Why have You forsaken Me?

The words of Jesus on the cross, are words we still recite to this day as Christians when going through pain and suffering. If the Son of God felt the need to ask this question, how much more is it expected from us? The reason/s God allow suffering have baffled us for ages, we really do not have a perfect answer to fit every individual and every situation. To the believer, suffering often opens doors to certain things which we were ignorant of, and prompts us to seek answers. To the non believers,there's no hope beyond suffering and depending on the degree, some would resort to suicide, turn to drugs or alcohol. These in turn causes more suffering than initially they had. This article may touch on some subjects which affect individuals, but is mostly being focused on the general reasons for suffering. 1. God allows suffering for greater good. Remember the story of Joseph? How his brothers sold him to slavery, then his master's wife forced him to jail, until he eventually became second in command. What about the story of Naomi, who fled from her native country only to come back worse than when she left? These are some of the stories where God allowed suffering because He was focused on the bigger picture. In general, this could well be applied to why there is suffering in this world. There are many instances when we look back to what we have been through, and realize that we are where we are now because God allowed us to go through certain challenges. Sometimes, the good that will come out of your suffering is great, not just for you but for those around you as well. God can allow suffering because He has a greater plan in your life. 2. We suffer to be more empathetic. This is often an opportunity out of suffering which we miss. A person who hasn't been a lot, who's always had things their way, who never goes through pain, would most likely be the last person to go to when you have problems. Why? Because they just won't get it, it's not their fault. Experience is an excellent teacher, and God can use it. When we have problems, we need those who understand. God comforts us in all our troubles so that we may in turn comfort others going through troubles. When we were weighed down with challenges it's for the benefit of others, so that we may pass on the comfort with which we were comforted. Who understands these things better? Who understand what it is like to hold the hand of your diying sibling? Who knows what it's like to lose a partner in a divorce? Who knows what it's like to lose a limb, or an eye? The person who has been through it themselves. When I can sit down in the valley, it's easier if I have been there. It's also easier for me to intercede for the sick if I have been hospitalized before, I can intercede better for those who are homeless if I have been there. 3. I learn to lean on Him. Sometimes having someone by your side my not be enough, but we have a God who has seen it all. Our God is on our side, having experienced suffering first hand. When I have reached the end of the rope, I come to realize that all I need is the edge of His garment. Sometimes we suffer, and God allows us to try diverse means to arrive at the answer, until we go to Him in complete surrender and admit that we cannot do it on our own. There are times when God is not glorified because He doesn't seem to be at work. But theres going to be times when He puts His foot down and like He did with Gideons army, show that no one could do it but Him. When the Israelites were freed from slavery, it was plain that God was at work. Suffering often reminds us of our limitations, and keeps us from being full of ourselves, it keeps us in check. It reminds us that we are only human, it also reminds us that this world is not out own. Lest we start putting our hearts and souls in it. It reminds us that we still have an opportunity to evade hell, suffering shows glimpses of a far worse place if God was absent. We live in a terrible world, but this is nothing compared to hell. We still have believers, and those who are happy to help us with all our problems and most importantly we still have God, who still willing to listen to our prayers. But in hell, there's no hope, no God, no helping hand, just pain which never ends. 4. Suffering can be Devine punishment or justice. Sometimes people commit terrible crimes, and suffer as a result. The justice system requires a perpetrator and victim. In order for justice to be served, someone has to suffer, someone violated their freedom of choice, in their hands you may have suffered. Somebody once suffered as a result of your wrong actions, there's a cause and effect. We sometimes disobey God and suffer as a result, with pre/extra-marital affairs resulting in broken hearts, broken homes, unwanted pregnancies, infectious diseases etc. we disobey when God says we should no envy and end up in debts to impress others, we end up stealing instead of working on our own. We all suffer as a result of the depravity of mankind. 5. When God says no to our prayers. This even Jesus experienced, we all have. That one response to prayer God rejects, for our own good but feel we know better. When you're young, all you wanted was the Barbie doll of the remote controlled car you saw on t.v. but God said no. When God says no, sometimes is because we do no have the full picture. God sees what certain things would do in our lives if they were given, left or taken. There are thing we had God took, things we needed God did not provide and things we did not want and God kept for us. It's easy at these points to see the pain and forget the things that led to it.