My Beliefs (Part 7)

This is the seventh question from the Belief-O-Matic. My answer, and why I chose it, follows.

Question #7
Why is there so much suffering in the world? Choose ALL that apply.

-The originl disobedience of Adam and Eve caused all minkind to inherit mortality, which includes bodily imperfection, illness, and decay.
-Suffering is part of God's divine will, plan, or design (to discipline, test, challenge, strengthen faith, strenghten character, promote moral growth, or for reasons that we cannot or may not know).
-Suffering is a state of mind (or illusion); only our spiritual nature is real.
-Spiritual or cosmic imbalance and disharmony may result in suffering.
-Unwholsome thoughts and/or deeds (greed, hatred, and violence) in this or prior lives return as suffering (karma).
-None of the above; human suffering has nothing to do with the supernatural or karma.

I chose the first two options because they're closest to what I was taught, and they make sense to me. I felt a little tug towards the karma option, but I can't quite make myself choose that option.

There are consequences to the actions we take each day. If you jump off the roof of a two story building, chances are you are going to be injured and have to suffer for it. Sometimes just one thing can happen to you, say develop an infection, and you can suffer for years because of it. (You can ask my husband about this, as it's something that has happened to him.) In the first case, you have to learn from your mistakes and either never do it again, or take better precautions before doing it again. In the second case, this bought of suffering could be a lesson in patience (which this certainly has been).

I know there are infinitely more cases of suffering in the world besides broken bones and chronic pain. The phrase, "or reasons that we cannot or may not know" tends to be my main thought when something bad happens to someone else. I don't see why my husband has to go through the pain and suffering he's going through. I don't know when he'll be free of the pain, or whether it will be through a cure, management, or death. I have to believe that there's a reason he's going through this, and that I just have to wait it out and see.

(Okay, I didn't set out to make this personal, but I can't think of another way to end this post at the moment. If I do, I'll be sure to update it.)