An important learning for all persons is that success and failure, appearances of blessing and cursing, must be seen in meaning for experience and faith. The following are several undeveloped ideas, so limited to a single page, in beginning discussion related to this troublesome concept. Awards/rewards are made at the end of a matter, when winning or losing has been determined in the conclusion of the project measured. Winning in life, which is the objective and deemed worthy of the effort is attended by torture of weariness, of out-of-breath feelings from giving self, of growing skill and extra commitment (zeal) – all need external support, guidance from a coach, and balancing factors. It is presumed that the expected fulfillment is worth the effort. We tend to both believe that and disbelieve it. Not until the experience is complete, do we conclude that we won or lost. After the long effort for me to earn a doctoral degree, I asked my wife if she thought the sacrifice of time and effort was worth it all. She told me to ask the question in two years. I did. Only then did she feel that we won. That conclusion gained affirmation of the effort for her.
Interpretations of what is presumed to be torturous and/or comforting may be the decision of a higher court. Surgeons who, humanly speaking, saved my life on several occasions, do the same things murderers do. One puts sharp instruments into the body for health: the other for death. In the larger scope of life, we may not really know what is the instrument dedicated for scalpel, and what for dagger. The natural person, without something more to interpret the universe, must determine real good and evil from that perceived as injurious or helpful. The obvious favor to the person may be wrong in the larger context. This has been seen dramatically in numerous experiences of life, certainly for me. Earth’s loss may be heaven’s gain.
In the context of nature, there are ways to test faith. If the good person were given the benefits, and the bad person the penalties, the causes of equality, in a neutral world, would be violated. Common grace from God provides context for equality – the same natural context for all. There is some benefit, in the responses of common grace to divine grace, but it is parental (God), and not withheld from general society – all given universal nature with its blessings and furies. If there were advantage of virtue affecting nature’s pleasure with good conduct, there would be considerable fakery in persons claiming to meet criteria for benefit – pride. (In matter of fact that is what happens for a high percentage of the populations. Our good is to be rewarded in common thought. Good is supposed to be normal, not exceptional.) It is a theology of works that does not put faith in God, but faith in mankind’s compliance to some standard. Christians take what falls to us believing God achieves desired results for good, but some connection must occur. Without that connection it is like a fetus taking responsibility for self-delivery from the womb of the mother. The infant may make it for a few breaths, but someone needs to take over to save life out of a fearful but magnificent experience. Life is not maintained without mothering/fathering from God. For the Christian, any suffering experiences should be identified with the suffering of Jesus Christ. We will be comforted ultimately in that we have entered into his sufferings. It is a part of our identity. It will be interpreted as pleasurable that the one who took so much suffering shares the experience with those who become a part of his Kingdom. One notes how human beings are animated in remembering both the joys and sorrows of their lives, as they relate to the persons they love. To have suffered for the care and identity of my children seems to me to be no suffering at all. It is a spiritual context of meaning. There is a meaning of reverence in it. It is humbling. Love intensifies. I would suffer and die for them. In such experience Christ seals his union with those who accept the transaction, and model the concept. We want what God wants (wills).
The above is a beginning of understanding. One must not be seeking suffering so to expand the benefits of it as may be seen in distortions of immolation or flagellation; or in feats of denial related to fasting or some such invention, and so the story lengthens. Sufferings are avoided if possible, within proper life activity, but not regretted when the outcome is, under God, to cultivate faith, virtue and identity. Virtue is the expected result and gains its own award, but does not determine our spiritual paternity. *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020