Why suffering?

How would one truly know life if one didn't know death? How would one know love if he didn't first know hate? How would one know freedom if he didn't first know bondage? Sometimes I wonder why there is pain in the world, do you? Sometimes I wonder why there's so much suffering. Sometimes I wonder why those who are good and love the Lord experience so much pain and loss. I think it's okay to wonder these things. I've often fought with these questions, and somewhere down in me I wanted to have the chance to really hear a first hand testimony of someone who was persecuted for their faith, and see how they triumphed....that is if they did. Well, this past week I had the wonderful privilege to meet the author Dan Baumann who wrote the book Imprisoned in Iran and hear him personally teach our small DTS school of 18 students. Dan directs a DTS in Kona Hawaii and worked for many years as a missionary to Afghanistan and other middle eastern countries. But when he followed God's leading to go to Iran he was immediately imprisoned accused of being an American spy and a missionary, which was only half true. He was beaten, persecuted and isolated in a small cage of a prison cell for 9 weeks, and even struggled with the feeling that God had abandoned him. But God surely had not. Sometimes when accused in court before the judge, God would fill him with boldness and he would start preaching to the judge. But at other times, he would feel so much depression and anguish feeling so alone. At one point Dan attempted suicide and Jesus appeared to him in a vision promising to carry him through his hard time, and God began to give him love for his enemies and give him the strength to forgive them. Several weeks into his imprisonment, Dan had gained favor in the eyes of his beater, the judge and the president, as well as several of the guards, even bringing them to a saving knowledge of Christ. After 9 weeks Dan was released from prison through a string of arrangements which can only be explained as a miracle. When Dan tasted freedom after being in bondage for so long, it gave him a completely knew perspective on life. It was like he was experiencing the beauty of life for the first time. It was so much easier to be thankful when he got out of prison, for the things that I experience every day and yet I take such little thought for. Hey, I can see the sky every day! I can go for a walk at any time I feel like it, unless I'm in the middle of work that is. You're suppose to laugh. Anyways, my point is that, so often I'm not very grateful for what I've got, and I'm always wanted something better, and nothing is ever enough for me. But after hearing Dan's talk, I decided to go for a walk with Jesus to talk to Him. I started thanking Him for all He's done, and it was like I opened my eyes to what God has really given me for the first time. I mean I get to be on the beach every day! There's not a day that goes by that God doesn't forget to paint with new colors in the sky! I get to see all these amazing creatures like iguanas, birds, starfish and mosquitoes....ok, I'm kidding about the last. But you get the point, right? God has gifted so many of us with stuff we forget to be thankful for. And yet the exercise of thanksgiving itself will bring so much freedom to us that and it itself will fill us with so much more joy that nothing else can. So, to go back to those questions I raised, about why God lets good people experience suffering. I think that it reminds us of the fact that we are living for something so much bigger than this life. If everything went exactly right, we wouldn't need God. Secondly< I think that when we experience loss, we remember the one who gave it to us and learn to be thankful once we experience something better. But overall, I don't think that God likes suffering at all, but it exists, and it sucks...it really does. And Jesus doesn't like it either, which is why He died for us, because He loves us and He wants to take it away as much as He can. Oh how much I need Him!!! And the world needs us to show His love and compassion. We are his hands and feet. Let's do something about it ok?