'Pain overwhelms perspective but passion overcomes perplexity'

In church yesterday we were looking at pslam 73 which really spoke to me. The Psalm is Asaph talking about experiencing suffering and pain where he can see others who don't love God like him experiencing the opposite. Asaph doesn't understand what God is doing, there are people who don't love God, ignore Him and His laws, and speak like they are God and are prospering where he, Asaph, loves God, obeys His laws and yet is in decline. Asaph believes that as someone loves and obeys God he will experience God's blessings but isn't. Asaph is so overwhelmed and consumed by what is happening now, to him and to 'wicked' people around him and feels like God hasn't kept His promises to him. Asaph can't see any further than the short term.

You wont find a life in the Bible that is completely free from any kind of pain, suffering, shattered dreams or disappointment but what you will find is God being in every situation, guiding, comforting and strengthening. Sometimes when you don't understand why you are suffering it's so difficult not to just dwell in it and question God instead of trusting God and looking to Him for help. If you're in a similar situation to Asaph you might feel the same as him that, as a loved child of God, why would I be suffering when people who ignore God are free from suffering and are flourishing and don't realise what they're getting is from God and don't thank Him etc. This question is so focused on the short term, but as God revealed to Asaph and was reminding me of, that whatever pain I go through, in the context of eternity, it is nothing. In heaven our suffering in this life will be forgotten. People who ignore God and yet seem to flourish will not forever and that is what you have to remember with humility and grace. I can't say I'm in any sort of pain that even compares to the suffering others go through.

It's difficult to work out what God's doing in any area of your life , I never will really but it doesn't stop me trying and then thinking about the areas where you know you'd like a certain thing to happen and it doesn't, in the context of forever it's nothing. Pslam 34 tells us to always praise God and thank Him for everything He has done. I can't imagine how hard it must be to praise and thank God for suffering, when you read certain bits of the Bible you can think how many blessings we'll receive in this life 'Honour the Lord, all His people; those who obey Him have all they need.' 'He rescues them (the righteous) from all their troubles' I've come to realise that these promises may seem not to be kept in the short term but they are, through heaven. I'm sure this is not news to anyone, easy to believe in your head but not always in your heart when you're experiencing suffering. I don't claim to completely solve anyones problems over this issue, there are so many issues surrounding 'suffering' I don't have all the answers and the thoughts I've shared may seem glib in the face of terrible suffering but it's a recurring issue that stirs many thoughts!