Let’s start with suffering: your suffering, my suffering, his suffering, her suffering; the suffering of your enemy, or your loved ones. Suffering exists because the world exists. Suffering isn’t punishment, although it can sometimes feel like punishment. Job suffered, not because he deserved or didn’t deserve his suffering, but simply because he lived. Dukkha is the first of the Four Noble Truths spoken by The Buddha. Dukkha means, “There is suffering.” Or “Life is suffering.” Or “Life means suffering.” Every major religion understands that suffering is intimately and unavoidably related to life. Just ask any of the 7 billion Jobs alive today on earth, including you or me, each of whom experiences suffering. We each suffer with sadness, sorrow, grief, fear, frustration, disappointment, or depression, and dying and certainly death. To be alive means to suffer because human nature is imperfect, and because the world is imperfect. Suffering is natural. Without suffering there would be no life. Do we blame God for our suffering? Do we point at God and say, “What did I do to deserve this suffering?” Do we say to God, “I deserve suffering because I have sinned? You did nothing to deserve suffering anymore than simply being born and living. In the end, after you shuck your body like a cornhusk, suffering will end, because Heaven has no suffering, only beauty. Fear not. Let’s Pray: Dear God, we have our science, our technology, and our brains to resist suffering, but ultimately, God, we thank You, for without suffering, we would not be alive. Amen. Here’s a Thought: Suffering is as impermanent as life, and all ends in Beauty. Visit: dailydevotions.org
Posted on: Sat, 27 Dec 2014 11:15:01 +0000
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