Good analysis, David. My thoughts as I listened. We will suffer in this world and there’s no way around it. However, we can not only find meaning in that suffering, we can actually use it—in fact we have to use it—in order to imitate Christ, which is the way to eternal happiness.
We understand well how suffering provides us the fruits to improve our bodies because we can see the results—larger muscles, loss of weight, etc. The saints, like Thomas a’ Kempis, instruct us on how we can do this spiritually. That we should not be satisfied with where we are right now—we can do better.
I’d prefer to focus on celebrating the efforts and small victories we make daily.
Granted when one issue seems to be resolved, another often presents itself, but life would be too oppressive and discouraging for me to consider it to be primarily wretched.
Is this a glass half-empty or half-full discussion?
Good analysis, David. My thoughts as I listened. We will suffer in this world and there’s no way around it. However, we can not only find meaning in that suffering, we can actually use it—in fact we have to use it—in order to imitate Christ, which is the way to eternal happiness.
We understand well how suffering provides us the fruits to improve our bodies because we can see the results—larger muscles, loss of weight, etc. The saints, like Thomas a’ Kempis, instruct us on how we can do this spiritually. That we should not be satisfied with where we are right now—we can do better.
I’d prefer to focus on celebrating the efforts and small victories we make daily.
Granted when one issue seems to be resolved, another often presents itself, but life would be too oppressive and discouraging for me to consider it to be primarily wretched.
Is this a glass half-empty or half-full discussion?