challenging question

下面的英文心得, 大部份是在4月30日寫的, 當時寫了英文沒寫中文, 所以一直沒有放上來.
今天寫完上一篇文章(在哪裡)後, 突然發現, 這篇文章探討的主題, 和上一篇的結尾相關:

如果要我們跟隨一個凡事會保護我們脫離困境, 不會讓我們遭受一點困難的神, 是比較容易的,

但如果, 這一位神, 容許苦難臨到我們, 容許一根刺在我們身上攪擾我們, 不挪去(保羅的例子),
我們還願意繼續愛神, 跟隨神, 讓神在我們身上隨祂的旨意行嗎?

我們其實很難把苦難和神的愛聯想在一起,
我們也很難接受, 一位拒絕我們禱告的神, 是一個愛我們的神.

因此, 我可以體會, 為什麼許多基督徒, 堅持相信神只是延遲答應我們的禱告, 而不肯接受, 神可能拒絕我們禱告的事實.

但弟兄姐妹, 我發現最大的挑戰, 不是跟隨一個讓我考試拿高分, 順利拿學位及找到工作, 買到好車子好房子, 祝福我的婚姻/家庭的上帝,

而是跟隨一個容許我和別人一樣, 遭受人生種種艱辛, 失望, 試探, 痛苦的上帝

因為, 我們會問:
我們為什麼要跟隨一個這樣的神?

因為, 神來救我們的目的, 從來就不是要讓我們在今生吃香的喝辣的, 無病無災

而是要讓我們恢復和祂的關係, 永遠脫離罪惡的捆鎖.

如果, 受苦可以磨練我們的心志, 讓我們的信心, 品格, 更有耶穌的榮美, 神會允許火般的試驗臨到我們, 煉我們像煉去銀子的渣滓一樣

苦難本身不是祝福,
但卻可以是一個神將屬靈的祝福傾倒在我們身上的管道.


當我面對這些將來的苦難而感到害怕時, 我的問題是出在:我對神小信, 缺乏真實信心,
還是, 我不願意為祂吃苦呢?

于弟兄問道:
100 除以 無限大是多少? 無限小=0 囉?
我們的一生最多100年, 將來的永生是無限大.
100年對永生來說, 是何等的少, 所以使徒保羅說這是 至暫至輕的苦楚

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為了讓在澳洲認識的一個美國夏威夷州來的姐妹也能來這個網站,考慮日後將文章發表成雙語或是英語.
用我的爛英文在這裡寫心得感想, 恐怕真是虐待讀者的眼睛....請大家包容一下了....

In order for a sister from the USA whom I met in Australia to read articles posted on this website, I am considering the possibility of posting my articles in both English and Chinese from now on. I know it is a torture to read my broken English; but please bear with me....

4/30
While I was reading the Bible today and thinking of my life here in Australia, God reminded me of my issues with Him again.

I realized the biggest challenge currently in my life is:
If God allows me to be given into the hands of my hater for a period of time, am I willing?

It is much easier to follow (or love) a God who is powerful and will deliver us from trouble/hardships/difficulties.

However, if God allows us to"suffer for a little while", are we still willing to let God have His own way on our lives? Or will we try to protect ourselves with our own ways?

Now I could understand a bit more about why some Christians insist that God will heal our physical diseases (ex. cancer, paralysis...etc.)
In fact, it is much easier to keep following a God who will heal you and deliver you from pain/troubles than following a God who allows us to have trouble or give us a thorn in our flesh to torment us.

I do feel the difficulty of following a God who allows a thorn in our flesh and "refuses" to remove it.

I am more amazed by Paul's faith today than 8 years ago when I first became a Christian. (God delivered me from my trouble and sufferings at that time and it was easy to feel grateful for God's "salvation").

Take a close look of Paul: even though God refused to remove the thorn from Paul's flesh, Paul said, "Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong".

An insult, hardship or persecution is certainly not a blessing itself. However, it could be a passage for God to pour His spiritual blessings on us.

Sadly, even though we might be aware of this fact, we still have a hard time connecting hardships with God's love and blessings.

Question to ask:
If I am still afraid of suffering for Him (For example, practicing God's words and let people take advantage of you), is it because of my lack of faith in His love or because I am not willing?

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What is 100/infinity?
Zero.

Say if a man lived 100 years and suffered through his whole life; comparing to Eternity, 100 years is still nothing.

Why are we so afraid over nothing?

The main purpose of Jesus' salvation is never to let us enjoy a trouble-free life here on earth but to save us from the constraint of sin and to restore our relationship with God.