Tutorial - Suffering.

[Reon]

[font="Century Gothic"]This is a two part course.

It's more serious than it is fun and with it I'm hoping emotion is stirred inside of you. The pieces used seem to have been created for just that purpose. I'm hoping to hit a topic, not to answer it - but to help you think about it.

Watch one ten minute video. Read one quote.[/font]

• Part 1:

[SIZE="4"][color="DeepSkyBlue"]A Thousand Questions[/color][/SIZE]
by Willow Creek Leadership Summit
10 MIN (hosted on Youtube)

• Part 2:

[font="Book Antiqua"]"If you never felt pain,
Then how would you know that I am a Healer?

If you never had to pray,
How would you know that I am a Deliverer?

If you never had a trial,
How could you call yourself an overcomer?

If you never felt sadness,
How would you know that I am a Comforter?

If you never made a mistake,
How would you know that I am forgiving?

If you knew all,
How would you know that I will answer your questions?

If you never were in trouble,
How would you know that I will come to your rescue?

If you never were broken,
Then how would you know that I can make you whole?

If you never had a problem,
How would you know that I can solve them?

If you never had any suffering,
Then how would you know what I went through for you?

If you never went through the fire,
Then how would you become pure?

If I gave you all things,
How would you appreciate them?

If I never corrected you,
How would you know that I love you?

If you had all power,
Then how would you learn to depend on Me?

If your life was perfect,
Then what would you need Me for?"

[/font]

AUTHOR UNKNOWN

• Bonus:

[SIZE="4"][color="DeepSkyBlue"]God's Chisel[/color][/SIZE]
by Chris Williams
9 MIN (hosted on Facebook)

[color="Red"][font="System"][SIZE="1"]
NOTE: If you have a problem with any of the videos on a technical level or emotional/religious level send me a private message via the CAA forums. If it is more serious than that and you feel the need, report this thread to a moderator.[/SIZE][/font][/color]

[color="DimGray"]Personal Commentary[/color]:[color="DimGray"][font="Courier New"] I don't know about you guys, but both that quote and first video have made me cry. The first video was suggested to me by a friend when I was crying out to God and that video described the cry of my heart. The first time I read that quote it just touched me and made me think about a few things. The more struggles I went through and the more I relied on God, the more that quote really began become realer to me. The bonus video is just something a friend of my Mom's came across. This may not have been a great tutorial for "suffering", but its definitely a good place to start in my opinion. Thanks for reading and I hope we all learn to further lean on God.

Sincerely,
Ryan

[/color][/font]

[rocklobster]

Great quote. But wait, are you saying we were supposed to fall? That seems to be what your quote implies.

[goldenspines]

This is an interesting thread. And from what I can gather, it's more addressing how we should rely on God rather than ourselves (since we are sinful and fail a lot).

I can't see what that has to do with suffering at all, though.

[Radical Dreamer]

Moved to Testimonies and Spiritual Growth.

[Sheenar]

Well, I know I've learned to depend on God more through times of suffering. Sometimes it's only when we are at our wit's end or are in overwhelming circumstances that we look to Him (which is very sad).

The times of suffering that I have had in my life also produced trust in God in my life --especially during those times when He was all I had.

[Reon]

Great quote. But wait, are you saying we were supposed to fall? That seems to be what your quote implies.

[SIZE="5"][color="Blue"]@[/color][/SIZE] [font="Book Antiqua"]Rocklobster [/font]The quote wasn't meant to imply that, but tossing in my own personal opinion after thinking about question - I'm wondering that God knew for us to truly worship him we'd have to cry out to him (having free will etc). He gave us a paradise and as imperfect beings we ruined it (imperfection and sin). So I suppose God had "plans to prosper us and not to harm us" that we turned away from]Note: I'm running on 3hrs of sleep and its hitting the third day so I hope that's somewhat understandable and readable - I might just edit it later.[/color]

This is an interesting thread. And from what I can gather, it's more addressing how we should rely on God rather than ourselves (since we are sinful and fail a lot). I can't see what that has to do with suffering at all, though.

[SIZE="5"][color="Lime"]@[/color][/SIZE] [font="Book Antiqua"]Goldenspines [/font]It's really not a tutorial towards how to deal with suffering, as a means that once your suffering - here's a glimpse of God's plan based on two parts: In the video "Here I am send me" & in the quote if you ever ask yourself "Why is there suffering in the world? Why am I suffering currently?" which was a good answer for me.

Moved to Testimonies and Spiritual Growth.

[SIZE="5"][color="DarkOrange"]@[/color][/SIZE] [font="Book Antiqua"]Radical Dreamer [/font]We have a personal growth section! =o! Thanks for moving it =)

The times of suffering that I have had in my life also produced trust in God in my life --especially during those times when He was all I had.

[SIZE="5"][color="Cyan"]@[/color][/SIZE] [font="Book Antiqua"]Sheenar [/font]The more and more I go through pain and rely on God - I'm beginning to think of it as not such a bad thing. That's not to say I want to be in pain, but I've been becoming more accepting. By becoming more accepting that doesn't mean I don't grieve or mourn, but it feels as if I'm gaining more understanding on why it needs to happen and that brightens my heart (totally emo sentence but thats what first came to my head - its a huge uplifting feeling when God's showing you something). Straight forward though, it freaks me out sometimes knowing I have pain ahead of me - but at the same time I also have blessing infront of me =) "Consider it pure joy whenever you face troubles of many kinds" - I hope I can grasp that, hold onto it, and have it become prevalent in all my troubles.