Today, the WWT class broadly addressed the question: “Why do the righteous suffer?
We sang a great hymn by Thomas Moore:
Come, ye disconsolate, where’er ye languish,
Come to the mercy seat, fervently kneel.
Here bring your wounded hearts, here tell your anguish;
Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal.
Joy of the desolate, light of the straying,
Hope of the penitent, fadeless and pure!
Here speaks the Comforter, tenderly saying,
“Earth has no sorrow that Heaven cannot cure.”
Here see the Bread of Life, see waters flowing
Forth from the throne of God, pure from above.
Come to the feast of love; come, ever knowing
Earth has no sorrow but heaven can remove.
There was lots of good discussion with many helpful ideas. Here are some encouraging thoughts:
from Gleason Archer . . . three principles . . .
- God is worthy of love even apart from the blessings He bestows.
- God may permit suffering as a means of purifying and strengthening the soul in godliness.
- God’s thoughts and ways are moved by considerations too vast for the puny mind of man to comprehend, since man is unable to see the issues of life with the breadth and vision of the almighty; nevertheless God really knows what is best for His own glory and our ultimate good.
from Colin Smith . . . a prayer . . .
Gracious Father:
Help those who are in great pain and distress to see Your greatness and to find strength in You. Help me to accept that there are many questions that I will never be able to answer this side of heaven, and to find peace in knowing that You know what is hidden from me.
Help me to love You for who You are and not just for what You give, so that my worship in times of trouble may bring glory to Your name. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
and in summary . . . three great thoughts . . .
- No matter what, God is!
- No matter what, God loves!
- No matter what, God is enough!
TLT
Hillside Laughter 