Why do I suffer constant physical and emotional pain, yet my whole life is spent trying to know, love, and serve God? Meanwhile my father suffers not at all, yet he's a complete reprobate who doesn't care about God and freely blasphemes.

Who can explain this?

Suffering...is actually a good thing.

I always suspect that anyone who says this hasn't really suffered. I've been in unrelenting pain for at least the last decade. Here I am dying, alone and poor, while my father lives it up in unrepentant sin. I hate this to my core. How is this just?

Quote from: Guest

Quote from: SpiritusSanctus

Suffering...is actually a good thing.

I always suspect that anyone who says this hasn't really suffered. I've been in unrelenting pain for at least the last decade. Here I am dying, alone and poor, while my father lives it up in unrepentant sin. I hate this to my core. How is this just?

Trust me, I have suffered a lot. If you read the writings of the Saints, they also say that suffering is a good thing. It is merely Traditional Catholic teaching.

More accurately, they say that suffering can be good OR bad. It depends on how one deals with it. It's just making me sad, angry, and dead.

If God doesn't send any suffering to a sinner, that means He has most likely given up on them. Offer up your sufferings for your father's conversion. God is giving you the gift of suffering do save your father (and other souls).

Why do I suffer constant physical and emotional pain, yet my whole life is spent trying to know, love, and serve God? Meanwhile my father suffers not at all, yet he's a complete reprobate who doesn't care about God and freely blasphemes.

Who can explain this?

I don't think anybody can.  It's as mysterious as the sufferings of Job, were to him.  How can you know the reason, without God revealing it to you;  all you know is that you hurt and that ultimately you have two choices.  Still, you might have some other issues;  you might be "too nice" or "too trusting."  

I think God says something like (extremely paraphrased), He'll give people their hearts desires, so they'll choke on them.  Maybe that's one reason why the wicked, sometimes, seem to prosper, at least for a "season."  Afterwards, comes their season of humiliation, since sin never really satisfies.  Then perhaps, their season of repentance will come.  

Quote from: SpiritusSanctus

Suffering...is actually a good thing.

I always suspect that anyone who says this hasn't really suffered. I've been in unrelenting pain for at least the last decade. Here I am dying, alone and poor, while my father lives it up in unrepentant sin. I hate this to my core. How is this just?

Suffering is a part of life, it either breaks you or makes you stronger.  I look forward to the afterlife, this world has so much suffering, I think it's a test of some kind.  In the afterlife you get your judgement, the people who lived it up on earth and thought nothing of their sins, they'll look back while their burning and think, wow, I wish I could of changed my ways.

Suffering can come physical as well as mental.  When someone dies and loses their loved one.  That hurts.  When one is rejected, hurts even more!!  In order to learn how to endure, it takes a higher power, and strength and that is supernatural!  that is the Graces given t o us from God.  Graces come to us through the sacraments.  The True Catholic Church with a valid priest, can bring the sacraments with the Graces/powers we need to do something, as suffering that seems humanly impossible or very hard to do.  We are not given education of the Precious blood of Christ that is in all the sacraments and just what the Precious Blood can actually do for us.  We need to know and to be reminded of the Supernatural Graces.  We first need to be in Sanctifying Grace to receive Graces.  I just had this talk with my daughter who is a CNA.  She is in the area of euthanasia, but she does not realize it.  She also left God, which is very sad and is mother of a 7 year old daughter.  So, we don't hear, read, of the powers of the Precious Blood, the Mass.  Chapter 12 of Daniel states that the eternal sacrifice will end and there will be a remnant and much tribulation. Those who hold on and endure with Graces will earn a crown.  I do believe we are in Chapter 12 of Daniel.  The Masses are destroyed in the New Order and what we have left right now is a remnant known as the traditional Catholic church.  Suffering as Christ showed us has value and Christ proved that it does.  We  share in His divinity as we read in our missals at Mass.  

I have asked God to give me suffering for the conversion of my family and for the conversion of sinners. If you want, you can ask God to send me some of your sufferings - that way, you can be alleviated and I could get my wish.

You have a beautiful gift from God. Mother Theresa once said that suffering is a kiss from Jesus. I know it doesn't seem like it but your suffering can help bring many souls to Christ, if you offer it up. The greatest gift you can give Jesus is souls for him. You won't have that opportunity in the next life. To be like Jesus is not only to strive to be perfect like Him, but also to suffer like Him - to be a sharer of His in redeeming souls.