God Works In The Midst Of Suffering

Many of you have suffered many trials in life and still carry the scars or even the chains that still enslave you.



Mankind since the beginning has always been challenged by why God allows things to occur while preventing others.



We once thought it was solely based on pleasing the gods. In some cases, it was strictly based on karma. Other times people thought that God created us but then left us to our own demise. Over time, God revealed through prophets and His chosen people why certain things occur.



It is an answer that will not satisfy the seeker who is uncomfortable with faith.



There are many instances of God using suffering including the obvious of Jesus His Son. Here below is a passage about Joseph.



Genesis 45:5-7

English Standard Version

5 And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. 6 For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. 7 And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors.



Joseph was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers. If you can recall, Joseph had a vision that led to his brother's jealousy. The vision showed that one day his family would bow down to him as if he were a king. Joseph despite his circumstances must have never forgotten the vision as he would face the absence of freedom, the subjugation of higher authority, false accusations, 3 to 12 years in prison, and the gut wrenching feeling of being forgotten before things would start to get better.



But notice verse 5,



5 And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.



For God sent me!



Before you to preserve life.



Despite the evil intentions of man that God allowed, His ways are higher than ours. We can never comprehend why God allows or intervenes. But rest assured, there is purpose even in the acts of demons, evil plans of men, and the sinful failures of the flesh.



God allowed him to ultimately preserve the lives of an unspeakable amount of people. A father would suffer the thought of losing his son. A brother would suffer the thought of failing to save his brother. And Joseph would suffer to preserve the life of his family, the country, and the surrounding people.



But we have the benefit of hindsight. We can read and see the results for centuries to come. For them living in the moments, they had only grief, regret, and hardship. Joseph had only his faith in the depths of prison.



Today we can not see the future or know the reasons why God allows or intervenes but the same challenge for Joseph remains for the Christian. To abide in faith.



Faith at face value may not seem to comfort the suffering but “faith in” has a substance that can sustain.



It is important to determine what you have faith in? Creation? Humanity? Self? Or Jesus Christ?



If you accept Jesus your Messiah our Lord and Savior then your faith is in the promises of the Lord. He tells us we will face trials, tribulations, hardship, and that the world will hate us as they hated Him. That is no surprise but He does promise a prosperous life in the faith which is not a promise of great physical health or wealth.



Sure He still blesses this way but ultimately we are guided in a prosperous life of faith. A spiritual maturity that has been tested against the cross, the gladiator arenas, the stake of fire, the guillotine, and the sword of forced submission.



Why does God allow suffering? He tells us why just as Joseph understood.



For God sent me!



Before you to preserve life.



We are sent to preserve eternal life by being the salt and light amid suffering.



Simple.



Eternal life is far longer and more valuable than a few years in a fallen and wicked world.



Faith demands a response. “Faith in” creates a response toward the important tenets of the faith.



If we believe Jesus is who He says He is then we adopt the will of the Lord. We hold to what He holds dear. We love because He first loved us. We forgive because He forgave us. We rejoice in persecution because we are being counted worthy to suffer as He did. We sing of joy in suffering because we are not a people without hope.



I pray you hear and see the spiritual truth within this. God open the eyes of those blinded by worldly matters. If they wish to have this type of hope and faith, I pray they seek you, Jesus Christ, as their Lord and Savior. God has set us free from the chains of sin and death through His Son. Trust in Him and be set free from guilt, shame, regret, fear, hate, anger, hurt, and pride. Never to return to the bondage of slavery.



Galatians 5:1 ESV

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.



The yoke of slavery came from being under the weight of the law where sin was exposed. 2 Corinthians 3:7 calls it a ministry of death. The sin of the flesh and the sin of others. Living unredeemed or enslaved by the hurtful acts of the unredeemed is not the freedom that Galatians 5:1 speaks of.



2 Corinthians 3:7-9

English Standard Version

7 Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses' face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, 8 will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? 9 For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory.



The ministry of death (the Mosiac law) was brought to an end through the ministry of the Spirit. First came the ministry of condemnation then came the ministry of righteousness. All the pain attributed to sin can be redeemed once given over to the Lord.

Live in the freedom of Christ today!

Then there some times when bad things happen just because we live in a broken world and sometimes life just sucks. Sometimes things happen, not because of something we have done but because of something Adam and Eve did.

True but even in that, God is still working as a sovereign God. He could stop or prevent everything but yet we see that some things He allows to occur like a natural disaster while a stage 4 cancer patient is miraculously healed. Why does He allow some evil but stops others?

I don't think we will ever know but we see that Jesus was asked about a tower collapse that killed a handful of people. He didn't explain why it happened but simply that we all should consider our own lives and have we accepted Him for our salvation.

After all, eternity is much longer than the time on this current Earth.

And also God Wishes us to know this, from Paul, our 'pattern' (1 Timothy 1:16 AV):

Yes, "God Works in the midst of our suffering!" Amen.

'Woe to you who are at ease in Zion'


"5 I called upon the Lord in distress: the Lord answered me, and set me in a large place.
6 The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?
7 The Lord taketh my part with them that help me: therefore shall I see my desire upon them that hate me.
8 It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.'

Lord don't move the mountain,
But give me strength to climb it
Please don't move that stumbling block,
But lead me Lord around it

The way may not be easy,
You didn't say that it would be
For when our tribulations get too light,
We tend to stray from Thee.
I'm praying to you.

Lord don't move the mountain,
But give me strength to climb it
Please don't move that stumbling block,
But lead me Lord around it

When my enemies would slay me,
And these things they will try to do
Lord, don't touch him but within his heart,
Make him give his Heart to you.
I'm praying to you.
Lord don't move the mountain,
But give me strength to climb it
Please don't move that stumbling block,
But lead me Lord around it
Lead me lord around it.

Galatians 5:1

2 Corinthians 12:9-10
Heh, this panel was originally designed with Roughsoul in mind!

It's good that you all accept that the Lord allows suffering in our lives and acknowledge there is benefit to that.

But for all of you who are pre-trib, why would you think God will let us escape before the great tribulation is here? The suffering from what the faithful Christians will go through during that time would actually glorify God and cause more people to get saved


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Love this thank you!

Such a terrible burden it is. For me it felt like a prison.

I remember this. In fact, this is one of those key verses that brought me to life after years of suffering left me in a state of depression and zombie like state where I was going through the motions but everything felt dead. I thank God that He resurrected me.

Regardless of one's view on eschatology to suffer is not the objective of God. He merely works in it because it is a reality of the consequences of sin. We suffer now because God is patient in His coming. He could return and end suffering but then all who are lost will suffer for eternity.

Sure faithful suffering in the tribulation may evangelize the lost but the reality of suffering itself doesn't necessarily mean that is the objective of the church. We do know that people will come to faith during the tribulation and will experience suffering. But even in that, that comes from the minions of Satan and those who took the mark.

I'm just giving pre-tribbers something to think about. If God hasn't rescued us from our present sufferings, He's not going to do that either before the great tribulation. if it is in our lifetime, we will all go through it. So we should build up our faith for endurance.


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What is stopping Him though? The only reason He doesn't fully eradicate suffering with the church age is due to His patience for more to enter. The logic that because we suffer now means that we will suffer God's wrath doesn't add up. Especially since Christ gave His life to save us from God's judgment.

But for those who do enter the tribulation and accept Jesus then there comfort will still be in the promise of God for those who endure unto the end.

Suffering will never be truly eradicated in a broken world. The only way to completely eradicate it would be to make all things new.

But imperfect people would not be permitted in a perfect world. The presence of imperfect people would make the world imperfect again. So we can't have that until we get to heaven.

Amen. We will be brought to the current heaven with the marriage supper of the Lamb and then will come the 1000 year reign. From my reading I don't think there will be suffering in the 1000 year reign. But this all takes place on the current Earth.

After the 1000 year reign and the 2nd defeat of Satan, we will see a New Heaven, New Earth, and New Jerusalem which will be the perfect to come.

Matthew chapter 5. Christian people are going to suffer persecution and harrassment from the wicked/Reprobates.
Psalm chapter 127. Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it, except the Lord keep the city watchman walk in vain.
Empty religion. Traditions of men crept into some churches, and Bible study groups. The false brethren are dangerous, and they spread heresy. 127:5 . Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them, they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies at the gate.
Christian people study sound doctrine and plant seeds for God. Raising children as Christian is important. They may not forget the discipline and bible studies from there parents or Minister. Many people are on wrong path, walking in the flesh. Don't care about God. Some Christians pretend to be shepherds, and teach heresy. Jesus warned us in Matthew chapter 24, about Many false shepherd's will come. Moral degeneration in society. Sodomy, drugs, occult, habitual simners, ect. Its vanity.
1 Peter 3:14
But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed, Do not fear there threats. Don't be frightened. False brethren serve Satan, and use psychological oppression on Christian people have genuine faith and true worship of God. 1 Peter 4:1. Because who ever suffers in the body is done with sin. Christian people repent and try not to sin. Reprobates are habitual simners. They are fake Christian people. Reprobates will not carry there cross daily and follow Jesus. They won't commit to Jesus, and experience persecution.
2 Timothy chapter 3. In fact, everyone who wants to live godly life in Jesus Christ will be persecuted. You can't serve two masters. Your either servant of righteous or servant of sin, Romans chapter 6. Luke chapter 16. And who so ever does not carry there cross, and follow me can't be my disciple. Clear cut, and truth. 1 Timothy chapter 4:2.
Speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their conscience seared with a hot iron. Satan controls those who have unclesn Spirit, and not Holy Spirit. The impurities are trapped in the flesh, Satan sears the flesh mind. They don't know the truth. False brethren are puppets, and spread heresy.
2 Corinthians chapter 4:3. But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost. 4:4 . In whom god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not. Reprobates. Satan seared their mind. There goal is to infiltrate Body of Christ and spread heresy. Use spiritual oppression if necessary against Christian people who have Holy Spirit, and are threat to Satan. 1 John 3:10 . By this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil, who so ever does not righteousness is not of God, neither is he that loves not his brother. Reprobates are of the devil. They have free will, and choose to do evil, they are constrained by there decision.
To be born again, is personal transformation from within, only Holy Spirit can help achieve this, Ephesians chapter 4, and 1 Peter chapter 1. The Reprobates have unclesn Spirit. They act pious and masquerade as Minister of light.
2 Corinthians chapter 11
For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerade as apostles of Christ. No wonder, for Satan himself masquerade as a angel of light. Servant of God is to expose fruits of darkness and edifying body of Christ. Body of Christ will suffer persecution and oppression from the enemies, and Satan. We are to bear good fruit for Jesus. And those who follow Satan will bring judgement on there own heads on judgement Day.

Except the great tribulation ISN'T God's wrath. It's Satan's. This is why it's called the great TRIBULATION and not the great wrath. That's why we will all go through it. It's not God's wrath.

If you've studied the Bible and world history, Satan always tries to wipe out God's people just before God fulfills a great promise: Herod killing male babies in hopes of killing the Lord Jesus, Pharisees having the Lord Jesus crucified (Satan didn't realize that this was actually part of God's plan to save us), the Holocaust nearly wiping out all the Jews before Israel once again became a nation as God promised.

And it's going to happen again. The Lord Jesus promised He will return for us. So Satan is going try to get as many people on His side and then try to wipe out anyone who remains loyal to the Lord

So there is no pre-trib rapture, because this is not God's wrath. We will all go through the great tribulation. Just make sure you're one of the people who remains loyal to the Lord.

If it makes you feel any better - the heavy persecution and extermination of God's people doesn't come full force until the last 3-1/2 years. So we all have time to prepare ourselves spiritually to be able to stand against it and still remain loyal to the Lord.

This thread was started by you to discuss what good comes out of suffering. Don't forget those lessons when we enter the great tribulation.


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W
Satan will only continue what he is doing now but on a larger scale in ripening for God's wrath.

What of the seal judgment? The seven plagues, and seven bowls?

Revelation 6
New International Version

The Seals
6 I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, “Come!” 2 I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.

Revelation 16
New International Version

The Seven Bowls of God’s Wrath
16 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, “Go, pour out the seven bowls of God’s wrath on the earth.”