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It's a harmony, a synergy, the interaction between God and man, life and death, to produce a combined effect greater than the sum of the individuals living and dying.
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Trevor. I couldn't agree more. Evil, grief and affliction remain here as a God breathed learning experience for mankind. Nothing in this world is in vain, and that including life, death, disease, suffering, calamity or travail. The problem (
as I see it) is that because of sin, most people (
including professing Christians) just don't get it. This because they're usually so busy envying or feeling sorry for themselves. They take their eyes off Christ and place them on themselves and the result is incessant whining, murmuring, complaining, grumbling and moaning about every little aspect of their lot in life. The "Poor Me" mentality that so permeates the industrialized world. You would think they were penniless, starving, have one set of clothes, live in Calcutta, Dhaka, Bangladesh or something when they are actually blessed beyond measure. All these life lessons go right over their collective heads. But when there is no learning from misfortune, there is no growth. When there is no growth, there is stagnation and quiescence. The evil, affliction, pain and suffering in this world is for our learning, spiritual acumen and growth.
2nd Corinthians 4:17-18- "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
- While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal."
Why should the faithful Christian worry about the temporal things when in the big picture, our troubles and afflictions are light and but for a moment compared to an eternity with God. What does the child of God really have to whine and complain about, we are the Blessed of the Lord in whose hands if the world could fall apart tomorrow we'd find rest in the glory of God. So then, let our living be with joy, our witness with mourning, and our understanding with the knowledge, illumination and wisdom of Christ. In affliction, life and death we glory in the Lord's doings.
Proverbs 16:4- "The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil."
"
nosce te ipsum"
Peace,
Tony Warren
"I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah. -Psalms 32:5"