Probably the biggest question for all people, whether they believe in God or not, is why is there so much suffering in this world? This is a question that probably won't ever be answered until we meet God in person. Many people have opinions, and I'd like to give mine here.
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.
"Shattered Dreams" is a book by Dr. Crabb that is different than the others. I recently discovered it and found it to be much easier to read than "Finding God", for example. I believe that this is because he experienced what he wrote in this book personally, and that the subject matter was extremely important to him.
In "Shattered Dreams", Dr. Crabb explains that happiness and joy are not the same thing, and although most of us want happiness, God actually knows that this isn't the best for us. We believe that it's important to have plenty of money, good health, a nice car or house, a happy family, and so forth.
What God really wants for us is to have joy. While that may include happiness, it doesn't mean it has to. In fact, the Bible does say that as we like to give good things to our children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask Him! So why doesn't he always give us those things? It's because sometimes they hinder us from experiencing the true joy of knowing Him.
However, quite often when we have the happiness, we either become content or we get so wrapped up in keeping that happiness intact that we don't see the need to find the time for that relationship with God. It is in these times that God might allow some pain to come into our life to draw us closer to him. It's at these times that many of us tend to do what we can to minimize that pain, basically because it hurts!
"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.
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.
"Shattered Dreams" is a book by Dr. Crabb that is different than the others. I recently discovered it and found it to be much easier to read than "Finding God", for example. I believe that this is because he experienced what he wrote in this book personally, and that the subject matter was extremely important to him.
In "Shattered Dreams", Dr. Crabb explains that happiness and joy are not the same thing, and although most of us want happiness, God actually knows that this isn't the best for us. We believe that it's important to have plenty of money, good health, a nice car or house, a happy family, and so forth.
What God really wants for us is to have joy. While that may include happiness, it doesn't mean it has to. In fact, the Bible does say that as we like to give good things to our children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask Him! So why doesn't he always give us those things? It's because sometimes they hinder us from experiencing the true joy of knowing Him.
However, quite often when we have the happiness, we either become content or we get so wrapped up in keeping that happiness intact that we don't see the need to find the time for that relationship with God. It is in these times that God might allow some pain to come into our life to draw us closer to him. It's at these times that many of us tend to do what we can to minimize that pain, basically because it hurts!
"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.
About the Author:
Matt Hellstrom is a husband and dad to five beautiful adopted children. Here are some tips for effective parenting skills that Matt and Julie have learned in the last 15 years. You can learn his feelings about why bad things happen to good people.
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