I’m learning that many of my questions about life issues will not be answered in this life. The disciples did not understand everything Jesus said until after the resurrection when they carried on with the great commission. It’s like we live by 20/20 hindsight, hopefully acquiring wisdom as we take risks that honor Him, not ourselves. Even with hindsight we do not understand what God was and is doing behind the scenes. Let’s pray that each of us will always lean in on Him and not our own understanding, but that we love and trust Him with our whole hearts. May we experience His love growing in our hearts.
It is only in the heat of pain and suffering, both mental and physical, that real human character is forged. One does not develop courage without facing danger, patience without trials, wisdom without heart- and brain-racking puzzles, endurance without suffering, or temperance and honesty without temptations. These are the very things we treasure most about people. Ask yourself if you would be willing to be devoid of all these virtues. If your answer is no, then don’t scorn the means of obtaining them. The gold of human character is dug from torturous mines, but its dung and dirt are quite easily come by. And it should come as no surprise to us that in our time—the time of the great flight from pain—such virtues as these are conspicuous only by their absence. I’m
Dallas Willard, The Allure of Gentleness
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