"HARD TIMES?"

Today, I share the second of the stories from the a book titled CLASSIC CHRISTIANITY.  I pray these stories have as much impact in your life as they have in mine.  

First though, we must define two key words.  PUNISHMENT is a penalty imposed on an offender for a crime or wrong doing.  It is usually dealt with "behind" (or after) the offense.  

The second word is DISCIPLINE.   DISCIPLINE is totally different.  DISCIPLINE is "training" that develops self-control, character, and ability.  It is usually dealt with looking "ahead" (in preparation) of when it is needed.  Now, to the book:

"JESUS said, 'In this world you will have trouble" (John 16:33).  When faced with tragedies and troubles of life, there is no human tendency stronger than to ask the question, 'WHY?' 'Why did it happen?' we cry. 'Is this problem a sign that GOD is angry with me?'  

A tremendous illustration of this principle came to Tim Stevenson one day when he was out running on some country roads.  "I had a trip planned that I was really excited about," Tim explains.  "I was going on a week-long wilderness canoe trip to Canada, to an area that I had been to several times before and really love.  But this was no leisurely vacation.  This part of Canada is true wilderness.  It's very challenging, so I was spending several weeks getting ready for the trip---running extra miles, doing extra push-ups, and so on." 

"This particular day, it was about 90 degrees in the Texas sun, with the heat radiating off of the blacktop roads.  I had nearly completed my three-mile run, dead tired, when an idea suddenly occurred to me.  If my body could talk, I thought, it would be saying, "What is this?  What's going on?   Why are you doing this to me?  Are you mad at me?  Is there some unconfessed sin in my life?"

"I would have answered back, 'Body, I  am not mad at you.  I'm doing this because I love you.  I know the future and you don't.  I know that in about six weeks, you're going to be paddling a canoe for up to eight hours a day, you're going to be carrying a 75-pound canoe or a 90-pound food pack for up to a mile at a time, up and down hills, often through sloppy mud.  You'll have a whole week of that.  Now, if I get you ready, you'll have a gray time.  If I don't get you ready, you're going to die".  

"I burst out laughing when I realized this is exactly how we respond to GOD when we run into problems.  Like ancient pagans, we are continually trying to interpret events.  When things go our way, it means the gods are happy with us; when we run into problems, it means the gods are angry with us.  That's the way man naturally thinks, and we still carry that into the Christian life. We still find it hard to trust in the good intentions of a GOD who has done everything conceivable to demonstrate HIS love and concern for us".  

The Apostle Paul writes the following books while in prison in Rome: Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, I Timothy, II Timothy, Titus, and Philemon.  The Apostle John writes the Book of Revelation while in prison on the Island of Patmos.  ......IN PRISON!!

Romans 8:18 "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."

 I just have to learn to TRUST HIM more!