Yes. I just suffer knowing these things, that in this fallen world we have to suffer. And being Christians we suffer the rejection of the world around us. These things are extremely painful and difficult to accept. But accept it we must.
I think with me it's more resignation that ambition to suffer. I simply have to relinquish my will when God calls me to suffer whatever I have to suffer. I pray against it, perhaps, but I try to take my concerns to the Lord. Knowing God can relieve us of suffering and still wills that we suffer is one of the hardest things I experience in life.
But you're right. We have to surrender our will and let God have His way, without rebelling, complaining, or losing our spiritual composure. We aren't trying to achieve some superior level of spirituality--just maintain our spirituality and call to endure what God wills that we endure.
We should not prescribe what suffering anybody else has to suffer. We are all individuals. We should always let God speak first, before we judge what somebody else is going through. We can only judge sin--not circumstances.
Thank you so much for your deeply honest post, RandyPNW. Your reflection on the spiritual difficulty of accepting suffering and your focus on resignation over ambition truly resonate. It is indeed one of the hardest things we experience in life—knowing God
can relieve us, yet willing that we endure.
My own experience with suffering has drawn me immeasurably closer to God, fostering a deeper trust in His will. I believe this process may be part of His loving plan. When we are comfortable, we humans tend to drift far away from Him, feeling we can reject Him entirely—
“Why do I need God when everything is well?”
Yet, when we witness or endure great pain, our cries and pleas go to the One who promises: if you believe in my Son, your suffering here and now is real, but it will pass. When you awaken in glory, all will be forgotten.
May the Lord continue to bless you. Have a wonderful day/night.