“God, where are you? Why haven’t you done ____________ for me yet?”

Have you ever asked a question like that before? I know I have.

I thought that following God and being a Christian would lead to a life that was kind of easy, filled only with joy, free from pain and sorrow.  Silly me.  

I’m not even sure where I got that idea but when I ask around, I find that most of the Christians I know have believed (or still believe) some version of that.  After all, it sounds good, doesn’t it?  It’s so appealing, this thought that if you are a true believer you are spared suffering.

It is also completely contrary to what the scriptures teach.