I ran
across the explanation below in my morning reading. It was too good not to share.
I plan to use it in my class at church in hopes of reaching the middle school
age kids. The really great thing is that kids ages 4-99 can learn from it!
Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to
them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
I suppose one of the hardest questions
to answer is: “Why do I have to deal with so much adversity?!”
Quite honestly, one of the best
answers I’ve ever come across was written by C.S. Lewis in his book, Mere
Christianity. Lewis likened God’s use of adversity to walking a dog. If the dog
gets its leash wrapped around a pole and tries to continue running forward, he
will only tighten the leash more. Both the dog and the owner are after the same
end: forward motion. But the owner must resist the dog by pulling him opposite
of the direction that he wants to go. The master, sharing the same intention,
but understanding better than the dog where he really wants to go, takes an
action precisely opposite to that of the dog’s will. It is in this way that God
uses adversity!
We really don’t like being pulled and
corrected by the Lord — but when we understand there’s a greater purpose
involved, then we can pass through adversity with hope, expectation and
steadfastness knowing these events are for our greater good!
Let’s learn from the trials and
tribulations we go through because God has a purpose in them. We may not enjoy
it, but when all’s said and done, enduring trials faithfully will produce
perseverance, character, and hope. And hope will not disappoint us for the love
of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit…[Romans 5:4-5] We truly
can trust in the God who loves us with an everlasting love because He knows the
direction we need to go, AND He knows exactly how to get us there!
As a humble dog owner, I know the daily trial of getting the dogs to do
things they would prefer not to do. Ours are trained to live in the world we
created in our home; it is ours, not theirs. They live in it but not as the
masters. This made the reading quite profound to me and I could see where I
have often pulled against the ‘leash’ of direction in my life. My prayer is
that this tidbit comes to mind quickly as I face the next adversity that pops
up in my path and I remember I am not the Master of my fate or direction. Its
one thing to know it in your head but it is altogether another thing to
practice without first tugging on ‘the leash’.
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