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Teacher of Pain
By daniel | June 3, 2005
Somehow I find that I believe God teaches primarily through pain. Like He can't find any better way to help me learn something than to make me suffer, so for me to learn much at all, I must suffer frequently, and each time focus on “learning my lesson.” I think this view of God is wildly inaccurate.
This sort of view is most likely caused when we let painful situations and circumstances (and our responses to them) tell and inform us as to what God is like, instead of letting God tell us what He is like and informing how to look at the painful situation. True, God may have to allow hard times to teach or correct, but I think it's near the bottom of His list of preferred methods.
I see a lot of how God is through some instructions in Matt. 5. Jesus tells us to be straightforward and honest. Then he tells us to give and give, expecting nothing in return. Then he tells us not to retailiate to those who harm us, but to offer kindness in return instead. Then, and here's the kicker, he says to do these things so that you will be sons (like) your father in heaven, who causes good for all people, righteous and unrighteous. He gives them sunshine for another day and rain for another day (the two things needed to grow crops), not dependant on how they have done, righteously or unrighteously.
Thoughts?
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