I’m actually borrowing the title of this blog entry from my referer logs. Someone searched for that term and clicked through to my blog as one of the results. I’d like to try and offer an actual answer from my viewpoint, since I’ve been going through a lot of life changes lately and have also been exploring and strenghtening my faith, so it’s definitely a question I’ve asked lately.
Why has God made me suffer all my life?
My understanding of the Bible is still very limited, but after God flooded the Earth, he promised Noah that he wouldn’t destroy the Earth again. Sometimes, the Bible gives God credit for causing suffering or at least alluding to God being responsible for it, but I don’t agree. Suffering happens because it’s a part of life. God doesn’t inflict suffering on the world. We cause most of our own suffering, either to ourselves or to each other. In the Bible, it even tells us that God forgives us of our sins and gives us grace, but we have to pay attention and realize it. Sometimes what we need is to stop the vicious cycle of suffering. Sometimes, it’s asking others for help, or offering help to others. But, whatever it is, if we listen carefully and with an open mind and heart, God gives us what we need. God doesn’t make us suffer; we make ourselves suffer..
Tags:
religion,
God,
suffering
Programmer, husband, father, singer, guitarist, tinkerer, reverse engineer, strange, and living in New Jersey. 
I am glad to see you are in a better place, Dossy. Life is really is what we make it. And recognizing that – is very hard – when in a rut.
We are who we are. Born with a purpose or not and our behavior and our thinking has been rooted into us since we been born. So we cheat, love, hate, communicate, believe, motivate it all reads like a book our lives are already written like a paperback in a bookstore it’s just who decides to read it and say “hey I like it” or not or buys it and never finishes reading it or skips through pages, will truly determine which ones will love you care for you stick with you because your story is to interesting enough to want to read it till the end to see what happens.
I have been also asking the same question, but it seems God is hell bent on making me suffer, the more I believe in HIM, the more I suffer. I dont think so that we are cause most of our suffering, its often inflicted by others (think God makes them do it), one thing that I have seen is that people who dont believe in God are relatively happy, but those who deeply believe in God are often in lots of stress……
How true this is..yet I can’t stop leaning on Him…
Hello Everyone.
Great question.
Great topic.
I shared my story with one person, my best friend in High School. Other than that, I have never shared my story with anyone else.
Very Long Story Short: I have suffered ALL of my life. Growing up, I lived in a hostilely-abusive home (from days of no food, no holidays, verbally, mentally, physically abused etc……) until I move out and away. I have a positive temperament about myself; I always have. It has been years since I removed myself from the volatile home I grew up in. I will not want to have children because of my past experiences. My life teeter-totters routinely. Whenever, one good “thing” occurs in my life, I eel hopeful and then it appears that 10-Bad Things seem to follow. I am a good person and seem never to consistently be in a good place. I feel cursed. I talk to God all of the time. I do the right things. I help others selflessly without looking for a reward. I seem to never catch a break.
I feel as if I am drowning. Forever drowning.
Just when I hit one good stride, I am dragged back ten-strides.
I never seem to catch a break.
I want the last part of my life to fruitful, positive and unstained by meandering darkness.
….., I understand – fully- what you are experiencing, but for me, it has always been the “rule-of-3”. One good thing to 3 bad things, and it always happens in that order, too. I, too, have lived my life as a good person all-around, and I don’t see any reason I should be made to suffer. I keep an open mind at all times, but have never been a religious “nut”. “Believe what you want, as long as it doesn’t adversely affect others!”, I always say. I might be considered spiritual, but definitely not religious! The “Bible” was written by “Man”, and ONLY “Man” – for you unreasonably hopeful people! We suffer, then we die. My wish is to just “blink” out of existence, altogether. Then, just in-case that whole re-incarnation thing is true, I will not be back to suffer all over again! For you religious “nuts” out there, explain these to me: With the story of “the potter and the clay” in mind, why would God want to fire and glaze me to be a maniacal killer-type??? Not saying I am, not saying I’m not, but I am not as strong as I need to be, anymore, and you “nuts” out there always say crap like: “Well, that’s just God testing you.”, or “That’s God preparing you for your calling.”. So, hypothetically speaking, God’s desire is to make a deranged, psychopathic killer-type, that has a dangerously high intellect, and complete control of his own morals, whatever morals that would still remain at that point? God wants multitudes of people to suffer horribly, so that they can reach that higher state of Grace? If “I” was God, I would’ve given the choice of “suffer to glory”, or “blink-out painlessly”! Why doesn’t God give us a choice like that??? I know: “‘Cause each one of us is “special”, and necessary in his “grand scheme” of things!… Bulls**t!!! God is supposed to be Omni-everything, right? Then why did/does he choose to make creation the way he “supposedly” did/does? Seems pretty selfish to me!? Let’s say it’s all true, and God has the power as it says in the “Bible”/any version. That still does not mean that God is the one who should make those decisions. I’ve known VERY powerful people in my lifetime, but not one of them were worth trusting with your life and/or wellbeing! Should we accept God for that role just because he/she is so powerful? I think not, and invite your opinions/theories. Try to keep your comments based in some kind of reality, please! I don’t mind you being a “nut”, just don’t be unrealistic. Good day!
The first thing I noticed about this blog page is since 2006 there have only been 5 comments! All seem sincere to me, but 5 comments in 10 years! I typed those words in the search field “Why has God made me suffer all my life?” Out of desperation. I needed to hear that someone else has gone through similar life circumstances. So, thank you previous 5 for your comments. I would rather have 5 real comments than 55 fake, and I do believe the previous 5 are real. The first thing that comes to mind in only seeing 5 responses in 10 years, is Jesus saying ” . . . narrow is the gate.”; only a few are going to make it to “heaven” in our next lives. I truly believe that God has predisposed some of us to make it to heaven. I believe we are chosen ones. So he has made our lives bad (but tolerable) to make us tough spiritually. The ones who have good lives that we can see around us can make it heaven too, but they have to follow the examples set in the bible. For instance, Jesus told the rich young man who felt he had complied with all Jesus’ instructions for salvation, “now, give your money to the poor and follow me”. The young man walked away upset, he couldn’t do it. I believe a rich person would have to follow that example (to that extreme, or something similar) to give everything up then be eligible in God’s eyes. And for us “lucky” ones, God has predisposed our lives so that; all we have to do is act within what is acceptable to God: no violence, love one another (to the best of our abilities) and so on. Our lives are already set so that if we just behave properly (amidst all this horror, hate and generally tough life circumstances) we are going to be joint heirs with Christ. One of the hardest things to remember is that, when we are dealing with the worst situations, we are probably dealing with either demonized, or heavily demonic influenced people. So, we are basically dealing directly with demons (as hard as that may be to understand/believe). By the way, I have watched two peoples faces morph into demonic faces in my adult life before my eyes. Not turn into the face like the girl on the exorcist, but just features of the face exaggerated for a second while in heated conversations. One was with a religious leader of a local organization; I was pressing for answers on issues they taught that were inconsistent with the bible he got upset and his voice changed for a split second and his face morphed. Another situation was in an argument (really just a bit of a stressful conversation, not full out argument) and I called this person a demon. I said, “do you have to say it like that, you demon!” At that second, she looked at me and her face turned demonic. The best way to describe it is to say, for example if someone was smiling and the smile exaggerated into a joker smile. By the way, in both circumstances, I was so taken back by their physical change that I literally, gasped out loud (took my breath away momentarily, and I am not easily scared). So, this is why there may be some circumstances we just cannot get through without suffering. But, even though we feel like God is not intervening in the situation he may not be (in all aspects). Maybe he just helps us physically/emotionally recover faster than if we weren’t chosen ones. And maybe not feel as much physical pain, being that its being dealt out from real demons. Keep in mind, Jesus suffered terribly. God allowed him to suffer to the point where Jesus asks him “why to you forsake me, Father), do we expect not to suffer as well? We need to maintain our composure as much as possible while suffering, and make God proud; he will assist us in ways we may not know until the day we meet him. He’ll say, “remember that situation with so-and-so, when you didn’t think I was with you; well, I dulled your pain and strengthened your bones so you wouldn’t get injured or feel as much pain.” And you will look back and realize even you wondered how you made it out of that situation so well. He’s there. He has to allow us to suffer, it makes us stronger. This life seems like hell, but just wait. After the next thousand years, satan and his demons and all the humans who chose his side (which are most humans – don’t forget). Are going to come out of that pit prepared with all their means to wipe us out and take back this earth. He wants this earth for himself and that’s what its all about. These evil humans who are going to hell with them will experience some unbelievable torture and pain, I’m sure. But, Satan is going to make an army of them. Just like there will be joint heirs with Christ, Satan will make humans ranking in his army. He is going to train them in his limited arts of whatever means he has. The same way God’s chosen ones will learn things from God that we cannot fathom right now. But before we can be prepared for all these things God has in store for us, we have to prove our hearts to God. That, we face unbelievable circumstances, but we know in our hearts that God will be there for us in whatever light we need him (that which he will decide, not us). It sounds stupid to say, take the suffering in stride, but that’s we need to do. Even celebrate it, its coming from God. Each tribulation we encounter is possible “treasure in heaven”, depending on our response and how we can make God proud of us. “endure til’ the end and we will be saved.” Dont get caught up w/the ways of this world/pride. Colossians 3:1-3Use good common sense and make God proud. God Bless my brothers and sisters in Christ worldwide Heavenly Father. Give them the strength to get through these tribulations. I pray this in Jesus name> God Bless You; stay strong.
I too google the same thing as many others on here have, looking for an answer. I found that answer clarified from David. Thanks so much. I too have suffered from birth up until now and am still suffering. I am always waiting for the next shoe to drop. I always thought that God was testing me but I didn’t understand why. I like David’s explanation a lot better. I am also bipolar trying to deal with all of this. It gets so bad that I ask God to just take me. I need to remember to keep my composure during the bad times and make God proud but I seriously don’t think that I can do it because I have already lost two of my children due to two other bad divorces and now I am fixing to go through another. Now it is because my husband says that he doesn’t love me anymore and he wants me to leave in the morning and have nothing to do with him or our little girl. Basically never to see her again. I have done nothing wrong. Again, more suffering.
That’s bullshit. Explain JOB? I’m a great human. Spread word of God. Help people. Make others happy. I’m giving. People love me that get to know me. Explain why bad happens to me day after day. Getting worse and worse. I know it’s lessons I’m being put though. But explain how we go through our own suffering. Being a victim of 2 gang members pulling me out of my car and beating my head in with a baseball bat for no reason ending those fuckers in prison doesn’t explain much about “we cause ourselves suffering.” It’s changed my life career wise and physically and I’ve forgiven and moved on and learned not to dwell. Growing up my whole life being bullied and told what a worthless human I was and not understand why because I was and am such a loving person and I continue to suffer. Dad telling me I’m a loser because I didn’t wanna play a sport that didn’t make me happy. Getting called a faggot by my dad my whole life. Being judged by my dad about how Small I was and always needing to gain weight for football. My own dad calling me worthless. Explain all of that and then tell me we cause ourselves to suffer. Please I wanna hear.
It’s important to separate events that occur, which we often have little control over, from our reaction to those events: whether we choose to respond by suffering, or respond by doing something else. How we respond to the things that happen to us is what we can control.
Choosing to suffer in reaction to an event is a choice. You can choose to let it motivate you to do things differently. You can choose to let the adversity in your life make you stronger. But, telling yourself, “When bad things happen, my only reaction is to suffer,” isn’t true.
Note carefully, I’m not saying that choosing to react differently is easy; it is not. But, it is possible, and it is important to try to do.
There’s a cliché saying that goes something like, “The first time, it’s a mistake. The next time, it’s a choice.” Bad things happen all the time. The first time, what could you do about it? But, the next time it happens? If you choose to react the same way, then you have to accept that you are making that choice. And, once you accept that you have a choice to make, choose better.
Suffering isn’t a “reaction”, my friend. Suffering is a consequence. You have no control whether you suffer, or not. Your response makes me think you have never truly suffered in you life, honestly. Not “”real”” suffering, anyway. I don’t know you, but that is what ran through my head when I read your Reply. Yes, you can choose to grow from your suffering, but you still suffer, nonetheless. Also, I think the saying you are referring to is “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.”. Only way I’ve heard it, anyway. I’m here in the U.S., so that might just be a cultural variance. Uncertain, but matters not. The 1st part of this Reply is what’s important for me to convey.
Are you a Pisces by any chance? God chose Pisces people to be the only ones that suffer this way and it sucks to be honest.
Sometimes, I think that God is just like Tony Soprano. Hey, if you’re not loyal to me, you’re going to pay the price. Oh, you just suffered a heart attack, traumatic brain injury, or developed cancer? It’s not My fault, it’s my brother Satan, he’s the one that did that to you.
Very good analogy. The thing is, if God was so perfect, we wouldn’t need to learn & grow as humans, spirit or otherwise, & there would be no evil, such as this mythical Satan. Y’all need to stop looking to that damn book they call the Bible. It was written by politically motivated individuals (humans), & if you try to say it was God working “”through”” them, then was it God working through (any notable evil figure from history)? No! Gonna blame that one on Satan. How convenient. I think I’ll be God now, & blame all my screw-ups on Satan, that way I can remain infallible in the minds of the intellectually blind populace of automatons following mindlessly. Just sayin’. ;)
It’s been several years since I came here, 1st, & I’m back to add some Info. Not positive. Not negative. Just based on observation over these last 5 years since my last Posting.
Look into “Karma” & “Balance”. I have noted, many times, that these 2 things play a huge part in the whole “”scheme”” of things. Belief in God/Satan/Bible is irrelevant to this Info. Not only have I noticed these 2 playing a part just, in passing, through my life, but I also scientifically used myself as a guinea pig to test my theories. My findings: Karma is real, & a real B, & everything requires Balance (not just good & evil, but even minute, seemingly inconsequential things). May not help any, but I felt it was worth noting, here. Good luck to you all. For those of you “”Awake””, it won’t be long. You know what I’m talking about. Do you “”feel”” it, too? I do. :(
I do so much for other people, I am basically a charity in human form. No one helps me even though I need it so badly right now.
Slaves. That is all decent people are. Nothing more.
I have tried to kill myself by ingesting poison 2 times within a week and somehow am still here. Cyanide and arsenic. But God wants me to suffer. There is no other reason I should be here. Helping people gets me no where and I do not want/am not cut out to live in this disgusting world. If God loved me he’d allow my death.
It is hard to feel like we are here to suffer
I have my whole life because my mom only lived my one sibling and her children
I am very sad for my children who were born
Innocently to this family
I am leave a terrible legacy
Hard to understand why
I have suffered since childhood. Alcoholic parents my mom nearly killed me on at least 3 occasions Adopted at age 8 I was always wanted to play music my adopted parents gave me piano lessons I loved it first place where there was love then I did a stupid thing and got married at 18 and my husband cheated on me all my life we had two daughters I worked as a nurse sometimes two jobs and my husband cheated on me while I was at work and we finally had grandkids whom I love more than life and we took them places practically raised them because of their home life and suddenly our daughter has picked up witch craft with her abusive husband and they won’t let us see our precious grandkids I am devastated I feel like my entire life has been a disaster and I am very depressed.