It’s also wise to realize that “it’s God’s will” is way too simple a way to explain suffering and death. What we strive for is to find a basis for deeper faith, deeper hope, and truer love through our suffering — not just grim resignation to a fate beyond us. God doesn’t “will” things as though to play with us as pawns. He creates a dynamic world in which we are called to grow, give, and transform ourselves and the kingdom in the image of Christ. Thanks for the excellent responses!

Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God.

And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

I’ve always felt that God created us as thinking, fairly intelligent and independent beings. If we choose to create problems, then he has given us the means/intelligence/strength to deal with them. I guess I kind of view God as a tough-love sort of parental figure – watching over us, helping where possible, but not smothering us in an effort to protect us from the world and suffering – especially that caused by natural disasters, disease, etc.

I agree with Y – he is my strength to help deal with the pain.

But I don’t agree with the logic that God allows us pain and suffering to provide growth opportunities. That’s like saying “Why did you hit your thumb with a hammer? Because it will feel so good when it stops hurting.” Generally we don’t assume that the result of an event is the reason for the event. How can we tell a mother who has lost her children to war or famine or earthquake that God let this happen to make her stronger? It seems like a convenient intellectual arguement for those of us who suffer very little.

Again, since this is one of those things I can’t hope to understand, I put it down to God’s ways and the way’s of life. We have as much suffering and pain as we have. It is painful and hurts, sometimes too much to bear. Our job is to work through it and live the best we can, taking care of those around us and trying to make their lives better. To me God isn’t about the pain in the world, but he is my strength to deal with the pain.

But, I think it is also an offshoot of our interaction with so many other beliefs. Because each religion has important things to say, non-churched people have trouble figuring out what the right path is for them. And because God is so far beyond us that we cannot know all of him, we can only grasp small pieces of understanding. It seems easier to take an all-or-nothing attitude than follow a path that may be found imperfect.

For me Christianity provides guidance and spiritual support. I reject the fundamentalist beliefs that create disharmony and hurt to others and I accept that other religions are as meaningful and true to other people as Christianity is to me.

Although this might be a more relativistic position than some might like, it allows me to serve God on the basis of my own understanding and tradition. I can take advantage of all the traditions and teachings of the church and scriptures without making it my responsibility to argue whether they are the only right way.

I wonder if I would feel the same if I had grown up in India or the Middle East and speak openly with collegues who’s religious views are very strongly held in these cultures to try to understand the difference.