Ep03.12: Unpacking Series - Suffering

SUFFERING:  any degree of loss, damage, or pain (LDP) leading to mental, emotional, or physical brokenness, anguish, or weariness.

 

What is suffering, why does it exist, why does God allow, how are we to respond to it?

Zach and I truly hope this discussion can be encouraging and strengthening, to prepare you for any future suffering you may experience or that someone you care about ends up experiencing.  Take your time going through this episode, chewing on it, praying, and letting God sit with you as you work through this issue.

 

Here is the TIMESTAMP for this episode:

[FYI - this is a 3+ hour episode. We had thought about splitting it up due to its length, like we did the evil/sin topic, but we felt that we wanted to keep all the parts of the exploration/discussion together, so that if someone comes to this episode because of suffering they are experiencing, they could take a day away from everything, listen to this episode in its entirety, and then just prayerfully meditate on it.]

 

00:00 - an introduction to the episode, things to keep in mind as you listen through the discussion, and quick recaps of other unpacking topics and definitions that are critical in understanding so that you can even more deeply understand the issue of suffering.  These include love, good, evil/sin, interdeterminism, and several of the spiritual lenses from Season 01.

37:43 - getting into the terminology, wording, and core definitions behind the concept of suffering, looking into key passages that describe what suffering is, and coming to a conclusion on the Bible's definition of suffering; along with a side note on the diverisity of pre-suppositions and take-aways that occur in these unpacking studies.

1:04:55 - moving into the detailed nuances and different aspects of suffering, including the degreed nature of suffering, the two primary sources of suffering (God-initiated and all-others-initiated), varied types of sufferings, the corresponding implications of suffering, and key passages on the reasons for and purpose of suffering.

2:25:24 - investigating the results or benefits of suffering or choosing to healthily, scripturally respond to suffering.

2:29:18 - tying all this together, identifying the most critical components of suffering, and discussing practical application in dealing with suffering - including trust, prayer, proper mindsets/perspectives, grieving and finding comfort, choosing forgiveness, growing stronger, etc.

 

[One last time, Zach and I truly hope this episode can help as you or others process through the issue of suffering.  I am saying a prayer right now as I type this out - please let God walk with you through this!]