I have a long standing theory about a lot of things that is pretty much based on my own narrow line of thinking. It goes a little like this: unless bad things happen to you, you will probably be a pretty sorry sort of human person. I will share a few references to things that reveal that it probably is a bit more than just how I think, but the birth of this idea for me was basically dealing with a bunch of babies masquerading as adults and Christians who throw a fit if everything doesn't go their way. They wallow in self pity, they shout at the injustice of it all and cite the color of the grass on the other side of the fence in reference to their own, then in their grandest tantrum of all they manage to blame God and get really mad at him.
Somewhere in scripture (yes I could quote chapter and verse, but what would be the fun in that), a guy named James writes a letter and says something crazy about how we should find pure joy in our misadventures. It seems that when we are tested (and presumably ONLY when we are tested) we develop perseverance, which in turn leads to maturity. Crazy concept, right? Well, only when you don't think about its practical application. Makes me think about running. In high school I could run a long way, but now I can't. The difference? Back then I ran most days and even raced frequently. Those trials produced a bit of physical stamina. Now that I don't face the daily physical and mental trial of running for time, I am likely incapable of completing a 5K race.
It all reminds me of the boy in the bubble or, more accurately, the movie Bubble Boy. You should watch it, but know that out of nostalgia I probably remember it as being better than it was. The Keller quote reminded me about how they were constantly talking about "immunities" and how he didn't have any or something. He couldn't leave his bubble and experience life because of his crippling fear of immunities. As a result he was a silly man boy until he was freed from his bubble. Jake Gyllenhaal was in it...
In a book I didn't really like I read about how most major leaders in history went through significant trauma as a child that shaped them into great leaders. They were sickly, abused, and neglected. Oddly, most didn't become who they were as a result of great parenting, rather it was as a result of their response to poor parenting or even the loss of parents.
It isn't all about bad things not happening to you, it is all about how you respond when they do.
A person can't mope around hoping their life will improve so they can be happy. That doesn't work and you look like a petulant child the entire time. Learn to grow from hardship rather than continually seeing yourself as the martyr.
Speaking of martyr's, did you know that Christianity has experienced the most rapid growth historically when it is under great persecution? This is real persecution of course, not manufactured persecution like when we aren't allowed to pray in school (which we are, just not standing on the corner raising our hands and shouting which is, incidentally, also looked down on in scripture.)
One can't expect to grow to maturity as a result of all sorts of good things happening, living some sort of blessed life. When a bone breaks, it is stronger at that point when it heals. True story.
An awful lot of people fear their own doubts. They feel like bad people for even having them. Faith is not the absence of doubt, but rather its resolution. "Contending for the faith" is the hard work of study, prayer, conversation, thought, reading, and more to find the truth and try to ease doubts. Allowing doubt to linger is a lazy religion that leads to disillusionment, apathy, and listlessness.
I have found that my firmest convictions come not from reading something I fully agree with, but from reading something I find to be absolutely divergent from my line of thinking. If I agree with something I store it up in my memory to regurgitate and a later time, but if I disagree I am forced to find support for my stance in scripture and logic.
As a point of reference for you, know that this thought process governs my views (at least in part) on homeschooling, private school, allergies, Secret Garden Syndrome, binge drinking, divorce, racism, and maybe even sickle cell anemia.
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