Hello ecotrain community, I m glad to submit my take in this week's prompt, if there is a God, why is there so much suffering in the world. I think there is a way to approach this matter starting from reiterating that there is indeed a God and then buttressing it that he is a Spirit, and that man is a spirit and that spirits never die, including that of man.
IF THERE WERE NO GOD
IF there where no God, there probably would be no us, well you probably believe in the big bang or have thought we came from the apes, a plant, or from another planet, but if there where no God, where exactly would be our existence, we probably wont have one to start with.
So having said that, is there the a God
Yes there is a God, I believe this questions should first be addressed this way, the existence of God must first be clarified, because the reason why people suffer doesn't have to do with whether there is a God or not, as I do not think the existence of a God should be what prevents bad things like people suffering from happening.
People suffer mostly because of their own ignorance, or sometimes the ignorance of generations before them which spills a lot of repercussions to the next offsprings.
God did not promise anyone that there wont be suffering, he only promises hope amidst the suffering, the people who introduced the picture of a God that averts suffering have really gotten it wrong, in the Christian faith, many people lost their lives willingly because they had hope for the afterlife, people who really brought the through gospel to help the people gave their lives to the commission, the disciples of Jesus where all most all martyred in the faith the stood for, so who says you wont suffer in this world, even Jesus the son of God had to suffer before he rose and became the first born from the dead, God did not life an hair.
The world is desperately wicked, the heart of man is wicked, people nake people suffer, but it seem most of us want a God that strikes any wicked man down with thunder and fire immediately their intentions are known.
But that will be him wiping the whole world out in less than 24hours, because you and I must have had bad intentions cross our mind by then before we reached for the Mercy of God or his love spares us.
Heard of the most terrible acts done by man?, like killing the jews, bombing a bus filled with kids, and all, these were done by people, some had a family, some where exposed to the wrong upbringing and wrong teaching, some were forced to make their decision but what must be known is that people perish because people lack knowledge to do right.
It is sad to be a victim of this acts, and we ask the question "God where are you"
The words of the psalmist come to mind at this point, "take no envy in the prosperity of the wicked, their end shall be shameful".
IF MEN WERE GOD
People have always said this a followed it with something terrible men would have done, but really if men could be God, there really wont be a better world, and neither would anyone even love it, well if you could be God what would you have done?
HOW GOD PUNISHES
God is not the punisher, he is not waiting for us to make a mistake and then take it up against us to face the firing squad. The difference between a good man and a bad man is knowledge and time. And this is what God gives man, a soul for knowledge and a life span. HE is merciful enough to give everyone a chance to repent.
It is sad that wars, death, disease and disasters happen, but really, these are not doings that are to be stopped because there is a GOd, the world will decay, pass away and be wrapped up. It is folly to think that the world will continue as it has been. BUt the wicked shall be judged, if the wicked a re judged the way man judges, by inprisonment, or death or castration, let it be known that none of this is anything compared to what awaits anyone who tramples on the mercy of God while he still lives.
As I said in my previous post answering the question of spirituality, There is a life after this, death is not the end, it is only transition, into another form of real existence. It cant be a worthy punishment for the wicked. rather what is a punishment is eternal damnation, what we call hell. or to put it more scarier, hell fire.
Is Hell Real?
I will like to end on this note, but this is the place my mind ends at whenever I consider the wickedness of man, I hope that they find the light and turn away from their wicked way and not face hell, because, hell is not what you would wish even your worst enemy either, it is a terrible place of utter regret and gnashing of teeth, pain and horror. I pray no one of us ever finds them selves there finding out its true when it is too late.
A WORD FOR THE SAVED
In this world, we have hope because Christ died and rose and shall return someday and if we die in him, we are sure that we shall see him and we shall be like him. All there is in this world is nothing to be compared to the glory whig shall be reveal in us. I can tell you this, eye had not seen, no ears heard what God has in store for those who love him, but God who has promised us eternal life, saw beyond this physical body, there is a better place and our hope shall not be made ashamed.
Thanks for reading.
References
Bible:
PSM 37:1,2,7
Hosea 4:6
John 16:33