C.S. Lewis is someone who has definitely gone through painful times. He has lost comrades during war, and he also lost his mother and wife. Having gone through these times, it seems that he has discovered some very important things about pain. Lewis, in the chapter Human Pain, talks about the reason for pain. He says pain is actually necessary for humans to know God. Pain is basically a wakeup call that our world is not perfect and we are not meant to settle for the things of this world. Through pain God can speak to us and enable us to realize how dependant we are to Him. Lewis says:
“God whispers to us in our pleasure, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pain; it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”
Lewis also brings on a very good point when he says:
“Prostitutes are in no danger of finding their present life so satisfactory that they cannot turn to God: the proud, the avaricious, the self-righteous, are in that danger.”
This relates directly to what Platinga said about how the gospel is good news to those people whose lives are bad news. Through pain we become vulnerable and helpless that God can show Himself in our lives.
So what does this mean to us? When we face painful times, we know that our character is being built through it somehow and we can rejoice in the hard times. We know that there is nothing wrong with us or God when we face trials, it is very normal and very necessary. But most importantly, instead of being so focused about the problem when face trials, we need to have our eyes and ears opened and listen for what God might be wanting to teach us at that time. God doesn’t waste pain, He each of them for a purpose, and when we face tough times we need to be able to pay attention to God and what He might be wanting to tell us.
I was very shocked when I read about what C.S. Lewis calls the Divine Humility; that God will still take us in even if we use him as our last resort. C.S. Lewis quotes a very shocking and convicting quote from a friend:
“We regard God as an airman regards his parachute; it’s there for emergencies but he hopes he’ll never have to use it.”
It is frightening how true that is for so many of us. I know I am guilty of that many times. However, what’s more shocking is that God will still take us in even if we go to Him as our last resort.
I really enjoyed what you had to say about the necessity and positive things that can result from pain. Your statement that "instead of being so focused about the problem when face trials, we need to have our eyes and ears opened and listen for what God might be wanting to teach us at that time," really resonates with me. I think that is a very important point to remember that we should always keep our focus on God, in the good and in the bad.
답글삭제