If God is love, then God’s love is inherently uncontrolling. Love does not overrule or override. It does “not force itself on others,” to quote the Apostle Paul. . . . God is unable to control people, other creatures, or circumstances that cause evil. Because God always loves and God’s love is uncontrolling, God cannot control. The God who can’t control others or circumstances can’t prevent evil singlehandedly.
From "God Can’t!: How to Believe in God and Love after Tragedy, Abuse, or Other Evils"
I tend to belive that if anything has meaning all things have meaning. Which makes no. 2 less apealing to me. Though "this too shall pass" is real in, not in the sense that ot doesn't matter (and maybe you didn't day that) but in the example of childbirth. I reciently had a very painful experience that I prayed hard through and when it had passed the fruit was so wonderful I was hard pressed to remember the pain.
Yea number 2 can be a bit nihilistic if looked through too extreme of a lens.
However, St. Paul also alludes to a similar motion:
"
I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. - Romans 8:18
"
In my mind each moment on earth has meaning only to the degree it is connected to eternal meaning - i.e. does the moment contribute to storing up a treasure in heaven as Christ referred to? Does it build lasting virtue / Love?
Otherwise, I go back to the claim that the horrors of past suffering simply dissipate into nothingness over time, and in eternity, there's a whole lotta' time. . .
God CAN'T control evil.
If God is love, then God’s love is inherently uncontrolling. Love does not overrule or override. It does “not force itself on others,” to quote the Apostle Paul. . . . God is unable to control people, other creatures, or circumstances that cause evil. Because God always loves and God’s love is uncontrolling, God cannot control. The God who can’t control others or circumstances can’t prevent evil singlehandedly.
From "God Can’t!: How to Believe in God and Love after Tragedy, Abuse, or Other Evils"
by Thomas Jay Oord @ThomasJayOord
Great point!
That's very interesting to state it in such strong terms. About Love "can't" control
I tend to belive that if anything has meaning all things have meaning. Which makes no. 2 less apealing to me. Though "this too shall pass" is real in, not in the sense that ot doesn't matter (and maybe you didn't day that) but in the example of childbirth. I reciently had a very painful experience that I prayed hard through and when it had passed the fruit was so wonderful I was hard pressed to remember the pain.
Bless you
Angela Marie
Thank you Angela.
Yea number 2 can be a bit nihilistic if looked through too extreme of a lens.
However, St. Paul also alludes to a similar motion:
"
I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. - Romans 8:18
"
In my mind each moment on earth has meaning only to the degree it is connected to eternal meaning - i.e. does the moment contribute to storing up a treasure in heaven as Christ referred to? Does it build lasting virtue / Love?
Otherwise, I go back to the claim that the horrors of past suffering simply dissipate into nothingness over time, and in eternity, there's a whole lotta' time. . .