Barry's Blog

Thursday, July 17 2008

More Than We Bargained For...


"Here is another way of putting the two sides of the truth. On the one hand we must never imagine that our own unaided efforts can be relied on to carry us even through the next twenty-four hours as 'decent' people. If He does not support us, not one of us is safe from some gross sin. On the other hand, no possible degree of holiness or heroism which has ever been recorded of the greatest saints is beyond what He is determined to produce in every one of us in the end. The job will not be completed in this life; but He means to get us as far as possible before death."

"That is why we must not be surprised if we are in for a rough time. When a man turns to Christ and seems to be getting on pretty well (in the sense that some of his bad habits are now corrected) he often feels that it would now be natural if things went fairly smoothly. When troubles come along -- illnesses, money troubles, new kinds of temptation -- he is disappointed. These things, he feels, might have been necessary to rouse him and make him repent in his bad old days; but why now? Because God is forcing him on, or up, to a higher level: putting him into situations where he will have to be very much braver, or more patient, or more loving, than he ever dreamed of being before. It seems to us all unnecessary : but that is because we have not yet had the slightest notion of the tremendous thing He means to make of us."

Entry for July 17, "Two Sides of the Truth,"  from A Year With C. S. Lewis: Daily Readings from His Classic Works, taken from Mere Christianity.

For FinishingWell,

Barry Morrow
 


Post your comments:

FinishingWell is not responsible for the content of these Comments


 


Previous Posts

July

Blaise Pascal: Passionate Truth Seeking... Part VII

Blaise Pascal: The Folly of Indifference Part VI

June

Blaise Pascal: Metaphysician of the Soul Part V

Why Relaxing Is Such Hard Work...

Blaise Pascal: Metaphysician of the Soul, Part IV

Blaise Pascal: Metaphysician of the Soul, Part III

May

Blaise Pascal: Metaphysician of the Soul Part II

Blaise Pascal: Metaphysician of the Soul...

April

Bonhoeffer: Belief In Action...

Friendship For Guys: Are We Just That Shallow?


Blog Archives >>

Topics

Business and Work
Family Life and Culture
The Christian Life