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Post by Eunice on Jul 28, 2014 6:49:03 GMT
Jeremiah Burroughs, The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment, mid 17th century
'OH', SAYS ANOTHER, 'I FIND MY AFFLICTION IS SUCH THAT GOD WITHDRAWS HIMSELF FROM ME IN MY AFFLICTION.
That is what troubles me, and can anybody be quiet then, can anybody be satisfied with such a condition, when the Lord withdraws himself? However great my affliction were, yet if I found not God withdrawing himself from me, I hope I could be content with any affliction, but I cannot find the presence of God with me in this affliction, as at other times I have found, and that is what troubles me, and makes me in such a condition as I am.' Now to that I answer thus:
1. It is a very evil thing for men and women over every affliction to conclude that God is departed from them. It may be, when it comes to be examined, there is no other reason why you think that God is withdrawn and departed, but because he afflicts you. Now for you to make such a conclusion, that every time God lays an affliction upon you, he is departed, is a sinful disorder of your heart, and is very dishonorable to God, and grievous to his Spirit. In the 17th of Exodus, verse 7, you may see how God was displeased with such a disorder as this: 'And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the Lord, saying, Is the Lord among us or not?' Mark, they murmured because they were brought into afflictions: but see what the text says, 'Therefore the place was called Massah and Meribah, because they tempted the Lord, saying, Is the Lord among us or not?' This was tempting God. Sometimes we are afraid God is departed from us, and it is merely because we are afflicted. I beseech you to observe this Scripture: God calls it a tempting of him, when he afflicts anyone, for them to conclude and say that God is departed from them. If a child should cry out and say that his father is turned to be an enemy to him, because he corrects him, this would be taken ill. I beseech you consider this one place- it may be of very great use to you-that you may not be ready to think that God is departed, because you are afflicted. Attachments:
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Post by Judith on Jul 28, 2014 23:34:04 GMT
Everyone goes through hard times. Often, we think that since God's presence is not there is why we are suffering. However, it is wrong to think that way. God lets us go through hard times to grow as a better person, so that He can change us for the better. He is testing people so we can see and help other people for His purposes, not our own. It may seem that these hard times are derailing our own plans, but God always knows better than what we want to achieve in our lifetime. He also allows suffering in order to correct how we live and act. Suffering helps us to explain to others why suffering exists; we understand people more because we go through it ourselves. When we say that God is not with us when we are suffering, we are doubting His plans for us.
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Post by Daniel Yeh on Jul 31, 2014 1:22:56 GMT
When we go through suffering it is very easy to think that God is far away, and we a sinful creatures, start to question God's existence. God let's everyone go through suffering and affliction just so much as the grace that is given us. Suffering and Affliction is like a furnace that refines us, and increases our faith, and helps us trust in God. We only trust in God during the hard times, and that is when are need are exposed, where all are abilities are stripped away. So whenever we face suffering, just remember that it is all part of God's wonderful plan for us, and just part of the script of His story.
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Post by Bev Chan on Aug 2, 2014 2:13:09 GMT
God is never distant. If we feel that God is distant from us, it is only because we are distant from God. If God were to be distant, it would be contradicting to what the Bible says of His nature. God promises us that He is with us all of our days. Hardships in life are not to harm us, but to grow us and shape us to be more like Him. We must see hardships in a better light, in a perspective that God is in control even when there is chaos in our lives.
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Post by Ivan yeh on Aug 2, 2014 15:42:00 GMT
When we go through suffering it is very easy to think that God isn't near us, and we,creatures that are sinful, start to question God's existence. God let's everyone go through suffering and affliction just so much as the grace that is given us. Suffering and Affliction is like a furnace that refines us, and increases our faith, and helps us trust in God. We only trust in God during the hard times, and that is when are need are exposed, where all are abilities are stripped away. So whenever we face suffering, just remember that it is all part of God's wonderful plan for us, and just part of the script of His story.
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Post by Abby on Aug 3, 2014 7:42:28 GMT
When we are suffering ourselves, it is so very easy to be like the Israelites, to be discontent and angry with God. In reality, though, we have to remember that we live in a fallen world, and that suffering and evil is a result of that. The existence of suffering proves that our sin has enormous consequences – when Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit, all Creation was affected. The fact is that what anyone has now is actually already way more than what we deserve – eternal death in Hell.
But – it is also a fact that God is more concerned about our eternal destiny and spiritual health than our physical health or material happiness on this earth – and He will use what is initially bad to bring about good, just like Burroughs’ example of the father correcting the son. So, for the Christian, rather than grumble and complain about our current situations, we should see trials and hardships as ways God uses to lovingly teach us and mold us into who we were made to be. It’s the reason we rejoice and count it all joy.
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Post by Ivan Yeh on Aug 13, 2014 20:17:25 GMT
When we go through suffering it is very easy to think that God is not with us
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