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Suffering and the Christian

Romans 8:17, 18

Many terms are used in Scripture to talk about suffering— among them, affliction, anguish, distress, grief, misery, pain, tribulation, and chastisement. Various metaphors also depict suffering, including refining fire (Isa. 48:10; 1 Pet. 1:6, 7), overflowing waters (Isa. 43:2), and birth pangs (John 16:20–22; Rom. 8:18–22). All of these suggest what it feels like to suffer.

C. S. Lewis explained suffering like this: "Now God, who has made us, knows what we are and that our happiness lies in Him. Yet we will not seek it in Him as long as He leaves us any other resort where it can even plausibly be looked for. While what we call 'our own life' remains agreeable, we will not surrender it to Him. What then can God do in our interest but make 'our own life' less agreeable to us, and take away the plausible sources of false happiness."

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