In this dissertation a study was conducted about the tension that develops between God and man during suffering, by discussing the following topics: · The understanding and topicality of suffering It stands to reason that in this broken world sooner or later everyone is subjected to suffering. The assumption is that Christians are not adequately prepared for this process. The results of suffering can therefore be very destructive for Christians and may consequently lead to a situation where God's power, goodness and love are questioned. The sufferer may ask why God allowed this to happen to him/her. He/she can experience tension as a result of an internal conflict between God’s power and promises, on the one hand, and his/her own inability to understand and cope with th e situation on the other. If this tension is not relieved, it leads to a crisis of faith in God's power and the truth of the biblical teachings and promises on suffering. · The realization of the promises of God during suffering During suffering a person may not only question the truth of God's promises but also their realization. He/she could feel therefore totally abandoned and betrayed in times of God’s silence. This could again result in a breakdown in the relationship between the sufferer and God. There may of course, be many reasons for this breakdown, but the misunderstanding of the realization of God’s promises plays a very important role in this process. Fact is that promises are mostly conditional and if a promise is not understood and the condition is not fulfilled, the sufferer cannot expect the promise to realize. Many of the questions asked by sufferers have to do with one or more of these promises and, therefore, it is important to know how one should apply or claim a specific promise. One of the most important facts about promises is that God cannot lie. He will keep His word and He is true to every word that He has ever spoken. · Handling and coping with suffering - recommendations and conclusions The sufferer goes through certain stages of suffering and it is necessary to note these stages when help is offered. People often try to help, but in doing so, their words may inadvertently cause more damage than good. During certain stages, specific answers or advice will not assist in the sufferer’s experience. There is a need for people to be better informed in this regard. It further means that the sufferer should realize that there are no quick-fix answers, but even so, he/she can be assured that God has the power to use suffering to accomplish positive things in his/her life and to help the sufferer to become more like Christ. This study has identified the tension during chronic suffering that leads to a crisis in faith between God who is powerful and the sufferer who feels powerless in his/her situation. It has also identified specific problems in this regard, and stated certain guide lines in the process of suffering. / Dr. F.P. Moller
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:uj/uj:8107 |
| Date | 09 January 2008 |
| Creators | Lovell, Louise |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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