It is very easy to develop "tunnel vision" about our suffering. Pain does that to a person - we just want our pain to end! Our suffering does not happen in isolation, it does have an effect on others. Those familiar with our pain are challenged as well. They are given a choice on how they will react or respond. Look at what happened to Job. His employees no longer responded to him. His family members deserted him. Even the village children were allowed to mock and torment him. His close friends were stirred up by Satan to harass him with slander and false accusations. (They even spoke badly about God!) This treatment of those suffering continues to this day, especially in the religious realm.
Recall Matthew 25, starting in verse 31. Jesus speaks of his suffering brethren (the believers) - those who are hungry and thirsty, strangers, those who lacked clothing, the sick and those in prison. He knew, even then, that suffering would continue to this day and time. What will be the response to such suffering? Understand that regardless of your experiences, your life is not useless or insignificant. Every life in Christ is uniquely significant, now and forever.
Your series on "Suffering" is a thoughtful introduction to the subject. In the quest for answers, one must be as informed as possible about the subject of that quest. So it is with the subject of suffering.
It is very easy to develop "tunnel vision" about our suffering. Pain does that to a person - we just want our pain to end! Our suffering does not happen in isolation, it does have an effect on others. Those familiar with our pain are challenged as well. They are given a choice on how they will react or respond. Look at what happened to Job. His employees no longer responded to him. His family members deserted him. Even the village children were allowed to mock and torment him. His close friends were stirred up by Satan to harass him with slander and false accusations. (They even spoke badly about God!) This treatment of those suffering continues to this day, especially in the religious realm.
Recall Matthew 25, starting in verse 31. Jesus speaks of his suffering brethren (the believers) - those who are hungry and thirsty, strangers, those who lacked clothing, the sick and those in prison. He knew, even then, that suffering would continue to this day and time. What will be the response to such suffering? Understand that regardless of your experiences, your life is not useless or insignificant. Every life in Christ is uniquely significant, now and forever.
Your series on "Suffering" is a thoughtful introduction to the subject. In the quest for answers, one must be as informed as possible about the subject of that quest. So it is with the subject of suffering.