Response 1 Christians
believe that God wants them to help people who are suffering
. They can do this by praying for those who are suffering, or by helping those who are suffering – for example through a Christian charity. Response 2 Christians believe that evil and suffering are not God's fault.
What are four ways to respond to suffering?
- Catholic Social Teaching definition: This is the church's response to suffering in the world.
- Hopelessness meaning: Choosing to ignore or not to act.
- Individualism meaning:
- Enlightened Self-Interest meaning:
- Compassion meaning:
What is the Christian understanding of suffering?
Christians also pray for those who suffer and try to help them. Evil and suffering in this life is a preparation for heaven . Evil and suffering give people a chance to become better people and improve their souls. They
believe that God will reward them in heaven
.
How can we respond to suffering?
- Asking how you feel.
- Giving you a hug, embrace, placing an arm around you, or holding your hand.
- Validating your pain: “This must be so hard for you,” or “I can't begin to imagine what you're going through.”
How did God respond to human suffering in the New Testament?
Finally, we see God's response to the suffering of His people, Israel (Isaiah 10, Jeremiah 51).
Through the prophets, God warns Israel to forsake their idols, care for the poor, and live holy lives
. They refuse to change their ways, so God raises up the nations of Assyria and Babylon to take His people into exile.
Does God want us to be happy?
The biblical word “makarios” means “supremely blessed” or “more than happy”. This is God's goal for us, even when things aren't going the way you want them to go. God's desire is to make us holy, not just temporarily happy. True happiness is a “blessed” life, and it only comes when
we seek God first
, above all else.
How did Jesus respond to suffering?
In the face of human suffering, rather than asking why,
Jesus swung into action and healed all kinds of sicknesses
; he raised the dead and consoled the afflicted and comforted the broken-hearted; he forgave sinners, liberated those in the power of the devil, and welcomed the oppressed and rejected (Cf. Matthew 9:35).
What are the four reasons for our responses to suffering?
Hopelessness, Individualism, Enlightened Self-interest, and Compassion. What are the four reasons for our responses to suffering?
It moves people to commit themselves to easing suffering
. When accompanied by hope, what does compassion lead to?
Does God want us to enjoy life?
Yes, God Wants Us to Enjoy Life
!
God wants us to enjoy people, the fruit of our labor, peace, favor, food and drink, safety, and even wealth and honor. He NEVER states that these things are out of our reach, or that we shouldn't have them.
How does God feel about our suffering?
God suffers. He
experiences suffering from being rejected by humanity
, grief from seeing our terrible fate, and empathic affliction because he does not stand aloof from our afflictions but shares them. … God can only comfort us because he has suffered; he can offer mercy because he has experienced weakness and need.
What is God's purpose for suffering?
Let's be very clear :
there is no divine purpose in suffering whatsoever
. The idea of a God who sees some use in people being in physical pain, or traumatised emotionally, or having their lives wrecked by natural diasters or fellow human beings is warped theology. Self-inflicted suffering is even worse.
What God says about struggles?
Joshua 1:9
Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. Deuteronomy 31:6,8 Be strong and bold; have no fear or dread of them, because it is the Lord your God who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not fail you or forsake you.
What are examples of human suffering?
Examples of physical suffering are
pain, illness, disability, hunger, poverty, and death
. Examples of mental suffering are grief, hatred, frustration, heartbreak, guilt, humiliation, anxiety, loneliness, and self-pity.
What does God say about being happy?
God most definitely wants us to be happy. Psalm 37:4 reads, “
Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart
.” And Psalm 126:2 says, “Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy.” In fact, God tells us to be happy more times in Scripture than any other command.
What makes God happy?
Loving God is expressed in the same way, by spending time in his presence — listening for his voice, thanking and praising him, or reading and contemplating his Word. You also make God
happy in how you respond to his answers to your prayers
.
Does God care about what I want?
God cares about whatever you care about
. … Just like Solomon, God is able to do abundantly more than we can ask for or think about or pray for. God does not just want to answer your prayers. God's heart is to do even more than you are asking him for.
