"For we are not ignorant of his schemes."
One of the primary schemes of the devil is the lie that the goal of life is to maximize pleasure and to minimize suffering and discomfort. We don't say it, but we live it: "I don't care if the war is won, I just want to get through the war without personal injury to myself or those I care about." Francis Schaeffer called this the pursuit of affluence and personal peace - I want to be able to go the store and buy anything I want, and not be troubled with other people's problems.
Paul says, "If the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink for tomorrow we die." According to John Piper, Paul does not mean we should give ourselves to drunkenness and gluttony if there is no resurrection. Drunks and gluttons are not happy people. Rather Paul is saying that if there is no resurrection from the dead, we ought to pursue the ordinary pleasures of life (food, drink, etc.) which bring comfort and a sense of happiness since subjecting ourselves to extraordinary suffering would be a foolish waste of life. (From Desiring God Study Guide, Chapter 10, Suffering)
According to Paul’s testimony, we as Christians are called to live such a life which would be a
foolish waste if there is no resurrection. A life that values the resurrection from the dead more
than life and freely chooses suffering or the possibility of suffering if that is what is required for
Christ’s sake. (From Desiring God Study Guide, Chapter 10, Suffering)
What is Satan’s design in all our suffering? The destruction of our faith. (From Desiring God Study Guide, Chapter 10, Suffering)
Friday, May 31, 2019
Thursday, May 30, 2019
Don't Be Surprised
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; 1 Peter 4:12
A high school kid heads south on a bus from Philly to spend the summer vacationing in Florida. However, a bus transfer mixup lands him at the Marine base at Parris Island. Expectations now clash with reality: He had expected to sleep in every day; instead, he's yanked out of bed at 5 a.m. He had expected to lay on the beach and work on his tan; instead, he has to "hit the beach" and work on his combat skills. He had expected to do whatever he wants whenever he wants; instead, he has a drill sergeant that tells him when he's going eat, sleep and pee.
How we see the difference between expectations and reality determines the mental and emotional ecology that we live in. Am I surprised that there are conflicts with others at my workplace? Am I shocked that my spouse is selfish, or that my kids grumble? Do I wonder that life is difficult?
Those who think that life should be easy and things should go well face frustration and disappointment every day. Psychiatrist Scott Peck said that most mental illness is caused by the people's inability to face the reality that life is hard.
Therefore, we should not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that comes upon us for our testing as though some strange thing were happening to us. We live in occupied territory as warriors for the King. On one hand, we have our enemy Satan with whom we must daily wrestle and do battle. On the other hand, we have our heavenly Father who daily is training us for this conflict. These are the times that try men's souls. Life is much more about the beaches at Normandy than the beaches on the Grand Strand. Expecting Disneyworld in this life is a sure formula for angst and frustration.
A high school kid heads south on a bus from Philly to spend the summer vacationing in Florida. However, a bus transfer mixup lands him at the Marine base at Parris Island. Expectations now clash with reality: He had expected to sleep in every day; instead, he's yanked out of bed at 5 a.m. He had expected to lay on the beach and work on his tan; instead, he has to "hit the beach" and work on his combat skills. He had expected to do whatever he wants whenever he wants; instead, he has a drill sergeant that tells him when he's going eat, sleep and pee.
How we see the difference between expectations and reality determines the mental and emotional ecology that we live in. Am I surprised that there are conflicts with others at my workplace? Am I shocked that my spouse is selfish, or that my kids grumble? Do I wonder that life is difficult?
Those who think that life should be easy and things should go well face frustration and disappointment every day. Psychiatrist Scott Peck said that most mental illness is caused by the people's inability to face the reality that life is hard.
Therefore, we should not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that comes upon us for our testing as though some strange thing were happening to us. We live in occupied territory as warriors for the King. On one hand, we have our enemy Satan with whom we must daily wrestle and do battle. On the other hand, we have our heavenly Father who daily is training us for this conflict. These are the times that try men's souls. Life is much more about the beaches at Normandy than the beaches on the Grand Strand. Expecting Disneyworld in this life is a sure formula for angst and frustration.
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