This is one of the best explanationsof why God allows pain and sufferingthat I have seen.
It's an explanationother people will understand. A man went to a barbershop to havehis hair cut and his beard trimmed.As the barber began to work,they began to have a good conversation.They talked about so many thingsand various subjects.
When they eventually touched onthe subject of God, the barber said:"I don't believe that God exists."
"Why do you say that?"asked the customer.
"Well, you just have to go out inthe street to realize that Goddoesn't exist. Tell me, if God exists,would there be so many sick people?Would there be abandoned children?If God existed, there would be neithersuffering nor pain.I can't imagine loving a God whowould allow all of these things."
The customer thought for a moment,but didn't respond because he didn'twant to start an argument.The barber finished his job and the customerleft the shop.
Just after he left the barbershop,he saw a man in the street with long,stringy, dirty hair and an untrimmedbeard.He looked dirty and un-kept. The customer turned back and enteredthe barber shop again and he saidto the barber:
"You know what? Barbers do not exist." "How can you say that?"asked the surprised barber."I am here, and I am a barber.And I just worked on you!"
"No!" the customer exclaimed."Barbers don't exist becauseif they did, there would be nopeople with dirty long hairand untrimmed beards,like that man outside."
"Ah, but barbers DO exist!What happens is, peopledo not come to me."
"Exactly!"-affirmed the customer."That's the point!God, too, DOES exist!What happens, is, peopledon't go to Himand do not look for Him.That's why there's so much painand suffering in the world."
Hi Joni, thank you! How often do we hear " If there's a loving God, how can He" etc. I never can answer that one, only can share my personal faith, that feeling in the spirit that lets you know there is Someone out there. Love that analogy! hugs, Wren
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"Never argue with an idiot... They'll drag you down to their level and beat you with experience..."
Even though for the majority of my life I thought I was 'the great I am'. I have never been so vain as to think there is not One greater...... However, the God that I believe in must reveal himself to me first, before I know I can go to him. I was blessed to have that happen at a young age and consider myself even more blessed to have been raised to believe in the Sovernty of God, because of this I can say with truth
"I am a grateful, recovering alcoholic & nothing happens in God's world by mistake"
I've read that analogy somewhere before and always thought it excellent.
Thanks for sharing it.....
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Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass... It's about learning to dance in the rain.
A great way to put it in to simple terms.I for one who have had more then my share of pain have never really asked if there was a God because after the storm their was a beautiful rainbow that reminded me of Gods goodness.He never said we wouldnt have any pain or any storms to encounter but He did say he go through it with us .I came to this program thinking I had God all figuored out and had a pretty strong relationship with my hp God but I had no clue I was a messed up judgemental hycoprite and sometimes I still have to push my hinnie off the pedstal .i thought I was so powerful I could pray and name things just to go away how self righteous and we know well where it landed me right on my back and crazy as a loon but we can start over from where we are that is what My hp did with me sometimes he has to remind me I am powerless..
