In a spiritual world of quick fixes and vague emotion, is it crazy to believe there is still a place for insights based on simple, basic, theological understanding. I believe it is worth exploring.
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Saturday, September 7, 2013
Old Erich Proverb - Road
God does not always lead us down the easy or least dangerous road, but He promises to bring us through.
I would not say there are no difficulties here. When I say He promised to bring us through my affirming that is an act of faith on my part and not an observation that there are no real struggles. Also I do believe that making it through is based on continuing to trust God. My chief point in this proverb is we should not take the position Christians will always have a easy life and not face problems. Certainly unbelievers also face dangerous places. Be we should not assume that if we are Christians God will not lead us lead us there.
Perhaps how (or if) we come out of a trial/struggle is not as important as how we go through it? Perhaps the evidence of God being with us is not in the end result but in how we are changed by the journey? Sometimes God does not safely "bring us through" (has he really promised that anyways?) to the other side but that does not mean that He is not there in our failures and struggles - when He does not safely "bring us through".
I do not know that I would disagree with most of what you have said. What I do want to affirm is that God is with us and helps us in our struggles and does not leave us to go through them alone. That is what I meant by "brings us through."
In basing that on Scripture I would refer to the verses that speak of God bringing us victorious through the problems of life (2 Corinthians 2:14; Romans 8:37; John 16:33). I am convinced that this victory is from God's perspective and may not look like a victory at the time. But I believe it is real in the final analysis.
But I certainly would not disagree that how a person responses is an important aspect of the situation.
I struggle sometimes with this idea Mike. Believers and non-believers alike seem to get through dangerous roads.
ReplyDeleteBob, that's true. I do believe those who are led by God on those roads come out better because they become closer to God.
ReplyDeleteHard to say. I have seen trials result in bad things for believers. In the short term anyways.
ReplyDeleteI would not say there are no difficulties here. When I say He promised to bring us through my affirming that is an act of faith on my part and not an observation that there are no real struggles. Also I do believe that making it through is based on continuing to trust God. My chief point in this proverb is we should not take the position Christians will always have a easy life and not face problems. Certainly unbelievers also face dangerous places. Be we should not assume that if we are Christians God will not lead us lead us there.
ReplyDeletePerhaps how (or if) we come out of a trial/struggle is not as important as how we go through it? Perhaps the evidence of God being with us is not in the end result but in how we are changed by the journey? Sometimes God does not safely "bring us through" (has he really promised that anyways?) to the other side but that does not mean that He is not there in our failures and struggles - when He does not safely "bring us through".
ReplyDeleteI do not know that I would disagree with most of what you have said. What I do want to affirm is that God is with us and helps us in our struggles and does not leave us to go through them alone. That is what I meant by "brings us through."
DeleteIn basing that on Scripture I would refer to the verses that speak of God bringing us victorious through the problems of life (2 Corinthians 2:14; Romans 8:37; John 16:33). I am convinced that this victory is from God's perspective and may not look like a victory at the time. But I believe it is real in the final analysis.
But I certainly would not disagree that how a person responses is an important aspect of the situation.