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What’s Good About Feeling Bad: Developing a Theology of Suffering

What’s Good About Feeling Bad: Developing a Theology of Suffering. For the “Building an Effective Cancer Ministry” Conference John C. Thomas, Ph.D.., Ph.D.

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What’s Good About Feeling Bad: Developing a Theology of Suffering

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  1. What’s Good About Feeling Bad: Developing a Theology of Suffering For the “Building an Effective Cancer Ministry” Conference John C. Thomas, Ph.D.., Ph.D. Thomas, J. C., & Habermas, G. (2008). What’s good about feeling bad: Finding purpose and a path through your pain. Carol Streams, IL: Tyndale.

  2. The Realities of Suffering • Reality 1: Suffering is universal • Reality 2: Suffering is painful • Reality 3: Suffering is personal • Reality 4: Suffering is unnerving • Reality 5: Suffering is mysterious • Reality 6: Suffering is biblical

  3. Beliefs about Suffering • Key Belief 1: I deserve ease and comfort in life • Key Belief 2: I deserve a predictable world • Key Belief 3: I deserve a fair world

  4. Questions about Suffering • Why me? • Why this? • Why now?

  5. Percepts of Suffering • Everyone will suffer • All suffering has meaning • Multiple sources: • A broken & fallen world • Supernatural causes • People’s choices • Our choices • No all-inclusive answer

  6. Percepts of Suffering (2) • God is not obligated to give us a reason • God knows our pain and is with us when we suffer • God is always at work • God can redeem suffering • There is an end to all suffering for the believer

  7. The Purposes of Suffering • The Inward Direction • The Forward Direction • The Outward Direction • The Upward Direction

  8. Inward Purposes of Suffering • A Purified Faith (1 Pt. 1:6-7) • A Humble Heart (2 Cor. 12:7-10) • Test Our Faithfulness (Job 1-2) • Well-Behaved Children (Hb. 12:5-6)

  9. Forward Purposes of Suffering • To Mature Us (Js. 1:2-4) • To Be Christ-like (Ro. 8:29-29) • A Personalized Faith (Job 42:5)

  10. Outward Purposes of Suffering • To Build His Kingdom (Phil. 1:12-13) • A Strong and Caring Church (1 Cor. 12:25-26) • To Minister through Us (2 Cor. 1:3-7)

  11. Upward Purposes of Suffering • See His True Character (Job 42:1-6) • Prepare Us for a Blessing (Job 42:10-17) • Give Believers Dying Grace (Phil. 1:20-21) • Reward Those Who Endure (Js. 1:12) • To Glorify God (Jn. 9:1-4)

  12. The Pathway through Suffering • Probe Your Beliefs about Suffering; look for misconceptions • Assign Your Suffering to God • Apply a Plan of Recovery • Redeem Your Suffering

  13. Pathway: Assign Your Suffering • Release Your Feelings to God • Review the Nature of Your Suffering • Recognize the Ways God Works to Accomplish His Plan • Reaffirm Your Desire to Know God

  14. Pathway: Assign Your Suffering (4) • Reassess Your Dependency & Trust in God • Relinquish Your Destiny into God’s Trustworthy Hands • Rejoice in How God May Use Your Suffering

  15. Pathway: Apply a Plan • Purpose your heart • Change your perspective • Examine your attitude • Change your emotions • Change thinking: Avoid • Examine expectations • Have a proper life perspective

  16. Pathway: Redeem Your Suffering • Prevent undue stress • Surrender protection and be open to others

  17. Providing Ministry • A ministry of presence • An empathic ear • Accept what happened & the person’s response • Seek to instill hope • Pray • Be practical in your help • Be aware of your attitude • Attitude of love & acceptance • Stay in contact

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