Why does God allow suffering?

Several months ago when I started my blog, I realized that I was on a journey. I just did not realize to what extent.

When I walked down to the mailbox yesterday, I was thrilled to find a package addressed to ME! I knew I had not ordered anything recently so looked at the return address to find that a good friend - Thank you Susan- had sent it. Inside I found the book - "The Refiner's Fire: IN ALL THINGS God WORKS FOR GOOD" by Gavin Anthony. I read the introduction and knew that this book had a lot of potential. Then I put the book down to go finish another project that I had going. Later that evening I got the book and began to read the first chapter. As I read I knew that God had used my friend to get me the VERY book I needed to read - NOW.

3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

Psalms 23:3-4

"Could it be that this path of righteousness actually passes through the valley of the shadow of death? Could going through the valley of the shadow of death also be "for His name's sake""

Page 15

I had never thought of it that way. In these verses and other places in the Bible we are told that we will have times of trouble in our lives, but it is SO refreshing to know that it is all in God's hands and it is taking us on a journey to be the people He intended us to be.

And as I have been studying I have noticed a common theme of why we have to go through the shadow of death and that is to mature His Character in us.

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

1 Corinthians 13:11

As I read through the first chapter, I was reminded that we are all on a journey - and where that journey takes us all depends on the choices we make - and I want my journey to take me to the house of the Lord. Just as the sheep followed the shepherd - I want to follow the Shepherd. I want his watch care - and the blessing of Goodness and Mercy to follow me.

The Author goes more into detail to explain what "For His name's sake" means - he says, " we honor the Shepherd most by reflecting His character, and the strange truth is that the Shepherd may accomplish this in us most through permitting us to suffer." Page 17

"Those who are finally victorious will have seasons of terrible perplexity and trial in their religious life; but they must not cast away their confidence, for this is part of their discipline in the school of Christ, and it is essential in order that all the dross may be purged away. The servant of God must endure with fortitude the attacks of the enemy, his grievous taunts, and must overcome the obstacles which Satan will place in his way....But if you keep looking up, not down at your difficulties, you will not faint in the way, you will soon see Jesus reaching His hand to help you, and you will only have to give Him your hand in simple confidence, and let Him lead you. As you become trustful, you will become hopeful....You will find help in Christ to form a strong, symmetrical, beautiful character, Satan cannot make of none effect the light shining forth from such a character....God has given us His best gift, even His only-begotten Son, to uplift, ennoble, and fit us, by putting on us His own perfection of character, for a home in His kingdom" Quote from page 19 of this book - or originally from Messages to Young People - page 63, 64

"The good news is that His purposes are just as good and as noble for us as they were for His people in Bible times, and the transformational blessings He wishes to pour through us are just as great.

God's work in us is the journey of a lifetime. It is often unexpected, sometimes painful, but always under the guidance of a loving Shepherd, and always, always, for good." page 21

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

Corinthians 1:3,4

So my conclusion so far - is that suffering is allowed to transform us in the character of God and also so that we may comfort others as we have been comforted by God.

And this is just the first chapter - I just love it when I read a book and I tell that it will be life changing for me. And I am sure that this book will be that way for me. And it gives new meaning to the name of my blog.

http://books.google.com/books?id=d4vrDOlR_FEC&pg=PA2&lpg=PA2&dq=%22The+Refiner

I just found on the Internet a page that you get actually read the first 60 pages of this book. How awesome is that? I hope that this link works. If not then what I did was looked up "The Refiner's Fire" by Gavin Anthony and I think it ended up being the first link.