LEX

wizard's sock theology

i've had a lot of time lately. time to do a lot of thinking. time to do a lot of emailing with others who are doing a lot of thinking. i appreciate people who think and debate to a determined end - an end meaning that they are genuinely looking for an answer. this does not mean we will always find the answers. but we're looking for them. together. and this is the only way in which we might even have the chance of possibly finding an answer.

so i've decided to share a quite intriguing analogy sent to me by a friend (if this friend opposes the sharing, i hope this friend will let me know). the second is a thought that simply developed as i was typing an email response to something of the same topic. i welcome all thoughtful comments.

friend: Bad things do happen for a reason. It's kind of like playing King's Quest or Legend of Zelda when you were a kid -- you fight some bad-ass dragon in some weird castle to win a weird trinket like a wizard's sock, which seems strange and useless at first. But you just put it in your sack and know that, when the time is right, you'll know just the right time when that wizard's sock will be absolutely necessary. And, like you alluded to, God will not give us circumstances that we cannot handle (end of the game without the wizard sock). So if we miss something along the way, then God will still provide in those circumstances.

i will now refer to all bad things as the wizard's sock ;)

me: a friend reminded me of the story of Joseph being sold as a slave only to later save his family from the famine. amazing how quickly i forget such stories, as it was one we focused on at NIKOS. she reminded me that, while it was a horrible experience to be sold as a slave, it certainly was God's will to use Joseph to save his family. unfortunate circumstances got him there, ..."but God intended it for good..." (Gen. 50:20). so whether we talk about God's will as sovereign or permissive, i certainly, though it sounds odd, am thankful for such circumstances. i have always been saved from much in even the most painful situations, and now can be much more significantly used by God.
...my pastor in college has suggested that to the degree that we have suffered is also the degree to which God will be able to use us (this is definitely a paraphrase). i was very uncomfortable with that when i first heard it because i hadn't had much suffering in my life. 5 chronological years, 2 (and i should say ONLY 2) painful experiences, and only God knows how many years in maturity later, i can begin to see the reality of his proposition. and i think i'm beginning to answer my own question of, "should we, then, seek out suffering in order to be used by God?" i would say, "no," for these events have a way of finding us on their own, and only then can we have the humility for God to use them in our life the way he intends. does our sin sometimes play a part in the occurrence of these events? sure. Joseph's pride over his dreams spurred his brothers to hate him and sell him as a slave. but Paul is very strong when he says we should not sin more for grace to abound more. neither do i think we should seek suffering, or dismiss our own sin, because it brings about better usefulness in God's kingdom.

"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." James 1:2-4 (ESV)

refer here for more applicable verses.

posted by Alexia & Jeffrey @ 10:02 PM