tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3432505380176941841.post604749462627978003..comments2023-05-14T03:49:35.194-07:00Comments on Calvary Santa Fe Blog: The Advantage of SufferingCalvary Santa Fehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13772819368252524502noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3432505380176941841.post-55984569176802751952013-01-09T08:18:22.230-08:002013-01-09T08:18:22.230-08:00I accepted Christ at the tender age of 5, and shor...I accepted Christ at the tender age of 5, and shortly after that the abuse began. All my life I've been so confused about the Bible's teachings regarding sufferings and how the believer is to perceive them.<br /><br />I've wanted to avoid praising God for the abuse I went through, for that would seem to be siding with the devil. On the other hand I know He can work through even the worst sin and filth to bring glory to His name, and light to others.<br /><br />You spoke of God not giving children a trial they can't endure. Because of the extreme sexual abuse I suffered my mind fractured and I became a multiple, with many different personalities to cope with the pain, shame and terror. I don't know why exactly but it shames me to have Dissociative Identity Disorder. Some say God created it to help children survive the unthinkable, and in that case it would be a gift from a loving Father. But I keep thinking it's something I have to hide for the sake of not causing His name to be sullied: something along the lines of if people know I have this they'll think God abandoned me by letting me go through the abuse. So I feel the need to try to live and act normal. It would be a relief to simply be me, brokenness and all!<br /><br /><br />Your response to my question did help me a lot. I still have some confusion, but I think there are some aspects of what I'm dealing with that I won't be able to understand this side of Heaven.Debhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16685405163963691258noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3432505380176941841.post-13757426875975233962013-01-08T15:31:10.480-08:002013-01-08T15:31:10.480-08:00Hey Deb,
This is a pretty intense topic that I do...Hey Deb,<br /><br />This is a pretty intense topic that I doubt I can fully or satisfactorily answer in a comment. So if you need further clarification let me know.<br /><br />The Bible does mention how to positively treat children and create positive environments (Proverbs 13:24, 31:28, 2 Tim 2:15, 3:4, 5:4; Titus 2:4; Ephesians 6:4 Col 3:21, 2 John 1). It would seem then that the Bible would give these verses as a means of avoiding child abuse without having to specifically mention it. Salvation is also promised to children in Acts 2:38. In that respect believing children go through suffering like every believer and we can include child abuse in that. I think there is an exhortational difference in child abuse and suffering that believers go through in the fact that the verses that mention raising children, instruct that the children be raised in an environment that is shown to be without abuse, and that should be our goal.<br /><br />Children should be raised in an environment of love, protection, discipline, and salvation. So technically speaking the Bible instructs in such a way that child abuse is to be avoided since that would be antithetical. Believing children go through suffering, but I believe God in the context of believing children applies 1 Corinthians 10:13, where temptation and trial mean the same thing. So God won't give children a trial that they wouldn't be able to endure, but will provide the way of escape. Also, there's no doubt then that the blog post applies to abused, believing children.<br /><br />There is suffering or harm that every believer goes through that is abuse from other persons and that would then include believing children. The thing we have to keep in mind, is that God is sovereign over that, but also that those who are the abusers and cause that type of suffering will be paid back by God (2 Tim 4:14, Rom 12:19). All the more reason why child abuse should be avoided. I believe children who go through abuse give a rise for God to be glorified, however, we have to keep in mind God will glorify Himself either in the salvation of those who believe, or the just condemnation of those don't. Therefore, the abusers either need to turn to Christ for their salvation in order to glorify God, but God's justice is still enacted for the crime committed against the abused... just on Jesus Christ on behalf of the elect abuser, or suffer both the judgment of all their sins, and the vengeance God enacts upon them for their abuse in hell. In the case of the latter, God's justice upon them is a cause for glory. God is also glorified in the lives of the abused as He heals them and conforms them to the image of His Son Jesus. I do believe it is important for the abused to recognize that the crime against them never goes unpunished. God is Just. So with that above qualification, believing children who go through child abuse suffer for the glory of God, as other believers do. Having said that, we still need to abide by creating environments of raising children that the Bible instructs us, and the Gospel is always the answer for children. We don't just simply throw up our hands and say, "well any child who's abused should continue to be abused then." Ultimately though, the believing abused children can say, "As for you, what you intended for evil, God intended for good" (Gen 50:20). <br /><br />I hope this helps. Calvary Santa Fehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13772819368252524502noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3432505380176941841.post-39730697257538031472013-01-08T14:06:48.385-08:002013-01-08T14:06:48.385-08:00Does the suffering of which the Bible speaks inclu...Does the suffering of which the Bible speaks include such things as childhood abuse, or is it only pertinent to the suffering believers sometimes undergo because of their faith?Debhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16685405163963691258noreply@blogger.com