Andrew Cuomo, the governor of the state of New York has said several times that he believes
New Yorkers will emerge from the COVID-19 virus pandemic stronger and better people.
With that in mind . . .
Here are some ideas from an article from Psychology Today titled Can Suffering Make Us
Stronger?
■ Regarding suffering such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and suffering from cancer,
and suffering through a stressful divorce with strong ill-feelings against a spouse, and
suffering from being disabled due to an accident.
■ Psychologists have become aware of a phenomenon know as "post-traumatic growth."
This phrase was coined by Richard Tedeschi and Lawrence Calhoun, who interviewed
many people who had suffered traumatic life-events such as bereavement, serious
illness such as cancer, housefires, and military combat suffering.
■ There were positive effects from turmoil and trauma -- personal growth and
soul-searching.
`
■ Many of those who suffered experienced "positive life changes."
`
■ They came to have more and deeper empathy and sympathy for other people
who are suffering.
`
■ Deeper compassion, pity, kindness, and love for others who are suffering.
`
■ Deeper sensitivity, insight, and fellow-feelings for others who are suffering.
`
■ They developed their humanity -- their commitment to the "We Are The World"
human community.
`
■ Personal development took great leaps forward spurred on by their suffering.
`
■ They discovered strengths and skills they never knew they possessed.
`
■ They became more confident and appreciative of life, particularly the "small things"
that they used to take for granted.
`
■ They became more comfortable with intimacy with others.
`
■ They came to have deeper and more satisfying relationships with their family
and friends.
`
■ They developed a deeper spiritual attitude toward others.
`
■ Their suffering led them to a deeper level of awareness of the human condition.
`
■ They went through a "dark night of the soul" but came through it with renewed
determination and found new and better values.
`
Those ideas above came from Steve Taylor's Can Suffering Make Us Stronger?
Psychology Today.
`
_________________________________________________________________________________
JAG Writes:
Regarding Human Suffering:
I would add some ideas of my own: I will classify all this below as my opinions.
I have no intention of arguing any of these points. Most of them are faith beliefs.
■ On Christianity God entered human history and suffered along with His
suffering creatures. John 3:16
■ The God of Christianity is the kind of Person that "goes straight into the pain"
for others. He sent His Son to die a horrific painful death by crucifixion on an
old rugged Cross.
■ The Father suffered greatly due to the suffering of His Son the Lord Jesus.
The Father loved His Son deeply.
■ Therefore He did not abandoned us. The God of Christianity loves us and
has a long-term Plan to save the human race.
■ The God of Christianity has an "evolutionary-type" Plan to save humanity.
That is, He carries out His Plan gradually and in increments spread out over
many millenniums -- compare the human condition in the year 1850 with
the year 2020. (NOT a reference to biological evolution)
■ Compare the year 1200 A.D. with the year 2020.
■ The human race is making slow gradual incremental progress-- in all
areas of human life.
■ The final number of the redeemed will be so huge that they will be uncountable.
"a multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people, and language
." Rev. 7:9-10
■ Human history ends like this: "God Himself will live with us. He will wipe every tear
from our eyes. There will be no more pain, mourning, suffering, or death, for the
Old Order of things has passed away." Rev. 21:1-4
■ God's human project ends good! Its all good.
■ The God of the Bible knows more than we humans know, about the long-term
value of suffering. The Bible asks us to trust Him with what is clearly a dilemma
that we humans, right now, cannot explain, namely how can an all powerful
good God permit severe human suffering when He has the power to prevent it?
■ Our present human bodies are nothing but gradually decaying flesh. Our
future human bodies will be indestructible and will never decay and never die.
And this is what is long-term truly important and truly valuable. And God
knows this to be true. And He acts accordingly. How so? He often develops
human character through suffering.
■ Yes our suffering hurts severely. Pain is unpleasant. Suffering is not what we want.
Agony is torment. But on Christianity its all temporary. On Christianity what really
matters is Eternity.
■ The principle God asks us to live by is found in Job 1:22 "In all this Job did not
sin by charging God with wrongdoing."
■ The final end of Job is representative of the final end of the human race. God
blessed the latter end of Job more than He had ever blessed Job. Job 42:10-16
■ The human race will survive the COVID-19 virus and will emerge from all of
this suffering better, wiser, and stronger people. Faith. Hope. Love.
■ The human race always has, and always will, survive all it's severe afflictions
because God has a Plan that is being slowly worked out over the millenniums.
His Plan is to eventually eliminate all evil, sin, and suffering from Planet Earth.
■ Meanwhile many of us suffer greatly. And millions of us are "out there"
helping them. And growing as human beings who are out there
struggling . . . helping others.
■ I have an index card on my desk that says:
"I want God to be pleased with me, to be impressed with me, and to be
proud of me. Faith pleases God. Courage pleases God."___JAG
What are your thoughts on Human Suffering?
`
New Yorkers will emerge from the COVID-19 virus pandemic stronger and better people.
With that in mind . . .
Here are some ideas from an article from Psychology Today titled Can Suffering Make Us
Stronger?
■ Regarding suffering such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and suffering from cancer,
and suffering through a stressful divorce with strong ill-feelings against a spouse, and
suffering from being disabled due to an accident.
■ Psychologists have become aware of a phenomenon know as "post-traumatic growth."
This phrase was coined by Richard Tedeschi and Lawrence Calhoun, who interviewed
many people who had suffered traumatic life-events such as bereavement, serious
illness such as cancer, housefires, and military combat suffering.
■ There were positive effects from turmoil and trauma -- personal growth and
soul-searching.
`
■ Many of those who suffered experienced "positive life changes."
`
■ They came to have more and deeper empathy and sympathy for other people
who are suffering.
`
■ Deeper compassion, pity, kindness, and love for others who are suffering.
`
■ Deeper sensitivity, insight, and fellow-feelings for others who are suffering.
`
■ They developed their humanity -- their commitment to the "We Are The World"
human community.
`
■ Personal development took great leaps forward spurred on by their suffering.
`
■ They discovered strengths and skills they never knew they possessed.
`
■ They became more confident and appreciative of life, particularly the "small things"
that they used to take for granted.
`
■ They became more comfortable with intimacy with others.
`
■ They came to have deeper and more satisfying relationships with their family
and friends.
`
■ They developed a deeper spiritual attitude toward others.
`
■ Their suffering led them to a deeper level of awareness of the human condition.
`
■ They went through a "dark night of the soul" but came through it with renewed
determination and found new and better values.
`
Those ideas above came from Steve Taylor's Can Suffering Make Us Stronger?
Psychology Today.
`
_________________________________________________________________________________
JAG Writes:
Regarding Human Suffering:
I would add some ideas of my own: I will classify all this below as my opinions.
I have no intention of arguing any of these points. Most of them are faith beliefs.
■ On Christianity God entered human history and suffered along with His
suffering creatures. John 3:16
■ The God of Christianity is the kind of Person that "goes straight into the pain"
for others. He sent His Son to die a horrific painful death by crucifixion on an
old rugged Cross.
■ The Father suffered greatly due to the suffering of His Son the Lord Jesus.
The Father loved His Son deeply.
■ Therefore He did not abandoned us. The God of Christianity loves us and
has a long-term Plan to save the human race.
■ The God of Christianity has an "evolutionary-type" Plan to save humanity.
That is, He carries out His Plan gradually and in increments spread out over
many millenniums -- compare the human condition in the year 1850 with
the year 2020. (NOT a reference to biological evolution)
■ Compare the year 1200 A.D. with the year 2020.
■ The human race is making slow gradual incremental progress-- in all
areas of human life.
■ The final number of the redeemed will be so huge that they will be uncountable.
"a multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people, and language
." Rev. 7:9-10
■ Human history ends like this: "God Himself will live with us. He will wipe every tear
from our eyes. There will be no more pain, mourning, suffering, or death, for the
Old Order of things has passed away." Rev. 21:1-4
■ God's human project ends good! Its all good.
■ The God of the Bible knows more than we humans know, about the long-term
value of suffering. The Bible asks us to trust Him with what is clearly a dilemma
that we humans, right now, cannot explain, namely how can an all powerful
good God permit severe human suffering when He has the power to prevent it?
■ Our present human bodies are nothing but gradually decaying flesh. Our
future human bodies will be indestructible and will never decay and never die.
And this is what is long-term truly important and truly valuable. And God
knows this to be true. And He acts accordingly. How so? He often develops
human character through suffering.
■ Yes our suffering hurts severely. Pain is unpleasant. Suffering is not what we want.
Agony is torment. But on Christianity its all temporary. On Christianity what really
matters is Eternity.
■ The principle God asks us to live by is found in Job 1:22 "In all this Job did not
sin by charging God with wrongdoing."
■ The final end of Job is representative of the final end of the human race. God
blessed the latter end of Job more than He had ever blessed Job. Job 42:10-16
■ The human race will survive the COVID-19 virus and will emerge from all of
this suffering better, wiser, and stronger people. Faith. Hope. Love.
■ The human race always has, and always will, survive all it's severe afflictions
because God has a Plan that is being slowly worked out over the millenniums.
His Plan is to eventually eliminate all evil, sin, and suffering from Planet Earth.
■ Meanwhile many of us suffer greatly. And millions of us are "out there"
helping them. And growing as human beings who are out there
struggling . . . helping others.
■ I have an index card on my desk that says:
"I want God to be pleased with me, to be impressed with me, and to be
proud of me. Faith pleases God. Courage pleases God."___JAG
What are your thoughts on Human Suffering?
`
