Although the pain from the furnace's heat is definitely real, the true value lies in the changes that happen because of the fire. Another way to see it is that suffering often produces something on the other side that couldn't have been achieved any other way.

We “encounter” other people’s trials in addition to our own: trials of people we love. They provide additional opportunities for us to practice choosing joy rather than bitterness in the midst of suffering.

Should we be happy about experiencing suffering? Your answer is probably “no”. Should we be joyful? James, the brother of Jesus, says “yes!” Do you agree?

As we continue our series on the Purposes of Suffering in the Fire, I want  to remind us of a truth shared in an earlier newsletter article: that the value of suffering may not lie in the suffering itself. Although the pain from the furnace's heat is definitely real, the true value lies in the changes that happen because of the fire.

In a previous post, I said that I was leaning toward a current theory of suffering which argues that suffering is the absence of species-specific flourishing. I was (and am) attracted to the concept of flourishing because for something to flourish implies a standard—a goal or end (telos) to which the member of that species is moving. However . . .

We are all weak at times. Must we be victims of our weakness and merely wait for it to pass? Or are there ways of gaining strength through our weakness?

Part 2 in this series: fire can conform metal to a shape or image, and it can also reform the metal. What does it mean for us to be conformed or reformed by the heat of suffering?

Has our modern view of autonomy always been the same? If not, how might a new perspective on autonomy help (or harm) us when we encounter suffering?

Suffering can be described as a “fire” or as a “fiery trial”. What lessons can we learn from what fire does to metal? One thing that fire does is to “test” it to reveal things otherwise hidden. What does testing reveal about us?

Is suffering a lack of flourishing? A lack of well-being? Something else? Check in on my progress!

The biblical prophet Jeremiah provides an excellent case study of how to handle suffering. Beginning with accusing God of physically assaulting him and ending with a recognition of God’s faithfulness and mercy, Jeremiah shows us how we can be honest in our suffering and have joy.

Following the progress achieved during the Enlightenment in so many areas, our attitude toward suffering changed. We began to believe we could master both human and non-human nature and when, inevitably, suffering provides a reality check, we react badly. But it hasn’t always been this way.

Historically, “sloth” meant more than mere laziness; it was far more sinister. Referred to as the “noonday demon,” it was a “resistance to the demands of love”. What does it mean and what are the consequences of resisting love’s demands?

It may at first seem obvious what suffering means, but there are several different ways to think about and categorize it. Is it merely subjective, or might it be something more?