He even seems to cause affliction among His chosen people who need to repent. In other words, God allows natural laws to take their natural course against the just as well as the unjust.īut what about God? Does He cause affliction? The Lord has caused affliction to come upon the wicked as evidenced by His many warnings to the wicked, which were followed by wars, fires, earthquakes, hurricanes, famines, and other devastations. Death, infirmities, and accidents are a natural consequence of our fallen condition. Enoch observed, “Because that Adam fell, we are and by his fall came death and we are made partakers of misery and woe” (Moses 6:48). maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:45). Our mortal condition subjects us to natural disasters such as earthquakes, famines, hurricanes, and the like-for as the Lord said, “Your Father which is in heaven. There are also afflictions for which, it seems, no one is to blame. This is evidenced by widespread domestic abuse, sexual abuse, dishonesty, murder, fraud, reckless driving, and other cases of negligence and sinful conduct. Mortals also cause affliction and suffering-for themselves and for others. Suffice it to say that Satan is a prime perpetrator of misery and affliction. Furthermore, the scriptures tell us that “because he had fallen from heaven, and had become miserable forever, he sought also the misery of all mankind” (2 Nephi 2:18). smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown” (Job 2:7). Satan is certainly a cause of some affliction as evidenced by the experience of Job: “. Is the answer Satan, others, ourselves, our mortal condition, natural causes, God, all of these, or only some of them? Who or What Causes Affliction and Suffering? The following is an attempt to provide some answers to those questions, inspired in part by Alma’s counsel to his son Helaman. What is the ultimate objective of suffering in God’s plan?.How should we respond to affliction and suffering?.How does God help us face our afflictions?.Does all suffering lead to positive growth?.Why does God intervene and alleviate suffering for some but not for others?.Who or what causes affliction and suffering?.The subject of affliction and its corresponding companion, suffering, raise some thought-provoking questions. In fact, one key reason for the gospel is to give purpose to suffering, to help it make sense, so we can hold on and have hope even in moments of excruciating pain and despair. No doubt this counsel was included in the Book of Mormon because it is applicable to each of us as we face the inescapable afflictions of life. The essence of his counsel was that Helaman, even though he was righteous, would still face his share of afflictions, but if he put his trust in God, the day of deliverance would come when he would be “lifted up”-meaning exalted. surely did deliver them in their afflictions.” Alma then continued: “And now, O my son Helaman, behold, thou art in thy youth, and therefore, I beseech of thee that thou wilt hear my words and learn of me for I do know that whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day” (Alma 36:2–3 emphasis added throughout). He exhorted him to remember “the captivity of our fathers for they were in bondage, and none could deliver them except it was the God of Abraham. Accordingly, Alma commenced his counsel to Helaman as recorded in Alma 36 by addressing the subject of affliction. Suffice it to say, Alma was acquainted with grief.Īlma knew that his righteous son Helaman would likewise face adversity. His “heart was exceedingly sorrowful” because of the iniquities of the people (Alma 35:15), and he “had been racked with eternal torment” because of his own sinful past (Alma 36:12). He was bound, imprisoned, and physically abused (Alma 14:14–15) the wicked gnashed their teeth upon him, spit upon him, mocked him, and withheld food and water from him so that he “suffered for many days” (Alma 14:21–23). He “was pained” as he witnessed righteous men, women, and children, cast into a fiery pit at the hands of the wicked (Alma 14:10). He was rejected, reviled, spit upon, and cast out of Ammonihah, “being weighed down with sorrow, wading through much tribulation and anguish of soul” because of the sins of his people (Alma 8:13–14). He fought in hand-to-hand combat defending his people (Alma 2:29). Callister formerly served as the General President of the Sunday School of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.Īlma the Younger was no stranger to affliction and suffering.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |