A Place to Breathe

What is God doing in the world? We ask the question in many ways, especially when someone dies or when life brings suffering. This book describes a speculation about what God is up to, a speculation that is Biblically based without being fundamentalist. God is working in the world to bring about God's kingdom, the same kingdom that Jesus taught and demonstrated during his earthly time. Just as Jesus "described" the kingdom of God in parables, so may we learn from His parables, other teaching such as the Beatitudes, his "mighty acts," and his death and resurrection what the Kingdom is like. If we have an idea of what God is doing, then we may ask how we can cooperate. Call it co-creation, living faithfully, "working, praying, and giving for the spread of the kingdom of God," following Christ, or undertaking Tikkun Olam (repair of the world). One situation is our own suffering. How do we remain faithful when we ourselves suffer? What role does suffering play in following Christ? Without glamorizing suffering, we look at its role in building the kingdom of God. We see five purposes of suffering. Suffering may be made meaningful if we understand some if its purposes.