[__ Prayer __] Injustice, pain and suffering

[Lalas]

I took some time off from this forum because I was dealing with several obstacles in my life and needed time to pray and be with the Lord. The details can be taxing and complex so I won't go into the finer description here. Basically. . . a few external circumstances which were outside of my control suddenly made me be at the receiving end of injustice, pain, and suffering. I've suffered for many months as a result. There were too many sleepless nights where I tossed and turned, worried, fasted, and cried out to the Lord. I have lost a lot of weight.

In spite of my ordeals I felt closer to God and was grateful for the experience of finding joy in Christ, in spite of all that I had to endure (and still do). Perhaps God allowed such things to take place in my life so that my faith could grow. But I have been stretch, at times, beyond my ability to endure, beyond my ability to cope. Yet the power of God has sustained me through these past few months and through the grace of God I am surviving, one day at a time.

Surely, some things that ought to be resolved by now are not being resolved no matter how much effort I put into them. I have prayed unceasingly and have asked others to pray as well. But the power of darkness, trickery, evil, and wickedness seem to prevail.

I have asked Jesus to illustrate His greatness by removing these various evils that have tried to latch onto my life and to my family's life over these past several months. I have asked God to cleanse me and protect me from the principalities of evil that are conspiring against me and are preventing me from fulfilling my God-given duties. I have asked God to make a clear pathway for me so that I may accomplish the things which He specifically asked me to do.

Over and over, the Lord's answer has been the same. He asked me to do this very specific thing in my life to bring glory to Him and to bless others. But why, whenever I try to do this very thing which He has asked me to do, I get bombarded by these external challenges and circumstances which bring me tremendous grief and suffering. It is almost like the lesions of demons are trying to attack me and my family whenever I try to obey God in this way.

Lately, I have been feeling hopeless and very discouraged as things have become progressively more difficult and complex. I don't fully understand why God would allow me to suffer in this way when I believe I am walking on the path He wants me to go. For now, all I can do is wait, pray, and continue to obey.

Please pray for me and my family. Please ask for God's power to triumph over evil and deliver justice when there is no justice. Please ask for God's mercy and goodness to take effect in a seemingly hopeless and helpless situation.

Thank you.

 

[Tessa]

Hello Lalas
I am sorry you are going through all this suffering, which h sounds like torture. Whatever God has asked you to do satan is not going to want you to go ahead. Just hold tight and keep your faith in The Lord.
Are you able to tell us what God is asking you to do?
Praying for your
God Bless You

 

[journeymanisnothing]

Hello Lalas.
It sounds like God has given you the opportunity to show the love, compassion and longsuffering our dear Savior illistrated when he was lied about, beaten and killed by people who hated him.
Praying for you and hope through your faithfulness, those doing you injustice may see the love of God in you and be ashamed and repent.

 

[Christ_empowered]

Praying

 

[PopaSodinski]

It's true that when you try to follow God's will then the devil will try to stop you. But remember that greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. Have faith that the Lord will give you the victory, in the end.

 

[Christ_empowered]

I was just reading today about how God used suffering to build faith and build us in Christ. And suffering can show Jesus through us to others..,

Light into a dark and dying generation.

 

[Lalas]

Thank you everyone for your support, encouragement, and prayers.

Tessa -- Thank you for your prayer and insight. It has been very tough and as you've described-- a bit like torture, even. The last time something even remotely similar happened to me was when I got baptized as a Christian and committed my life to Christ many years ago. Only this time, the torment from the enemy is much worse than ever before, so I take it that what God has asked me to do is precisely what I'll need to do no matter what! It's crystal clear to me now. Basically, I have been doing research to create this "thing" which will hopefully and eventually lead to helping a ministry.

Journeyman -- Thank you for your prayer and wisdom! You are right in the sense that God teaches us to experience the fullness of Christ by experiencing His suffering. Perhaps these wicked people will see the light of God and be brought to shame. Or perhaps their hearts will become calloused, and they may even succeed in their evil schemes. But if the latter, they will someday have to answer to God for their actions. Whatever the outcome may be, I trust that God will somehow turn evil into good.

Christ-empowered -- Thank you for your prayer and knowledge. Indeed, God uses suffering to build our character and increase our faith. Perhaps through suffering we learn to have more empathy, patience, and kindness towards others. People will certainly gravitate towards the light of Christ they see in us, and they will question why we are so different from the depraved ways of the world. As a Christian, to suffer is to be the norm.

Popasodinski -- Thank you for your word of encouragement. Yes, whenever Satan tries to ruin our lives, we must take pause to remember that the Lord whom we serve is greater than the enemy. Despite all my troubles, it is comforting to know that Jesus will walk with me through this journey and enable me to find my ultimate victory in Christ.

 

[journeymanisnothing]

Journeyman -- Thank you for your prayer and wisdom! You are right in the sense that God teaches us to experience the fullness of Christ by experiencing His suffering. Perhaps these wicked people will see the light of God and be brought to shame. Or perhaps their hearts will become calloused, and they may even succeed in their evil schemes. But if the latter, they will someday have to answer to God for their actions. Whatever the outcome may be, I trust that God will somehow turn evil into good.

I know it's difficult to love people who are treating us badly. I believe God allows these things to show us the heartache he suffers daily. And his Son showed better than anyone how he suffered such injustice without condemning those sinners.
God is turning evil into good as we follow the example of our dear Lamb of God. Please pray for me also about this, as I want to love people the way our Savior did and the flesh is a monster.

 

[Tessa]

Lalas and @Journeynan
The best way I have found to love my enemies is firstly to pray for them and second is I look for a good thing they have, most people have them. I always choose one that I lack. Then I pray for that quality. They are unknowingly a friend now . Keep on praying for them
Blessings

 

[Fretslide]

praying

 

[Lalas]

I know it's difficult to love people who are treating us badly. I believe God allows these things to show us the heartache he suffers daily. And his Son showed better than anyone how he suffered such injustice without condemning those sinners.
God is turning evil into good as we follow the example of our dear Lamb of God. Please pray for me also about this, as I want to love people the way our Savior did and the flesh is a monster.

Journeyman, yes, it is very challenging to love those who mistreat us and eagerly plan to ruin us. It is especially difficult when their evil deeds succeed right in front of us and they prosper from doing wrong. Yet, as you have mentioned, we need to follow Christ's examples by taking up the cross each day and forgiving others of their sins. For that is how Jesus responded to the various injustices He had to endure.

Through this particular season of suffering in my life, I have become quiet with the Lord which has been an uplifting experience as well. When the heart is oppressed, God appears closer. Perhaps God is already turning evil into good, even though our human eyes cannot see all the details and our minds cannot grasp His divine and infinite wisdom. Still, I trust that someday, somehow, God will use this experience of suffering and grief in my life for some good in this world. That is the hope.

I am praying for you, Journeyman. For each of us struggle with the flesh and temptations of sin. As Heaven is our home, we were never meant to thrive in the enemy's territory. May the Lord encourage you, inspire you, and motivate you as you seek to follow Him each day, seeking His commands and presence. May the Lord reward you for your faithfulness and obedience to Him!

Tessa, that is a good advice, thank you! Though I find that "befriending" an enemy right away is easier said than done, even if it's done unknowingly. Perhaps time is necessary for the heart to mend and the stages of grief need to play out before someone like me can genuinely love and forgive someone. If I could forgive people for their crimes in an instant, I'd probably be a Saint sitting at God's table right now and not some feeble human pleading for God's mercy each day. In the meantime, I appreciate your suggestion to keep praying for those who do us wrong. For that is the way of Christ Jesus, our Lord.

 

[Tessa]

You got it right Lalas
Just keep praying.
Goo bless

 

[journeymanisnothing]

Journeyman, yes, it is very challenging to love those who mistreat us and eagerly plan to ruin us. It is especially difficult when their evil deeds succeed right in front of us and they prosper from doing wrong. Yet, as you have mentioned, we need to follow Christ's examples by taking up the cross each day and forgiving others of their sins. For that is how Jesus responded to the various injustices He had to endure.

Yeah. Psa.73 has great incite into evil deeds succeeding.

Through this particular season of suffering in my life, I have become quiet with the Lord which has been an uplifting experience as well. When the heart is oppressed, God appears closer.

He is closer at difficult times, because we're moving closer to him, experiencing a little of the sadness he exposed himself to.

He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. Isa.53:3

That just blows me away...a man who only helped people being miserably treated. And our Creator no less. I mean think about watching your own innocent child being attaked by a mob. He could have fried his enemies, but he didn't. People talk about the patience of Job.

Perhaps God is already turning evil into good, even though our human eyes cannot see all the details and our minds cannot grasp His divine and infinite wisdom. Still, I trust that someday, somehow, God will use this experience of suffering and grief in my life for some good in this world. That is the hope.

He is turning evil into good now and using our expeirences now for good in this world.
Many sinners come to know God through our conduct, which is our testimony. Another thing is that as we walk with Jesus, we get put through the fire like metal being made pure.

I am praying for you, Journeyman. For each of us struggle with the flesh and temptations of sin. As Heaven is our home, we were never meant to thrive in the enemy's territory. May the Lord encourage you, inspire you, and motivate you as you seek to follow Him each day, seeking His commands and presence. May the Lord reward you for your faithfulness and obedience to Him!

Thank you Lalas. I pray we go to war as he did.

 

[Lalas]

Thank you for the verses and encouraging message, Journeyman.

 

[Lalas]

Some updates. . . my family and I have been getting over the flu the last several weeks and have been on the mend while dealing with this very stressful situation in the background. The situation has not been resolved yet and the frustration remains. However, I believe the Lord is teaching us to be patient and to trust Him totally and completely.

Perhaps we are now expected to be at the stage of acceptance-- acceptance of things which we are not ready to accept, and to accept the suffering and injustice even though we know we deserve better. Why God has allowed the evil doers to succeed and have victory over us in this season of life is something I cannot understand. However, the Lord works in mysterious ways and all we can do, all I can do, is to have hope and continually pray.

 

[Tessa]

Hi Lalas
I agree with you. Job couldn't understand why he was suffering. The Lord did put an end to it though.

Sometimes we may never know why God has allowed bad times to happen to us. Sometimes later in life we realize why things had to happen and we are grateful.

Prayer is a very powerful thing. It us good you still praying. Praying with you Lalas

God Bless

 

[Lalas]

Tessa, thank you for your prayers and wisdom. Indeed, not everything that happens in our lives make sense at the time they happen, but once we have reached a different milestone/ stage in our lives we can fondly, yes fondly, look back on all the times our dear Lord has taught us something meaningful through our pain and experiences. You are right. We need to remain grateful regardless and keep praying. Prayer is a powerful tool which allows us to connect with God and grow deeper in our understanding of, as well as increase our appreciation for, the beauty and the majesty of Christ.

 

[for_his_glory]

Hi Lalas

This reminds me of what Job went through in the book of Job and that of Paul's thorn in the flesh in 2Corinthians 12 as Satan will always try to come against us as he wants to destroy our faith in Christ. You know you are on the right path with Christ when you face the persecutions Satan sets before us, but yet we are overcomers in Christ and need that full armor of God on everyday, Ephesians 6:10-20. Whatever it is that God has called you to do just keep pressing forward and do it taking no concern for yourself as God is right there beside you.

You are in my prayers, God bless

 

[Lalas]

Hi Lalas

This reminds me of what Job went through in the book of Job and that of Paul's thorn in the flesh in 2Corinthians 12 as Satan will always try to come against us as he wants to destroy our faith in Christ. You know you are on the right path with Christ when you face the persecutions Satan sets before us, but yet we are overcomers in Christ and need that full armor of God on everyday, Ephesians 6:10-20. Whatever it is that God has called you to do just keep pressing forward and do it taking no concern for yourself as God is right there beside you.

You are in my prayers, God bless

For_his-glory, thank you for your blessings and prayers. It is good to know that we are not alone in our seemingly long and arduous journey to Heaven. The Lord is surely with us at all times and along the way He showers us with the blessings of godly and righteous friends to help us, encourage us, and give us solid counsel. Yes, it is also important to put on that armour of God each day to ensure that we are prepared for whatever circumstances that cross our paths. I will indeed press on forward knowing that this is where God wants me to go. Thank you again and God bless you!