God is not to be thought of as a God Who Afflicts, but a God Who Heals

    Atheists and others make much out of the suffering of people, wondering why a God would allow it, saying if there were a God, He would not inflict such pain on His children.
    I have long thought of how when Christ was on earth, He went around healing people. Much of His ministry was in relieving people of their misery. That does not fit with the talk of how God lets us suffer. Today, as I listened to the General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it struck me that to go along with all the healing He did while down here, He died and was resurrected to bring an end to pain and suffering. Oh, I do not know all about what it will be like on the other side. But, I do know that His death and resurrection brought about the resurrection of us all. We leave these frail bodies, often worn out and old, to be given new bodies which I understand are not subject to the afflictions of our earthly bodies.
   So, if there were a God, why would He let us suffer? We came here to experience all things, and must pass through them to learn. But, let it not go unnoticed on us that Jesus Christ is all about healing and comfort. Healing was a large part of His ministry, with so many pages of the Four Gospels telling of His healings. And, when He died, He was resurrected to bring about healed bodies for all of us. So, in His life, He healed bodies, and in His death, He healed bodies.
   God is not to be thought of as a God who afflicts, but a God who heals.