I'm not trying to start a religious debate, but just curious how many people have had their difficulties bring them closer to God?

For myself, I became a Christian because of the difficulties UC had originally caused me when I was 19. Now my life is totally different because its built around God and his plan for my life. Sometimes I get frustrated with pouchitis and things like that, but then think about the good that actually came out of the UC.

Then of course there are times when I experience difficulties and do not know what to make of them, other than we live in a fallen world with disease and death, and its just part of this life. Based on what I believe, its comforting to know there is more than just this life.

I think in our culture we are so driven by comfort and the avoidance of any kind of pain, when we experience suffering most people tend to think: God is not good, or why me? Truth is suffering is part of life (I had to learn this the hard way).
Having God in my life also allows me to deal with suffering better, not because I think God will always prevent it from happening, but rather he promises to use even the toughest trials for the good.

If interested, I just finished a great book "The Call to Joy and Pain" by Ajith Fernando

Again, not trying to start a religious debate, just hoping to share some encouraging words.

I would have to say initially being diagnosised, I was not too upset with God. As I got sicker, I would pray to either cure me or take me. I was so tired of feeling sick. Then when my ex had an affair while i had the bag, I hated God. I was so mad at him. I did not pray or go to church for a while. Once the bag was gone, and I did some soul searching, I did find my way back to God. It just took me some time and some searching again.

I am a Christian as well and have been most of my life. When I was diagnosed with COlitis I was mad at God and was looking for answers as to why he would allow all of this happen to me. There were times when I was so mad at him and I can remember my grandmother saying "it is at times like these that other's pray harder for you because you don't have the strength to pray yourself." My battle with Colitis has showed me that God does not cause bad things to happen, but he allows them to happen so that we can grow stronger, and I have.

"but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope." Romans 5:3b-4

The one thing I remembered while I was in the midst of everything (Diagnosis, Surgery, Recovery, Chemo, Takedown,etc.) was, from my perspective anyways, that God doesn't give us anymore than He thinks we can handle. Somewhere, somehow there is a reason for it and a reason He gave it to us.

I don't think my situation brought me any closer, but, maybe helped me get things back in focus.

If God takes you to it He will get you through it. There were times in Nov. when I had an abcess and was in the hospital for three weeks that others praying made a difference. I also knew God would be with me through it all. I am 62 and envy those of you who have such strong faith early in your lives. The Lord will be with you "through it all" - there is a song with that title along with "Because He Lives" that were my theme songs through all of this. Someday we will trade these less than perfect bodies for painless ones. Life is temporary and then there is an eternity with the Lord. Keep on praying and pray for others. Often what we survive gives us the ability to help others through similar situations. That's what love is all about.

I've been debating whether to make a short post here, and I think I've decided to do it. I too don't want to spark a religious debate so please don't jump on me

I'm in the minority on this site, an Atheist, and did just fine with the support of my family through my surgeries. There's my two cents I know faith has helped many of you through these tough times and that's great if it helps you.

MJMR,

I appreciate you chiming in and sharing your thoughts and outlook on things. I'm sure everyone will be respectful of you and where you're coming from. It's good to hear that your family was there for you and so supportive. Loving and understanding family / friends go a long way to helping us through this. It's good to have someone "with skin on" to be there by your side.

Joe, thanks for posting your question. I was diagnosed with UC in 1981, but didn't have my crisis with it until 2006. So, it really wasn't as big a struggle for me as some other things in life during those interim years. Through other sufferings, however, I learned some valuable things about myself and God that will stick with me forever. One of those things is that God is good - no matter what our circumstances.

When I got really sick in 2006 it was hard. It was probably the toughest test of my faith - since most of my prior suffering involved being able to blame a person. Sickness and death do not - and that left me wanting for understanding and someone to be angry with. And while in my head, I had seen God faithful SO many times that I didn't question his goodness, in my heart I had some things to sort through. I would say that it has taken me 2 years to get to a place where I have some peace about things and am ready to move on again.

Steve

When I first got diagnosed I was very angry at God. I needed to blame someone, and what happened to me must be someone's 'fault', so I decided it must be His fault.
But as my surgeries drew closer I realized that I couldn't do it alone, I needed my faith and to know that God was there with me helping me everyday. Especially after my surgeries I felt His presence in my life and personally it helped me a lot.

It's funny but I never got mad at God; I never asked "Why me?" I always figured, "Why not me?" I did however hope and pray (and tried to help Him by not eating) that God would just let me die and end the suffering. But He did not leave me nor forsake me and held true to His promise.

I found that one I accepted that I might have to be a "sick person" the rest of my life (I've had 11 surgeries and problems that seemed they would never end) and determined that my sickness and my life as a sick person would glorify God that I had much more peace and felt comfort in whatever my future held.

I like the song, "It is Well with My Soul." It says, "Whatever my lot, God has taught me to say, it is well, it is well with my soul."

Thankfully though God hasn't required me to be a sick person and I had my last surgery 9 years ago and am doing well, physically and in my soul

quote:

I like the song, "It is Well with My Soul." It says, "Whatever my lot, God has taught me to say, it is well, it is well with my soul."

Speaking of songs.....

I am reminded of the lyric from the Blood, Sweat & Tears song "And When I Die":

"I can swear there ain't no heaven, but I pray there ain't no Hell!"

Joe:
What a courageous and beautiful question. After reflection, I realize I did not have the courage to ask or comment on my personal, very real, spiritual growth that intensified and blossomed as a result of suffering. I wonder how many of us have have met and clung to the truth and comfort of our God in our "dark nights of the soul". In today's politically correct environment and "religious relativism" it's so not cool to state or acknowledge a truth, a truth that our very soul recognizes. The "whatever works for you" line is so much easier. But those of us whose suffering has brought us closer to Christ by sharing in his suffering of the passion, those of us who have been in the "valley of the shadow of death" (and were not alone) know the truth. At times, we cry out from depths that are deeper that we think we can bear and beg to not have to drink from this cup. Yet our joy is so boundless when we get any relief and we share in the joy of knowing of anothers good news or relief.. This and many others are the gifts that come from our suffering. We laugh deeper (maybe not as frequently, but deeper!!) Our hearts get bigger with suffering and with that larger heart we now have the capacity to love more. But damn!!,the stretching of our heart sure does hurt !!!
Having suffered since I was 11 years old (now 46)it's been a long, slow, painful life. As many here have mentioned I too have prayed "heal me or take me" many times. Now,I simply pray for courage, for graciousness, for good to come,if not for me, then for someone else, from my suffering, for my suffering to not be wasted.
Would I choose this disease and all it entails, if I had the choice? No way, I wouldn't have the courage. But after 35 years, I now see the fruits of suffering. I would much rather endure it myself than give it to someone else, even someone I didn't or would never know. Took a long time to get to that point, and I times I falter, but I wouldn't trade the depthness of my life experience for anything.
God's grace shines on everyone, even those who don't know him yet.
Thanks for opening the opportunity to put my thoughts in writing.
Linda

I have to chime in with my thoughts on this subject. I have been a catholic my entire life. Very religous upbringing. Where I'm at today, I honestly don't know. My ordeal has changed my outlook on a lot of things. At first I was extremely angry at God. Like many others I prayed to be cured or just to end it. Over the course of 2 years I had 5 surgeries and numerous complications. The prayers didn't work. Other people were praying for me and that didn't work. I don't buy into the whole notion of there being a divine reason for me going through what I went through. I had a strong faith and didn't need sorrow in my life to bring me closer to God. To be quite honest it has driven me further away. There is not a "reason for everything". It just happens. We are human and we get sick. Animals get sick. That's the way it works. I know some people in this world believe in miracles and that through prayer, they were saved. I don't agree. Some people tell me that all the prayers must have worked because I got through it all and am alive today. In my view, modern medicine saved me. If those of us here were around and went through this 100 years ago, most of us wouldn't have made it. We wouldn't have miraculously been saved, because modern medicine wasn't available then. Like I said, I don't know where I stand or what's really out there. If there is a God, I am still mad as hell at him. I don't accept my bad luck. I'm not at peace with it. If there is a God, I don't think he has any hand in what happens to us or has any reason for letting certain stuff happen to certain people. This ordeal has not brought me closer to him. I was doing just fine when I was healthy. Now I'm just more bitter and put off by religion. I'm fairly healthy now and am starting to get back to some normalcy. I thank my doctors and surgeons for that. Without them, I certainly would be dead right now. I don't believe there was a divine intervention.

Now let me say that these are just my thoughts and outlook. I am not calling anyone out or attacking anyone who has a strong faith and is close to God. I respect that and I respect anyone's beliefs and view of the world. These are my thoughts and I just wanted to vent a little. I'm really a nice guy! I'm just not happy with the way my life has turned out. I have lost some faith. Maybe one day that will change. This might be bad to say, but in the meantime I'm not going to rely on God when more health issues come up. I will rely on myself and my family. That is what truly helps us through these difficult times.

I apologize if my thoughts have offended anyone. That is certainly not the reason for this post.

2 things I don't like to talk about too much: politics & religion

I do see the mind/body connection and that things like prayer, hypnosis, etc. can be useful in the coping and healing process. I also believe in genetics, bloodlines, surgeons, etc. Meditation, support, and faith in some sort of 'higher power', has helped me cope throughout some of this. As far as outcomes and events go, I attribute these more to science rather than miracles or acts of God.

I'm very interested in and I'm reading more about Buddhism and self-realization.

Even if there is a God or gods, I don't think it would matter much or if I'd start living differently. Either way, I don't hate God or blame God for my disease. I just figure it's a mix of genetics, bad luck, good luck, karma.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Jenivi,

We got a lot of support from people in our church during Thomas' long hosptialization, but our experience neither brought me closer nor made me angry with God. What DID tick me off, though, was a question one of the more fundamentalist members (who himself had been diagnosed with leukemia) asked me when he visited. He asked, "What do you think God is trying to teach you through this?" I was speechless. But had I been able to respond, I would have told him that the God I believe in does not inflict little children with pain and suffering in order to teach them or their parents some sort of "lesson." Ugh. I guess "knowing" what God was trying to "teach him" got him through his day, but that kind if simplistic rationalization just annoys the heck out of me.

I come from a pretty wierd family... my dad is 1/2 Native and 1/2 Norwegian, and my mom is 1/2 east Indian and 1/2 British. Needless to say, they were both the centre of ridicule when they were kids. My dad was raised by alcoholic parents who died when by the time he was 11. My mom's step dad died when she was 12 and she had to support her mom (who was really crazy) by starting work at an early age. They both moved from BC to Alberta when they were young adults, and became Jehovah's Witnesses. That religion helped to keep them sane and alcohol free while they were active in that community. When I was 15 they split up and left that religion behind. I became a total atheist for a long time. I was 10 when I was diagnosed with UC, and I couldn't figure out why on earth God would let me suffer like that. I kept losing my taste for it all, and I guess I was that way until I was 20ish. I had been a goth/punk type for a long while... haha! I met someone online over ICQ who started arguing with me about God all the time, and eventually I really started to think about the whole reason why I was still suffering with health issues and no family around to support me. I felt so hopelessly lost, and I think that's when I used to post a lot on this site. When I decided that Christianity (I now attend an evangelical church) was what was truly the best choice to make, it completly changed my outlook about the illness. Believe me, I really spent a lot of time researching various religions and trying to decide what was orthodox. I realized that if I hadn't of felt so ill all the time, I probably wouldn't question issues like "Is there a God", "what the heck is the purpose of this", etc. I worked for awhile to get my sisters and for ages to get my mom to become Christians. My mom stopped doing some really crazy and innappropriate stuff, and my sister stopped doing drugs, and the youngest sister was never that wierd, but it helped her get over her anger towards my parents. I can honesty say that if I didn't develop UC, I wouldn't really care about all of this, and in turn, I don't know if my family would have met God that like that, if at all. My mom is getting alzheimers or some sort of mental illness now, and believe me, if I didn't feel God calling me all the time, I would just forget about her and mind my own business, namely the business in the bathroom... I would be one selfish turd!

I really thank God that this colonless stuff is all I have to deal with, and I'm not some peasant in a third world country... that in itself if a miracle. I can't believe how often I pity myself and complain when life could be a lot worse. We are seriously blessed to live in such a society.

So, all in all, I wouldn't trade an healthy colon for anything. I'd rather be content in knowing my God, and that what life has to offer isn't in vain.