The suffering of the righteous


Gustavo from Santiago, Chile wrote on hogmanay to express thanks for an article:   "it helped me to understand that God's plan for man includes suffering.

I've been a Christian for 30 years and am a preacher in our local church and also the daughter churches.   I'm part of the leadership  team and,   in a voluntary capacity,  am very active in the church's ministry. 

Eight months ago I lost my job and have been unable to find work.   There have been  desperate prayers, much suffering and many tears,  all without a resolution;    rejection and failure,  pain in my soul,  frustration,  perplexity and also,  anger.  

The Lord spoke to me of a desert.     This is what I have lived through.  Suffering has marked my life since childhood:  often death,  illness,  and unemployment;  frequent failure in business.   It's as if back luck pursues me."

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