This is how I was taught to understand suffering and why, I do hope that it give other peace as it did me.
In the beginning, which is really the only way to understand, for we have to look at the root, to understand the branches.
So the beginning of 'us' was Adam. He was made in Gods ((our in fact) Which was Jesus and God). How so? In likeness of power. This man was made of Dust, out of the earth, and yet he was given the clothes of God in power over his other creation. It was to be in subject to him. The earth, the animals, the ground, he was raised above them all, in the likeness of the Creator, who created them. He was just another creation of God, and yet to his good pleasure, he elevated him to the power in likeness of himself. Adam, and in time, Eve was placed in a special position with their father, one in a constant comunion with him, and with authority granted by him.
Then comes the 'tree'. Why was it there, was it a trap from God? To damn man to suffering? No. For infact, it had to always be there, for man was a creation, and he being such, always had the choice of rejecting the gift that was given to him. How so? The tree was of knowledge of Good and Bad. God knew this, for he called it as such. Even after adam and eve had chosen the tree, it was acknowleged that they now did have knowledge of Good and Bad. In what way?
By eating man chose his own mind abilities, or what he could reason, over Gods power and wisdom. He wanted the power within himself, to make the decisions, of what he could see, reason, and bring about. With this act, God in fact gave him what he wanted. Unfortunatly Adam and Eve, also got exactly what they wanted. Because the gift of power that God had given him, above all other creation was now gone. Man rejected it in favor of what power existed within himself.
Well the power that existed in him as a creation, brought forth death. He was now like other creation, and was in subject to it, instead of above it. Man does not have power within himself to prevent death, suffering, or power to control, animals, weather, or other humankind, even own flesh. This was the lie Satan told. That if man chose himself, and his own power, that he would not die. God knew, that Man did not have this power, that HE was the source of life. Satan too, knew this, but chose to lie, and brought Mankind into sorrow by means of it.
God through his love, gave us even the ability to have life, to have the desire in us to seek him, for that is what love is. When we express it, when we want to give it and live in it, that is how we know of him. Even if you do no believe in a God, you must acknowledge that if all men followed love, suffering would end. So is it God, who brings the suffering, or is it him who shows us how to reject it?
With his love
CL
