over the last few weeks, I've been asked by several different people why a great God allows suffering and evil in the world.  It has come from enough directions, in enough different forms, that I feel God is asking me to really think on this and share.  I've been reading the Word and the works of other believers, and I've been listening to pastors and friends talk on the subject.  This past week a dear pastor friend of mine really opened my eyes as to why God allows suffering.

He pointed out that:

--You cannot know God is a comforter until you need comfort.
--You cannot know God is a provider until you need provision.

--You cannot know God is a protector until you need protection.

--You cannot know God is a helper until you need help.

--You cannot know God is a guide until you need guidance.

--You cannot know God is a healer until you need to be healed.

--You cannot know God is a lover until you need to be loved.

And thus God allows suffering and evil to happen for the primary purpose of letting us get to know Him better, in every amazing detail. And trust me- this is a good thing!! Going through serious suffering is the cost of seeing God more clearly, and we more than get our money's worth.

If you don't feel this is true, if you instead feel that the pain of suffering is worse than the joy of experiencing and walking closer with God, it means you are not seeing God clearly as you could.  So ask Him to make Himself unavoidable to you. Ask Him to make joy in Him three times stronger than the pain of this world.  This is something He wants passionately. This is a prayer request He will answer!

My pastor friend then went on to say that we should each make a list of the things in our life that we wish were different, that we don't like.  To set the example, to continue to be transparent with all of you, let me share what my three are:

-I wish that Rekindling had a bigger following.

-I wish that I had a better, more stable income.

-I wish that I had my soul-mate to share life with.

He then told us to ask two questions:

1.      What character traits is God trying to develop/hone within me by allowing these 'bad' things to happen to me?

2.      What character traits of HIS is He trying to show me?

So I look at these three things, and I can see that Papa is trying to teach me:

-humility

-trust and contentment

-unconditional joy

He wants me to strengthen those traits and so He is allowing these things to happen to give me the opportunity to develop, mature and grow. So I am taking Him up on this. 

And I can see that He is showing me:

-His power,

-His attention to detail and His provision

-His fulfilling love

I am seeing Him better, getting to know Him better and becoming in even more awe of Him!  These things are forcing me to turn my vision and attention Upward, instead of Inward our Outward.

And so I realize that I am actually glad I am lacking in these three areas, at least for now, because it means I can't focus my attention on them, and so I instead can focus on my relationship with the Ancient of Days.  God is edifying me and He and I are growing closer!  And I as mature in these things, He may choose to provide the things I am lacking, out of love, not obligation.

So I encourage each of you to do the same.  Write down the things you are not happy about currently, and then ask yourself what traits God is wanting you to develop and what traits of Himself is He showing you.

Suffering is a fact of life.  No one can choose to avoid suffering.  All we have a choice about is how we are going to view that suffering.  Are we going to view suffering as a  reason to complain about God, or are we going to view suffering as a way to make us grow stronger and closer to Him?  The choice is yours.

Remember, God is a relational God first. He wants camaraderie before He wants obedience.  So go spend time with Him, in the middle of your current trials, instead of waiting until you are through them.  In fact, spending real, intentional time with the Ancient of Days is exactly how you will get through your trials!