Physical pain, Spiritual gain

[shazeep]

ain't that the Truth. That is Word. Also reflected in Book, of course. So, an example--if one comes to you, whenever--of how this has changed your prayer would be nice. Ty

[Jito463]

Originally Posted by YounginHope

Primarily that His Will Be Done looks differently to me now.

I am just not able to put into words with enough emphasis to explain the change that's made in me. We go through life claiming to seek His Will when usually we find ourselves petitioning for our own.

If we're growing closer to the Lord, as we should be, then our will should naturally become like His will. If not, then we're doing something wrong.

[Jito463]

Originally Posted by FlamingZword

Physical pain is not good, if it was a good thing, then we should start praying that we would get sick and get horrible painful diseases.

If pain was a good thing, then Jesus did a bad thing in healing so many people of their diseases.

No I repeat, pain is not a good thing.

You do not need to be in physical excruciating pain in order to get spiritual gain; that is nonsense.
If we got spiritual gain thru physical pain, then heaven would be a torture chamber.

I repeat for the third time, no pain is not a good thing.

The pain itself may not be a good thing, but it serves a good purpose. Pain serves to inform us that there's a problem. There's something wrong with our bodies, and we need to find out what.

There's some disease (I can't recall the name of it), whereby some people are born without the ability to feel pain. This is very dangerous for those people, because if something is wrong, they have no way of knowing. If they cut themselves where they can't see, they could bleed out before they even realize there's a problem.

That actually just made me realize something. Spiritually, we are all born with this disease. Sin acts as a block to let us known there's something wrong. But God, in His infinite mercy, granted us a means to repair that fault, and allow us to recognize our sinful state. I believe that without the spirit of God guiding us, we would never know we needed Him (and there's Bible to back that up).

I think I've gone a bit off-topic, but it was a good thought to run with.

[shazeep]

nice

[YounginHope]

Originally Posted by shazeep

ain't that the Truth. That is Word. Also reflected in Book, of course. So, an example--if one comes to you, whenever--of how this has changed your prayer would be nice. Ty

It has changed my prayers from seeking to be physically healed to seeking to grow spiritually. Not that I didn't pray to be more spiritual before, just that I focused on being physically healed. And without a doubt I pray for understanding more than ever before.

[shazeep]

nice. So, you might say that you are praying in God's will now, instead of yours, maybe. I put it like 'i understand that when i pray in God's Will, i am asking for a lesson; i am asking for pain.' Because change is painful, of course, even though how painful is totally up to us. Just like a kid, who keeps getting grounded, or pounded, for some willful thing they keep doing. Only with Father the pain comes through interactions with other people, and when we pray for patience, say, we should expect situations to come up that make us impatient, which can really drive you nuts until the lightbulb goes off, i remember being like, "God, i prayed for patience, and this is what i'm getting?"

[YounginHope]

Yes, absolutely. Same with praying for strength, to me. Im exposing myself here I guess but I often, on some level, always thought God would impute patience and strength as we grow. Instead of seeing that the working of our patience and strength is growth. Sounds so simple...in word.

[shazeep]

Yes, i understand the exposed part; that is...unfortunate. However, many seekers drowning in Law come here looking for a way forward, so you speak to many you will never know. Speak to them, and ignore the stones imo.

I made the same assumptions for years, myself, of course. Lacking knowledgeable and wise leadership, and being assured that i was in the Promised Land already, and not encouraged to seek, that i might find. Father will not answer a prayer that is not asked, though; seems weird, huh? But you must seek, else your free will is abrogated; i'm pretty sure that is the dynamic goin' on there, anyway. Of course, one learns a measure of patience and strength anyway, with maturing...or they do not. Peace, and ty.

[votivesoul]

One definition of the word "holy" from the Old Testament is:

"To be dedicated to the Lord for the purpose of destruction".

As Jesus was, and so, are many of His people, as it is written, and Paul himself quoted, "We are killed all the day long".

Beautiful in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints. It is appointed unto men once to die, and afterward, the judgment.

While death grabs us in only an instant, a moment here, then a moment gone, the path toward that instant, for some is a mere few days, or weeks, or at most, months. For others, it was decades in the making.

Let us not judge those of whom God has ordained for His personal enjoyment and consumption, that He might be glorified. Remember Simon Peter, who, when he became older, was taken places he didn't want to go, and was girded by others instead of by himself, and thus, signified what death he would die in order to glorify Christ.

[shazeep]

wow, that was strong. good stuff there. i'm seeing that i only sort of die, and keep parts i want, that i don't want to die...well, i can't really see those parts; more like i can feel them there, being reflected back at me from others. like i need to seek...more humility, i guess, is the message i'm getting right now; i am proud that i am smart. or something. you would see it clearer than me, just like i see you clearer than you do. the veil is a very weird thing.

if you tell the moose that he had almost died that day, @ "moose vs archery hunter," @ YT, he would look at you like you have lost your mind. after sniffing the arrow that would kill him, he would stare you in the face and tell you that you are nuts