KCU/03/Ballers

Topic 15: Thriving in the midst of suffering?

Question: Based on what you know from the Bible & other sources (including the How People Grow reading), how (i.e., by what means) do you think a Christian can thrive in the midst of suffering? (Be sure to do more research into the issue. If the group cannot come to a consensus, feel free to have different group members each express their own opinions.)

Thriving in the Midst of Suffering

There are two types of suffering. There is therapeutic suffering and destructive suffering. Therapeutic suffering “tears down aspects of our character that need to be torn down. God [can use] therapeutic suffering to rebuild people from their fallen, crippled state” (Cloud and Townsend 107). Romans 5:3-5 states “…we rejoice in out sufferings because we know suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit…” (New International Version). Destructive suffering is totally outside God’s desire. Destructive suffering “inflicts evil on a person’s heart and soul. God can make good things happen out of out bad pain” (Cloud and Townsend 107).

Suffering often motivates people to seek God. Some people will not seek Him unless they are very aware that they need him. There is some suffering that as we go through it will make us stronger.

Richard Joseph Krejcir, the Founder and Director of Into Thy Word Ministries, said that "suffering is a natural aspect of the human experience because we inherited a sinful nature that has corrupted all of God’s creation. Suffering does not diminish our faith; in fact, it will strengthen it. The incredible comfort we are given is that when we accept Christ, we take on His righteousness as a covering; so as we battle on in the diversities and travesties of life, we can still grow, and become better at handling life."

Destructive suffering is bad pain that God did not intend for us. Destructive pain is an evil suffering inflicted on us with the intent to do harm. In many cases, God will use that suffering and turn it around to do good in a person’s life. God can make good things happen out of out bad pain. Just look at September 11th. September 11, 2001 was a day of pain and turmoil for the United States. Many innocent lives were lost, yet after that tragic event, the country seemed to pull together, and many people turned to God at this hard time in their lives.

Why do men learn through pain and suffering, and not through pleasure and happiness? Very simply, because pleasure and happiness accustom one to satisfaction with the things given in this world, whereas pain and suffering drive one to seek a more profound happiness beyond the limitations of this world. - Fr. Seraphim Rose (Source: http://handmaidleah.wordpress.com/2007/08/18/thoughts-on-christian-life-suffering/)

Throughout all of our lives we will all go through some type of suffering or pain, and that as why we as Christians have to look to God to help us get through those tough times. We have to pray for stength, read of his word and learn of what the Bible tells us to do, or do both. There are many ways that Christians or anyone else for that matter can look for help or stength in tough times, through the midst of suffering, but the ultimate source of help and stength is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! He is our midst to get us through pain and suffering! He has been through the great pains and sufferings to give us what we have today and that is our lives and what we have. God sent his one and only son, Jusus Christ, to die for us, so therefore God put his son through the midst of suffering and Jesus thrived, he did what God sent him here to do. We as Christians can thrive through the midst of suffering through God and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

Psalm 119: Matthew 5:10; Romans 8:18; 2 Corinthians 1:24; 12:9 Philippians 1:19-25; 2:17; Hebrews 10:24; James 1:2; 1 Peter 4:12-19

Psalm 119: 89-90; Matthew 17:19; 25:21; Rom. 1:17; 5:1-2; 1 Cor. 12:9; Hebrews 11:1; 1 Thess. 5:24; 1 Peter 4:1-11 Psalm 31:9; Psalm 119:50; Isaiah 41:10; Romans 8:18; 28-29; 35-37; James 1:2-3; 12; John 9; 14:1; Colossians 1:24;

1 Thessalonians 1:6-7; 1 Peter 4:12-19; Hebrews 10:34; Revelation 21:4. www.intothyword.org