SSCORRE!

Is God Really Indifferent to Our Suffering?

SSCORRE!
Saint Sophia Cathedral
Online Resources for our Religious Edification

Topic of the Week: Is God Really Indifferent to Our Suffering?
“Since my teens I had been familiar with the common atheist argument that God either does not exist or He must be utterly indifferent to our suffering and therefore not good…”
“The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.“ (Romans 8:18).
Adult/Family  
“We were starting out on day two of a two day journey refreshed after an evening of swimming and rest in a motel, full of complementary breakfast, armed with various diversions, when the kids started melting down: first, there were complaints, which I corrected from the driver seat, then began the fighting, which caused me alarm and then eventually several were crying, and finally full-volume screaming… 
I took a deep breath. Lord have mercy. I summoned all my courage and then was surprised to hear this come out of my mouth: “Children, I am going to drive. You can either choose to make this trip pleasant or unpleasant for yourselves and everyone else. I AM COMPLETELY INDIFFERENT TO YOUR SUFFERING!” and I slammed the door….”
Read here to find out out what happened on the rest of the trip and the lesson learned: God and the Art of Road Trip Parenting
 
Preschool/Elementary

A certain monk told me that when he was very sick, his mother said to his father, “How our little boy is suffering. I would gladly give myself to be cut up into pieces if that would ease his suffering.” Such is the love of God for people. He pitied people so much that he wanted to suffer for them, like their own mother, and even more. But no one can understand this great love without the grace of the Holy Spirit.”  St. Silouan the Athonite

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Middle School

When things happen a certain way for us and we think we are suffering from a ‘bad situation’ or ‘bad event’ could it be that we think we need something to be a certain way in this earthly life but we really need something else for our salvation and God knows this and allows it to happen out of love for us?

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High School
What is your idea of comfort and suffering in this life? Do you embrace one but not the other? If so, which one and why?
Watch Why Does God Let Us Suffer? by Fr. Spyridon
Now that you have heard what the bible and the saints say about suffering, do you think you have had a Christian understanding of the true nature of suffering and its role in the life of Christians up until now? If not, you can begin to encounter the voluntary and involuntary suffering that comes into your life with more patience and gratitude starting now.
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A Message from Maria Spanos

I am passionate about our Orthodox Christian faith and seek to help others learn as much as they can about it. My purpose here is to share online resources that help strengthen our relationship with Christ and bind us closer to His Church. I believe they are invaluable in learning about our precious Orthodox Tradition, and are a great aid for teaching family members, friends and others about Orthodoxy. ~Maria

Two of my favorite quotes:

“A true Christian behaves in this life so that it may be a preparation for the future one and not only a life here below. In his actions, he does not think what will be said of him here but of what will be said there in heaven; he represents to himself that he is always in the presence of God, of the angels and all the saints, and remembers that someday they will bear witness of his thoughts, words, and deeds.”  — Saint John of Kronstadt

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Of all the holy works, the education of children is the most holy.”
— St. Theophan the Recluse