Why Do Christians Suffer? (Part 1)

This is a guest post, that I wrote for my friend Heather's blog Grow Up! You can check out her Blog Here. She has been such a great friend, blessing and encouragement to me. Please keep Heather in your prayers. Thank you, God Bless! ~Julie

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She was sitting on the park bench, her head in her hands, and she was sobbing. I saw her right a way. I was not sure what I should do – should I approach her or just continue walking?…seeing I was already late for my next class. Conviction set in and a small, still voice told me I should talk to her.

“Okay Lord, whatever you want me to do.”

I quickly made my way over and plopped down beside her. “Hey, are you ok?”

At first there was no response. She then sniffled and took a tissue out of her pocket and blew her nose. She looked up and then said, “I am fine.”

I was less than convince… I then decided I would sit there and wait a minute. I knew she would talk eventually.

Two minutes later she said, “I just do not understand, I am living right, going to church, I am in Bible College, reading my Bible, and I am praying.”  Sobbing a little, she continued: “I just do not know why I am struggling so much. I have a payment due on my school bill, my friends are mad at me, and I did not do well on my tests. I just don’t get why I am suffering so much. I am doing right.”

Not knowing what I should say, I said a silent prayer, “Lord, give me the words to say, and speak through me.”  I looked at her with concern and understanding in my eyes. I said, “I do not know why you are suffering, only God knows, but one thing I know is God allows things in our lives for a reason.”  I then proceeded to pull out my Bible…

Just like the girl who was crying on that park bench, we all have been there at one point in our lives. We always ask the same question: why do I have to deal with this? Is there really a reason, or is God just punishing me?

Well, my friend, I would like to share with you 10 reasons why Christians suffer. This will be a two-part post, be sure to check out tomorrow’s post!

The first reason we suffer is because of the curse of Sin. In Genesis 3:17-19, it is showing when Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden. Because of their sin in the garden, sin would pass on to generations to come. It is because of the ever-presence of sin in our lives that causes us to suffer. Suffering is the result of it.

Secondly, according to Galatians 6:7,8 we also suffer because of sowing and reaping. Every day we sin — in fact, I read recently that the average person sins five times a day. When I read this it surprised me. I thought I was doing pretty good, but in reality if I was honest with myself I would realize I am not. Of course, most people do not sin on purpose. I do not think there is a person who wakes up in the morning and thinks, “Hey I am going to lie to my parents, take the Lord’s name in vain, or forget to read my Bible and do something else.”  But it is because of the sin we daily do which causes us to suffer.

Thirdly, God is testing our faith. According to James 1:2,3, the Lord bring things our ways for the reason to have us trust Him more. There have been times when I do not put my trust in Him. I try to do things in my own strength, but this is the wrong thing to do. God wants us to give Him our burdens and rely on Him and put all our faith in Him.

Fourthly, God can use these hard times for good. In II Corinthians 1:3,4 speaks of using our experience with troubles to encourage and help others. I have been in countless situations where the Lord has allowed me to be an encouragement to a brother or sister in Christ. Just keep in mind, God can use you to help another person because of this – It will allow you to be used of God.

Fifthly, the Bible says in Romans 5:3-5, that suffering brings us closer to the Lord. When we suffer we shouldn’t shy away from God or run from Him because of our pain or struggles. We should do the opposite — we should run to Him! If we run to God and lay our burdens on Him we can then refocus and, in my personal experience, it awakens a new eagerness to serve the Lord.

To be continued…

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The Dream

The Dream

There I was, somewhere in between reality and sleep. I find myself there. At this moment, I cannot distinguish the things around me. I am disoriented, but my mind and senses are working. I can move my legs and arms, nothing is confining me or in my extended reach. I am moving, but not by the means of myself. There is a simple force pulling me further and further into the darkness.

I do not realize the time or for how long I have been moving, but something has just changed. I can feel it inside me. An eeriness washes over me and the uneasiness takes present inside me. “Where am I?” I begin to questions myself. As questions flood my mind, goosebumps begin to arise and my sense are alert and working. Then it hits me. I feel something, what is it? It is heat, I feel the heaviness of the air around me. The smoke begins to burn my throat, the air is so heavy, I can feel the pain and sorrow in this place. Then, I hear it, the sound piercing my ear. I hear their screams.

Close and closer I am being pressed forward. What is drawing me forward. There is a part of me that wants to turn back and never return this place, but another part of me is pulling me forward into the darkness. Wait. The sound is coming from below me, I am above them, the ones crying out. Though I cannot see them, I hear them. Another wave of heat hits me like an explosion. I hear the screams and gnashing of their teeth. I then cover my ears, but I cannot block out the sound of their crying.

What is this place? As soon as I ask myself this question, it hits me. Everything I have ever learned and heard about and read in the Bible floods my mind. Hell. A real burning Hell. I am here, but physically, but spiritually. I am not consumed, nor being harmed by the blackened flames. I am merely above it. “Why am I here?”

I hear something. Something so frightening, it causes my skin to curl. I hear it again. Someone is saying my name. As this one begins to continually call my name, another voice joins the other. As second progressed, more of them were crying out my name. They were crying out, “WHYYYY! Why did you not tell us, Why did you let me walk by, Why did you not share what you knew!? WHYY!”

I can barely contain myself, I knew them, seen them, talked to them, passed by them, but I never told them what I knew. Now they were in this place burning and crying out. They had no hope, no one to rescue them, not even me. I began to try and reach them and pull them out. I used all my strength from within me. Something stronger than me held me where I was. Exhausted, I relaxed above them.

Then in the distance I saw it gleaming bright. A cross. I began to weep. I never told those people who cried my name of the man who was once slain. Why was I so scare to tell them? Was it rejection, the fear of being mocked, the slam of a door, or my foolish pride? I was so stupid, if only I had another chance to share the gospel with them or others.

As I made my way toward a different light beckoning me rather quickly. Their cries were becoming fainter as I progressed away. But a new goal was building inside me. A goal to reach the one I could and tell them of a place called Hell and a place called Heaven. I would tell them how they could go there and not to the everlasting Hell. The real ever existing place I just had witnessed.

Then I awoke, covered in sweat, tears stained on my cheeks and a burning desire rekindled inside of me To care. To Dare. To Share.

Faith.

Faith what is faith? This is the question I have been asking myself, and unfortunately the biggest thing I am struggling with at this very moment. Prayerfully, I hope everyone wants to do God's will. I know I do, but lately I have been struggling giving the Lord something. And boy am I ever wrong.
I am scared of the outcome. The thought of what God's will might be has been ever so weighing on my shoulders...

I wrote this a couple of weeks ago, I decided to just give it to the Lord because ultimately God knows what is best and I don't. I have my whole life in front of me, why throw away doing God's will and end up down a path of sorrow, pain and a life worth not living. I decided to choose the high road and just trust God.

I have come to the conclussion that faith, is simply trusting God with everything: My life, my school work, my likes, my dislikes, my passions, my fervant desires... Faith is learning to trust God on your own. Faith is falling and trusting that someone or something is going to catch you. Faith is something you just dont stumble upon, but you grasp it. Faith is like driving on a bridge and believe it wont crumble. Faith is like oxygen, we trust it to always be there, but we cannot see it. Just like God, we trust He is there, but we cannot see Him.

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."  Hebrews 11:1