal life. Agnostics cannot know this assurance. Consider Christ and learn from him. Many Christians will now be praying as a result of this question, so thank you for posting it.

Answer 3

You are plain confused,may be due the pain.How have you made God responsible for this tragedy or for any such things happening in the world?Suppose,He retorts back and says it's not his job,then what?Even if one were to answer it differently,there is always a Karma theory or fate or whatever.Like many good things,bad things also happen.We have to endure them,whether taking solace from a faith or stoically.Life can be a real ***** at times but then that's life.Hope with passage of time,wounds shall heal and that little angle(Girl) grows to be a happy lady.

Answer 4

I think that you are asking the age old question about why the good suffer.

I can not answer you about God. I am a Buddhist. I will try to relate what I believe about this from what I have learned in my practice.

First, there is no one deciding who lives and who dies. These are events related in a chain of cause and effect ungoverned by any being.

Second, realization that suffering exists for all beings in the universe is a step towards becoming liberated from that suffering.

Third, the origin of suffering is attachment. We can be attached to life, friends, loved ones, cars, houses or cake. Whatever the attachment may be, it will cause you to suffer.
Why? Because all these things are impermanent in nature. Our attachment to things that will end or disappear will cause inevitable pain and suffering (Dukkha). Non attachment does not mean not to love, it merely means to love with wisdom. Love knowing the real nature of things.

Fourth, breaking the chains of attachment will free your mind from self created suffering. The Buddha's Noble Eight Fold Path is a way to achieve that.

People often relate this path to some sort of dour and repressed life. The opposite can not be more true. This is a path to fulfillment, happiness, true love and ultimate compassion.

If you want to know more just read this short explanation as I am sure mine is flawed.

http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/8foldpath.htm

Answer 5

Hi Jessie: I'm sorry that you are going through hard times with a loved one. My heart goes out to you, you and your friend and daughter will be in my prayers. My grandmother is dying of lung cancer, and she believes in God, so do I.

God does exist. Even you said it yourself, that your friend, was a man of God, I take comfort knowing that God loves him enough to take his pain away. Remember that Satan does exist, he is the ruler of this world right now until Jesus returns to reclaim this world. In the meantime, satan will do whatever he can to include bringing illnesses to followers of God to try and turn them away. If your friend endured everything he faced up until the end and stayed faithful to God, believe me, your friend will be resurrected and rewarded by God. When you get the chance, in the bible there is a story about a man named JOB, who went through so much more, his faithfulness to God paid off, just like your friends love for God will payoff.
In the meantime, maybe God led you to your friends side so that if worse comes to worse that you'd look out for his kid. The grandparents may raise her, but that doesn't mean you can't look out for her. You can share memories of her father with her and make sure she knows who her father is, and what kind of a person he is. In the meantime Jessie, I will keep you all in my prayers and if you need to vent, and have no one to turn to sometimes, email me, I will gladly listen if you need it. Admeta.

Answer 6

to me there is no god, all a god does is make us feel more secure in our lives (if you believe). people twist and turn everything to suit themselves. whenever something bad happens its the work of satan but whenever something good happens it MUST be god. thats a bad example but u know what i mean....im sorry that you have to go through it but death is a part of life. just think, hell be going to a better place where he can watch over his daughter for the rest of her life.

Answer 7

god is dependent on man for his existence. man and his experience of the world is dependent on the mind for his existence. mind is dependent on the invisible spirit for its existence. without that spirit there is neither the man and his world or his belief of god cease to exist .

Answer 8

I don't think anyone can answer that question for you. Perhaps you will find your answer one way or the other by spending your time with those involved.

Answer 9

We must give our heartaches and troubles to God and keep a cheerful attitude no matter what is going on in our lives. We need to remember, "this too, shall pass" as God is eternal and has a good plan for our future.

As Christians, death is the last enemy we face, as we have the assurance that we shall see all of our loved ones who have died in Christ once again. The devil may have snatched them off this earth, but because they belong to God, He snatches them from the devil and takes them home with him. We will be reunited with them. That shall happen when we get to Heaven, or when Christ comes again to this earth and brings them with Him at the resurrection. We are not like those who have no hope. In Christ, our future is full of His promises and we are promised victory over death and the grave!

1 Thessalonians 4:13:
13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

1 Corinthians 15:54-55:
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

Certainly, grief and sorrow are natural emotions that we all experience when we lose someone or something and it is not wrong to feel it at the time a loss or tragedy occurs. However, it is wrong to embrace these emotions as Christians. Just like it is not wrong to feel fear when we are in danger; however, it is wrong to embrace fear because it will destroy our faith. We must not embrace grief either, as the above scripture tells us to "sorrow not."

Many people accept the devil's sorrow and grief tunes by yielding to "singing the blues" or the "crying in your beer" mentality. Many of the songs that are sung in bars and nightclubs are this kind of music. Old melancholy songs about a lost love create a type of emotional sorrow that has an almost intoxicating feeling associated with it. The devil uses old memories to keep people in bondage to the past, even through a hurtful emotional attachment. The Bible tells us to forget those things behind us, and reach forth to the things in front of us in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:13-14:
13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Grief that is not released to God has a deadly hold on many people. They carry this heavy burden that is aching for release. They may find temporary release when someone sympathizes with them or when they cry some tears, but soon this feeling turns into an overwhelming pain of loneliness that is almost unbearable. Grief and sorrow come to hurt us, not help us. We must resist them in the name of Jesus. Jesus does not want us to bear this grief. He bore it on the cross for us. Gladness and joy are our portion, not sorrow and sadness.

Isaiah 53:4:
4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

Isaiah 51:11:
11 Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.

We must resist sorrow and grief and ask for God's peace and comfort when we face loss and heartache. If we submit unto God and resist the devil, then the tormenting grief and pain caused by the devil, will have to flee.

Answer 10

I'm so sorry. I'll put in a good word for him.