2. “It was a photograph in Life magazine
“It was a photograph in Life magazine. It was a picture of a black woman in Northern Africa. They were experiencing a devastating drought. And she was holding her dead baby in her arms and looking up to heaven with the most forlorn expression.”

3. “I looked at it and thought, ‘Is it possible to believe that there is a loving or caring Creator when all this woman needed was rain.’ How could a loving God do this to that woman? Who runs the rain? I don’t; you don’t. He does – or that’s what I thought.”

4. ~Charles Templeton in The Case for Faith
“But when I saw that photograph, I immediately knew it is not possible for this to happen and for there to be a loving God. There was no way. Who else but a fiend could destroy a baby and virtually kill its mother with agony – when all that was needed was rain?”
~Charles Templeton in The Case for Faith

5. “The total amount of suffering per year in the natural world is beyond all decent contemplation. During the minute that it takes me to compose this sentence, thousands of animals are being eaten alive, many others are running for their lives, whimpering with fear, others are slowly being devoured from within by rasping parasites,”

6. “thousands of all kinds are dying of starvation, thirst, and disease
“thousands of all kinds are dying of starvation, thirst, and disease. It must be so. If there ever is a time of plenty, this very fact will automatically lead to an increase in the population until the natural state of starvation and misery is restored. In a universe of electrons and selfish genes, blind physical forces and genetic replication, some people are going to get hurt, other people are going to get lucky,”

7. “and you won't find any rhyme or reason in it, nor any justice
“and you won't find any rhyme or reason in it, nor any justice. The universe that we observe has precisely the properties we should expect if there is, at bottom, no design, no purpose, no evil, no good, nothing but pitiless indifference.” ― Richard Dawkins, River Out of Eden: A Darwinian View of Life

9. …strategies for getting “through suffering” without missing the growth that comes “through suffering.”

10. No one is exempt from suffering and anyone who tells you different is selling something…

11. 7During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. 8Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered 9and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.
~Hebrews 5

12. 7During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. 8Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered 9and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.
~Hebrews 5

13. 7During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. 8Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered 9and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.
~Hebrews 5

14. There is a difference between pain and suffering…

15. “Life is Suffering”

16. “The root of all suffering is attachment.”
“Life is Suffering”
“The root of all suffering is attachment.”

17. “The root of much suffering is failure to attach…”
“Life is Suffering”
“The root of much suffering is failure to attach…”

18. Indifference does not suffer, but neither can it love.

19. Some very, very good things in life come only through pain.

20. “God uses broken things
“God uses broken things. It takes broken soil to produce a crop, broken clouds to give rain, broken grain to give bread, broken bread to give strength. It is the broken alabaster box that gives forth perfume. It is Peter, weeping bitterly, who returns to greater power than ever.”
― Vance Havner.

21. “God uses broken things
“God uses broken things. It takes broken soil to produce a crop, broken clouds to give rain, broken grain to give bread, broken bread to give strength. It is the broken alabaster box that gives forth perfume. It is Peter, weeping bitterly, who returns to greater power than ever.”
― Vance Havner.

22. We willingly accept pain and discomfort in certain areas today that we might avoid suffering in areas, where would rather not, tomorrow…

23. We willingly accept pain and discomfort in certain areas today that we might avoid suffering in areas, where would rather not, tomorrow…
We accept the pains of self-discipline in the present, or suffer with regrets in the future.

27. ~Adapted from J.P. Holdin.
God did do something -- He gave us the common sense and predictive capacity not to build our homes in earthquake or typhoon-prone areas, or to make earthquake-resistant designs for buildings or create flood-prevention/control devices; and out of our common concern for humanity not to build in areas where those devices are certain to be inadequate.
~Adapted from J.P. Holdin.

28. It is unreasonable to me (Dave,) that as a human race we should demand from God that which we are unwilling to do for ourselves.

29. World Hunger Statistics
~Around 11% of the world’s population is hungry ~Roughly 800 million go undernourished
~275 million are chronically malnourished
~In 2010, an estimated 7.6 million children died
~Worldhunger.org

30. To call God immoral when humanity has been able, but unwilling to solve the problem seems like blame-shifting.

31. ~Charles Templeton in The Case for Faith
“But when I saw that photograph, I immediately knew it is not possible for this to happen and for there to be a loving God. There was no way. Who else but a fiend could destroy a baby and virtually kill its mother with agony – when all that was needed was rain?”
~Charles Templeton in The Case for Faith

32. 1Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. 2As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.
~I Peter 4

33. 1Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. 2As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.
~I Peter 4

38. 1Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. 2As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.
~I Peter 4

39. 1Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. 2As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.
~I Peter 4

40. 1Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. 2As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.
~I Peter 4

41. “God uses chronic pain and weakness, along with other afflictions, as his chisel for sculpting our lives. Felt weakness deepens dependence on Christ for strength each day. The weaker we feel, the harder we lean.”

42. “And the harder we lean, the stronger we grow spiritually, even while our bodies waste away. To live with your ‘thorn’ uncomplainingly — that is, sweet, patient, and free in heart to love and help others, even though every day you feel weak — is true sanctification. It is true healing for the spirit. It is a supreme victory of grace.”
― J.I. Packer