BTW, one of the reasons I became a Lutheran, when in the midst of dealing with a murdered daughter, was how the weekly liturgy and "vibe", allows and permits,suffering. There isn't this pressure to put on a happy face.
Other churches may have an accurate intellectual answer for the problem of suffering, but, they don't welcome it in their midst. You see, I have been miserable, and still trusted God.
It's difficult to be happy when we're bearing a cross. I'm fairly certain bearing a cross in Jesus' name makes Satan rather unhappy. So be it. Pax, Dennis
I wonder if we can say this: God does not willingly cause grief (Lamentations 3, I believe). That is, while it would be His preference to bestow only happiness, He often does not; rather, He often--as an alien work--afflicts us with crosses and trials. And even in this we are called to rejoicing (which I take to mean trust, and not to be confused with happiness).
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ReplyDeletefrom a Facebook exchange....
ReplyDeleteHer....
"You can decide to trust God, or you can decide to be miserable". - Joyce Meyer
10 others like this..
Me:
And sometimes you can be miserable and still be trusting God...
Her...
You wouldn't be miserable if you were really trusting God.
Me...
NOT TRUE, tell that to my new friend whose wife murdered their two children, ages 6 and 9
Her....silence
Me...
His name is Exxx, his kids were Lxxx and Mxxx They have been gone for 6 months, and he is just back at work.
Her silence...
then
We will pray for them.
BTW, one of the reasons I became a Lutheran, when in the midst of dealing with a murdered daughter, was how the weekly liturgy and "vibe", allows and permits,suffering. There isn't this pressure to put on a happy face.
ReplyDeleteOther churches may have an accurate intellectual answer for the problem of suffering, but, they don't welcome it in their midst.
You see, I have been miserable, and still trusted God.
Thank you, Rob, for sharing that. I remember your critique of that novel (can't remember its name now) that failed on that regard.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutley! This lie destroys families.
ReplyDeleteIt's difficult to be happy when we're bearing a cross. I'm fairly certain bearing a cross in Jesus' name makes Satan rather unhappy. So be it.
ReplyDeletePax,
Dennis
If this is true, our Lord, the Man of sorrows, must not have trusted God.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if we can say this: God does not willingly cause grief (Lamentations 3, I believe). That is, while it would be His preference to bestow only happiness, He often does not; rather, He often--as an alien work--afflicts us with crosses and trials. And even in this we are called to rejoicing (which I take to mean trust, and not to be confused with happiness).
ReplyDelete