AFacts Tracts (100/pack): ¿Por Qué a Mí? Esperanza para el Desesperanzado by Amazing Facts

BRAND NEW Amazing Facts Tracts! 
(Topic: Pain & Suffering)

Sample of text on Tract:

Un Hecho Asombroso:

Dos años después de perder a su hijo y de
sufrir una crisis financiera, Horatio Spafford,
un empresario de Chicago, recibió la noticia de
que el barco en el que viajaban su esposa y sus
cuatro hijas se había hundido. Aunque su esposa
sobrevivió, sus cuatro hijas fallecieron. De camino
a encontrarse con su esposa, el barco donde
viajaba Horatio navegó cerca del lugar donde
se habían ahogado sus hijas. Mientras miraba
desconsolado la tumba de agua, se sintió inspirado
a escribir uno de los himnos cristianos más
preciados e inspiradores: “Alcancé Salvación”.
Si bien la fe de Horatio lo sostuvo durante la
prueba y la confusión, a lo largo de la historia
casi todas las personas se han preguntado
por qué suceden cosas malas si existe un Dios
amante. ¿Por qué existe la maldad en el mundo?
Sin duda, usted también ha experimentado
tragedias y sufrimiento en la vida, y es justo y
lógico preguntar: “¿Por qué a mí?”
La buena noticia es que la Biblia ofrece
respuestas reales que nos sostendrán y nos
darán esperanza.
A continuación encontramos seis verdades
bíblicas sobre la maldad y el sufrimiento.
¿Por qué Dios permite
que exista la maldad?
La Biblia señala claramente que “Dios
es amor” (1 Juan 4:8) y que Él desea que
prosperemos y tengamos un futuro lleno
de paz (Jeremías 29:11). Entonces, ¿por qué
experimentamos maldad y sufrimiento?
Dios quiere una relación genuina y amante con
nosotros, pero para que el amor verdadero
exista, debe existir la verdadera libertad. Él
ofrece esta libertad a todos, incluyendo a los
ángeles como Lucifer, el padre de mentira
(Juan 8:44), que se convirtió en Satanás
cuando incitó a una rebelión en el cielo e
introdujo el pecado en la tierra.
¿Por qué Dios no mató inmediatamente a
Satanás? Si el diablo hubiera sido destruido
cuando recién surgió la rebelión, los ángeles de
Dios y otras criaturas inteligentes, incluyendo
al ser humano, habrían comenzado a servir a
Dios por temor y no por amor.
Por lo tanto, Dios permitió que Satanás
demostrara al universo cuánto daño causaría
seguir su camino. Dios también es paciente,
“no queriendo que ninguno perezca, sino que
todos procedan al arrepentimiento” (2 Pedro
3:9), y le da a cada ser humano, como nosotros,
¡el tiempo necesario para volverse a él!
¿Por qué suceden cosas
malas a la gente buena?
Job, uno de los hombres más justos de
la Biblia, fue atacado directamente por
Satanás, quien le pidió permiso a Dios para
atormentarlo (Job 1:8-12). Incluso cuando
alguien es “perfecto y recto” (v. 1) puede de
repente experimentar una gran tragedia.
Hay distintos niveles de sufrimiento.
La historia de Job ilustra cómo, aunque Dios
creó el mundo como un hermoso paraíso,
Satanás busca destruirlo por medio del
pecado. Podemos sufrir ya sea por nuestras
propias elecciones, por las de otros o incluso
a manos del diablo. Muchos culpan a Dios por
las malas cosas que suceden, pero en una de
sus muchas parábolas Jesús dijo: “Un enemigo
[Satanás] ha hecho esto” (Mateo 13:28).
Recordemos que Dios es bueno.
Nadie es inmune,
ni el rico ni el pobre.
¿Sabían que Dios “hace salir su sol sobre
malos y buenos, y [...] hace llover sobre justos
e injustos”? (Mateo 5:45). Dios busca nuestro
bienestar, mientras que Satanás busca hacer
daño a todos. Ni la educación, ni la riqueza ni
la posición pueden evitar que suframos.
David fue un hombre escogido por Dios
para gobernar Israel. Disfrutó de riquezas
y lo mejor de su cultura, sin embargo, sufrió
una gran tristeza cuando sus enemigos lo
persiguieron y cuando su pecado influyó en la
muerte de varios de sus hijos. Todos sufrimos.
Lo importante es cómo reaccionamos.
Asediado por la tragedia, Job respondió
fielmente:

BRAND NEW Amazing Facts Tracts! 
(Topic: Pain & Suffering)

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Text on tract:

An Amazing Fact: Two years after losing his son and suffering financial devastation, Chicago businessman Horatio Spafford received word that the ship on which his wife and four daughters were passengers had sunk. While his wife survived, all of his daughters perished. On his way to join his wife, Horatio’s ship sailed near the place where his children had drowned. As he gazed heartbroken upon their watery grave, he was yet inspired to pen one of the world’s most beloved and uplifting Christian hymns: “It Is Well with My Soul.”

While Horatio’s faith sustained him through such trial and turmoil, throughout history, nearly every person has wondered why, if there is a loving God, do bad things happen. Why is there evil in the world at all? No doubt, you have also experienced tragedy and suffering in your life—and it’s a fair and natural question to ask: “Why me?”

The good news is that the Bible has real answers—ones that will sustain you and give you hope.

So here are six Bible-based facts about evil and suffering.

1. Why does God allow evil to exist?

The Bible says plainly that “God is love” (1 John 4:8) and that He wants you to prosper and have a joy-filled future (Jeremiah 29:11). So why do we experience evil and suffering?

God also wants a genuine, loving relationship with you, but for genuine love to exist, so must real freedom to go our own way. He gives this freedom to everyone, including angels like Lucifer, “the father of lies,” who became Satan and brought his rebellion and sin to the earth.

Why didn’t God kill Satan immediately? Had the devil been destroyed in the first moments of his rebellion, God’s other intelligent creatures would have become afraid of their very Source of life—losing trust in Him. Thus, God allowed Satan to demonstrate just how much harm would come to the universe by following his path. God is also longsuffering, “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9), and so He gives us as much time as possible to turn back to Him!

2. Why do bad things happen to good people?

Job, one of the most righteous men in the Bible, was attacked directly by Satan, who had to ask God’s permission to harass Job (1:2). Even someone who was “blameless and upright” (Job 1:1) can suddenly experience great tragedy. Loss and suffering happen to us all.

Job’s story illustrates how, though God created the world good, Satan seeks to destroy it through sin. We can expect suffering to happen—either by our own hands, the hands of others, or even the hands of the devil. Many blame God for the bad things that happen, but in one of His many parables, Jesus said, “An enemy [that is, Satan] has done this” (Matthew 13:28). Always remember that God is good.

3. Rich or poor, no one is immune.

Did you know that God “makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust”? (Matthew 5:45). God seeks your good, while Satan seeks to harm everyone. Neither education, wealth, nor status can prevent suffering from entering our lives.

David was a man handpicked by God to rule Israel. He enjoyed great wealth and the best his culture had to offer—yet he suffered great sorrow when pursued by enemies and when his sin led to the death of several of his children. Suffering happens to everyone. It’s how we react to suffering that matters. Beset by tragedy, Job responded faithfully, “Blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21).

4. Suffering can bring us closer to God.

The Bible says, “Before I was afflicted, I went astray, but now I keep Your word. … It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes” (Psalm 119:67, 71). God can give us peace even when the world around us is falling apart. He can relieve our sorrow and replace it with lasting joy (Isaiah 61:1–3).

Learning to trust God even in the most challenging times is an important part of developing Christian character. If, as the Bible says, “all things work together for good to those who love God” (Romans 8:28), then surely God can use our suffering to save us and others. Commit to working with Him even through your suffering.

5. God is with His children, always.

God created you and has numbered the very hairs on your head (Luke 12:7); He is intimately concerned with your welfare. He rejoices in your victories and accomplishments; He sorrows alongside you when you hurt.

Moreover, God is no stranger to loss, having seen the anguish and sacrifice of His own Son, Jesus, to save you from a sinful world. That’s why the Bible affirms God’s closeness during times of sorrow. “The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart and saves such as have a contrite spirit” (Psalm 34:19). If you are in pain, if you are suffering, know that God is near and that He cares for you.

6. Will sin and suffering ever end?

It is Satan’s plan to cause you to feel hopelessness by making you suffer. But difficult as your suffering may be, there remains faith, hope, and love! (1 Corinthians 13:13). God promises that sin, evil, and suffering will end. “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:6).

In Revelation 21:4, we find a precious promise. Someday soon, “God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” When we trust in Jesus, God gives us a new life, and we can turn from our sins back to Him. What a beautiful plan of redemption we have through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus!

Just as Horatio penned in the darkness of his suffering, “When sorrows like sea billows roll,” you can also say, “It is well with my soul.”