This is the First Nobel Truth of Buddhism. And it's just got my thinking about Christianity and it's views on suffering. I know that one of the saints sometime back said that in light of eternity, the worst suffering on earth will seem no more than one night in an inconvenient hotel. I know that's true. It's just that in the middle of the suffering, it's so easy to lose sight of "Forever" and only focus on "Now."
Catholics have an age old tradition of dealing with suffering by "offering it up." Even after reading the link, I still don't "get" it. Maybe's it's just because I'm Protestant. But I like to be able to grasp concepts, so this being a mystery to me is frustrating.
So what's the Christian view on suffering? I'm tired but I'll do my best. First, we can expect to suffer. If the only perfect Person to ever live suffered horribly, how can we expect to live lives devoid of suffering? And yet, God promises to never give us more than we can handle. Never less, but never more.
Next, suffering makes us better people. "...we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that 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, whom he has given us." --Romans 5:3-5 Paul says that, for a Christian, the end result of suffering should be hope. I guess I've seen that in my life. I have a sure hope that God will bring good out of everything this year - Romans 8:28. As one person once said to me, "All means all and that's all all means." :) He can redeem even the bad in our lives for good.
Lastly, God will stand with us through it. He walks with us through the valley, and, as He sees all time at once, He knows the entire path ahead, and therefore, the best way to lead us through and out.
Well, I need to get some sleep. My brain is not functioning on all cylanders right now. *yawn* Nighty night.
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