I have always had this thought and would question GOD repeatedly for an answer. That was when I came across this book 'Questions?Answers!' written by Philip Yancey.
Pain calls our most basic beliefs about God into question. Over and over again I have heard questions brought on by pain :
Check out this link where a guy answers the question "Where was God?" when many innocent children were shot in Connecticut.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10150277475014980&set=vb.266677860049554&type=2&theater
Suffering can be physical or emotional, a pain that most people might have experienced in their lives.
Pain can be because of losing the loved one or feeling guilty, lonely,empty etc.
To start with, I would like to share my experience. If you had read my previous post, you would have known that I didn't believe in a God before. It was at this time, I faced lot of rejections and emptiness. The worst part was, I was not able to love anybody including my parents, whom I thought as my world. I neither felt loved nor was I able to love others. I wanted to cry out aloud but I couldn't because I felt empty inside. I searched for peace and happiness everywhere, including church ,temple, meditation and what not. But , nothing helped :(
I became addicted to pornography when I was in high school, so whenever I felt depressed I would start watching porn or movies for long hours. My laptop became my best friend. I used to stay awake for hours at night and sleep during the day. I was not able to concentrate on my studies. My life was in a complete mess. Nobody understood the suffering I went through , because I acted as the most jovial person, had loads of friends and a good name too. I was hiding behind a mask. I wanted someone to help me from the guilt of sin(pornography), and from the secret dark life I was living. The life I lived was nearly killing me that to escape that I even tried committing suicide. But nothing worked.
It was in a final attempt, when I was about to lose hope on everything I decided to go for an option, which I didn't want to consider at all, and that is searching for the existence of GOD. I found it really difficult to believe in a God who didn't seem to care about my pain or clear the doubts that I had regarding him. But, after a year of struggle I found my FAITH. A faith which nobody can ever shake it away from me. When I turn back now, to reflect on the horrible journey I travelled, I can see that God has been with me through the struggle and has helped me understand him. I didn't realize it then, but I do now.
I realized that God really loves us, but its we who keep him away from our lives, being too busy to deal with the mess we make in this world. God doesn't force man to do things his way, because he has given us the FREE WILL.
It took a while to realize what God did for me. It was this and is ready to do it IN YOUR LIFE too :
I saw pornography(and every wrong act of mine) ----------- > Jesus took the blame for all that I did (including pornography and every wrong act of mine)
I became righteous ------------> Jesus became a sinner
He took away all my pain, guilt, suffering, rejection in him. He also got punished, and DIED instead of me. The day I realized this, I cried for the first time, after almost three years. I started falling in love with the guy named Jesus who was sinless, who sacrificed his life to give life to me. I felt peace and joy that I have never felt before in my life. I didn't turn away from my bad ways instantly. It took me years, but God was helping me and I felt quite easy to help and love others, which I had found it difficult to do. God was changing my life. I can say, that I am the most happiest person on earth now.
If you have felt pain, rejection or suffering in your life before, I would like to say that God loves you and wants to help you. Just give him the permission to do HIS work in your life :)
Please feel free to comment :)
Pain calls our most basic beliefs about God into question. Over and over again I have heard questions brought on by pain :
- Is God competent?
- Is he really powerful?
- Is he fair?
- Why doesn't he seem to care about pain?
Check out this link where a guy answers the question "Where was God?" when many innocent children were shot in Connecticut.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10150277475014980&set=vb.266677860049554&type=2&theater
Suffering can be physical or emotional, a pain that most people might have experienced in their lives.
Pain can be because of losing the loved one or feeling guilty, lonely,empty etc.
To start with, I would like to share my experience. If you had read my previous post, you would have known that I didn't believe in a God before. It was at this time, I faced lot of rejections and emptiness. The worst part was, I was not able to love anybody including my parents, whom I thought as my world. I neither felt loved nor was I able to love others. I wanted to cry out aloud but I couldn't because I felt empty inside. I searched for peace and happiness everywhere, including church ,temple, meditation and what not. But , nothing helped :(
I became addicted to pornography when I was in high school, so whenever I felt depressed I would start watching porn or movies for long hours. My laptop became my best friend. I used to stay awake for hours at night and sleep during the day. I was not able to concentrate on my studies. My life was in a complete mess. Nobody understood the suffering I went through , because I acted as the most jovial person, had loads of friends and a good name too. I was hiding behind a mask. I wanted someone to help me from the guilt of sin(pornography), and from the secret dark life I was living. The life I lived was nearly killing me that to escape that I even tried committing suicide. But nothing worked.
It was in a final attempt, when I was about to lose hope on everything I decided to go for an option, which I didn't want to consider at all, and that is searching for the existence of GOD. I found it really difficult to believe in a God who didn't seem to care about my pain or clear the doubts that I had regarding him. But, after a year of struggle I found my FAITH. A faith which nobody can ever shake it away from me. When I turn back now, to reflect on the horrible journey I travelled, I can see that God has been with me through the struggle and has helped me understand him. I didn't realize it then, but I do now.
I realized that God really loves us, but its we who keep him away from our lives, being too busy to deal with the mess we make in this world. God doesn't force man to do things his way, because he has given us the FREE WILL.
It took a while to realize what God did for me. It was this and is ready to do it IN YOUR LIFE too :
I saw pornography(and every wrong act of mine) ----------- > Jesus took the blame for all that I did (including pornography and every wrong act of mine)
I became righteous ------------> Jesus became a sinner
I was released ---------------> Jesus got punished on the cross
He took away all my pain, guilt, suffering, rejection in him. He also got punished, and DIED instead of me. The day I realized this, I cried for the first time, after almost three years. I started falling in love with the guy named Jesus who was sinless, who sacrificed his life to give life to me. I felt peace and joy that I have never felt before in my life. I didn't turn away from my bad ways instantly. It took me years, but God was helping me and I felt quite easy to help and love others, which I had found it difficult to do. God was changing my life. I can say, that I am the most happiest person on earth now.
If you have felt pain, rejection or suffering in your life before, I would like to say that God loves you and wants to help you. Just give him the permission to do HIS work in your life :)
Please feel free to comment :)
i didnt know your story till now akka....beautiful....its always beautiful to see ignorant and helpless we were but how God can turned everything around...
ReplyDeleteYes, Shwetha,its so true :)
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