When people start asking, "why do God condone suffering? Isn't He supposed to be good? Why does he allow suffering in this world?" I always get stumped.
However, Justin gave a very good example of the meaning of suffering in tonight's bible study, and I thought I'll share with my 2 readers (who are myself and Yan Yan respectively. Haha.)
Somewhere in Australia there are two types of plantations for a certain tree. A well-grown tree produces very good, solid wood when it matures, oozes fragrant oil and little sap.
One type of plantation is the kind where the planted trees gets watered only when there is rain. Basically, the tree is left to its own defenses, to survive through any elements thrown at it.
The other type of plantation is the kind where the trees are "irrigated", they get a constant supply of water everyday.
After 15 years, the trees which have been irrigated everyday grew to be fat and big, while the former are skinnier when compared.
On cutting through the trees which have been watered regularly, the people who owned the land found that even though the tree was fat, its bark could easily be peeled off and its inside was soft. It is rich in sap, but not in oil.
In the meantime, when forest fires raged through Australia, the trees that grew naturally continue to stand after the fire. Even though the fire stripped the first layer of bark to ashes, the wood inside is good quality hard wood. Oil that was sweet-smelling ooze out from the tree.
You probably understand the lesson behind this story. In order to mold ourselves to be better, we have to go through these hard times. Even without any biblical context, it can still relate to all of us, that suffering is a process we have to go through in order to become faster, stronger, better.
In my opinion, it is a story relevant to a lot of our lives. There are good days, then there are the horrible days.
But at the end, I just want to stand tall with a strong, pumping heart for His Kingdom.
And that is what matters the most.
P.S to tie in with tonight's bible study topic, this post is one of my memorial stones/ark (Joshua 3).
hello deee. i also read ah! from time to time. :P thank you for sharing! hehe im reminded of 2 bible passages and i ll share with you! we can continue meditating on the topic. hehe
ReplyDeleteRomans 5:3-5 (NIV, ©2011)
3 Not only so, but we[a] also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
and, James 1:2-4 (NIV, ©2011)
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
love you!
Hello JOYCE! Yes, we went through those verses too! And 1 Peter 1:7. "These have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed."
ReplyDelete