There is a lot of pain and suffering in this world, and sometimes it seems that God just sits back and watches and doesn't care. Why is that? I don't know if we're ever going to find an answer to that question while we're still alive, but I'd like to give my opinion.
Most people want to be able to have money to pay for their kids college, enough to pay bills and go on vacation once a year. They want to be happy and not have problems. They want to have good health. I'm no different than everyone else. Doesn't it make sense that God would want the same for us? I don't think He necessarily does, because He wants more than that for us!
Larry Crabb has written many highly-acclaimed books including "Finding God", "Inside Out", and "The Marriage Builder". In addition to being a best-selling author, Dr. Crabb is a psychologist and counselor. I've read several of his books. They are all very good, but some of them are kind of hard to follow because they are written at a very deep level.
I read a book by Larry Crabb recently that was quite different from the other's that I've read by him before. This book was called "Shattered Dreams - God's Unexpected Pathway to Joy", and I think it was different because it was something that Dr. Crabb had personally experienced and very intimately touched him. The book was much easier to follow, in my opinion, than the others I had read by him.
The premise of this book is that joy and happiness are two distinctly different things. Most of us believe that the most important thing that we can have is happiness. Plenty of money, a loving spouse and obedient kids, good health, a good job, a nice house, etc. The list could be quite long. But my belief is that this isn't necessarily what God wants for us.
God wants us to find joy in a different place - in relationship with Him. If you can achieve that relationship and still have the above-mentioned happiness, that's great! I don't think they are necessarily exclusive of each other. After all, God does want us to have good things. The Bible says "If you know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!".
You see, when we achieve that point of supposed happiness, where we have the earthly things that we desire, sometimes we become content with that and don't seek God anymore. Or we might become so involved in hanging onto that happiness that it consumes all of our time, and keeps us from relationship with God. Therefore, God is willing to allow to experience some suffering to build that relationship. How we react to this pain is what determines whether we'll have joy or not. Most of us will do whatever is necessary to minimize the pain.
"Shattered Dreams" encourages us to allow ourselves to feel that pain, to mourn, and to grieve. It is in the midst of these trials, and on the other side of them, that we encounter God, and only then are we able to experience the true joy that He desires. It is not comfortable or fun, but it is ultimately the only true path to joy, and in my opinion, the reason that bad things happen to good people, and why God allows suffering. - 16463
Most people want to be able to have money to pay for their kids college, enough to pay bills and go on vacation once a year. They want to be happy and not have problems. They want to have good health. I'm no different than everyone else. Doesn't it make sense that God would want the same for us? I don't think He necessarily does, because He wants more than that for us!
Larry Crabb has written many highly-acclaimed books including "Finding God", "Inside Out", and "The Marriage Builder". In addition to being a best-selling author, Dr. Crabb is a psychologist and counselor. I've read several of his books. They are all very good, but some of them are kind of hard to follow because they are written at a very deep level.
I read a book by Larry Crabb recently that was quite different from the other's that I've read by him before. This book was called "Shattered Dreams - God's Unexpected Pathway to Joy", and I think it was different because it was something that Dr. Crabb had personally experienced and very intimately touched him. The book was much easier to follow, in my opinion, than the others I had read by him.
The premise of this book is that joy and happiness are two distinctly different things. Most of us believe that the most important thing that we can have is happiness. Plenty of money, a loving spouse and obedient kids, good health, a good job, a nice house, etc. The list could be quite long. But my belief is that this isn't necessarily what God wants for us.
God wants us to find joy in a different place - in relationship with Him. If you can achieve that relationship and still have the above-mentioned happiness, that's great! I don't think they are necessarily exclusive of each other. After all, God does want us to have good things. The Bible says "If you know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!".
You see, when we achieve that point of supposed happiness, where we have the earthly things that we desire, sometimes we become content with that and don't seek God anymore. Or we might become so involved in hanging onto that happiness that it consumes all of our time, and keeps us from relationship with God. Therefore, God is willing to allow to experience some suffering to build that relationship. How we react to this pain is what determines whether we'll have joy or not. Most of us will do whatever is necessary to minimize the pain.
"Shattered Dreams" encourages us to allow ourselves to feel that pain, to mourn, and to grieve. It is in the midst of these trials, and on the other side of them, that we encounter God, and only then are we able to experience the true joy that He desires. It is not comfortable or fun, but it is ultimately the only true path to joy, and in my opinion, the reason that bad things happen to good people, and why God allows suffering. - 16463
About the Author:
Matt Hellstrom is a husband and father of five wonderful adopted kids. Here are some tips for effective parenting skills that Matt has discovered in the last 15 years. You can learn his feelings about why God allows suffering.
