Why do we need to struggle?

This week’s post has two parts. In the first part I will explain why we need to struggle, and in the second part, I will use a piece from another online site to focus on our attitude during this struggle.

We are sent to this world by God as a unique expression of His existence. We come here to experience life and to learn and grow.

2 Corinthians 3:18 (AMP) – And we all, with unveiled face, continually seeing as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are progressively being transformed into His image from [one degree of] glory to [even more] glory, which comes from the Lord, [who is] the Spirit.

The purpose of the learning process is spelled out in the scripture above, but how the process works is what I will explain next.

So we arrive on this planet, with a purpose, we arrive with ENORMOUS potential. We all instinctively know that we are capable of so much more, we know deep inside that we can do better, and we try to grow in the areas we identify and we expand as humans.

Just like we know that the arrow in the picture above can achieve a bull’s eye under the right conditions, we have to understand a few things beforehand:

To move from point A to point B requires energy
The arrow does not have a way to generate the energy to get from A to B
Accuracy on target is also beyond the influence of the arrow

So in our lives, we need to acknowledge that we may want to move from A to B. We may be clear on the distance to target, optimal trajectory, required flight speed to clear the distance and achieve penetration, and many many more things. But, when we are at this point, we may have significant knowledge, but it is only a desire. If we stay here – NOTHING will happen.

If we want to progress, we will need some help. We will need someone to point us in the right direction, and we will need someone to convert some of their energy into a format that we can use and then we have to accept an external impulse to get us to move.

Right direction: We have Scripture, the Holy Spirit, the example set by Jesus
Convert their energy: The resurrection of Jesus, the Holy Spirit, other Christians
External impulse: Our own desires, outside world influence, survival instinct
Now if we have all of this in place, we should be able to get from A to B, right?

Not quite. At the moment when the archer releases the bow’s snare, all of that energy gets “transplanted” to the arrow. Potential energy changes to kinetic energy. This occurs in an instant. The forces exerted on the arrow are immense.

The quality of the arrow has a monumental effect on the distance, accuracy, and penetration power of the shot. The better the quality of the arrow, the less its bends, flexes, and sways within the flight path.

For the purposes of this post, we have assumed that we are the arrow. We now know that we have to be exceedingly strong in accepting enormous energy transfer in an instant without bending, flexing, and swaying. That means arrows have to be cut, whittled, scraped, straightened, heat treated for strength, and then cut again to accept arrowheads, nock, and fletchings (feathers).

To accept the pressures of our goal on earth, God will allow you to be cut, whittled, scraped, straightened, heat treated for strength, and then cut again and again to accept the additions He needs for you to fulfill your purpose.

This is progressive transformation on the arrow; from glory to glory, purpose to purpose and goal to goal requires working and re-working, again and again, and again. (Struggle)

The best arrows will be re-worked over and over, used over and over, and their value will increase all the time as they become stronger, more accurate and increasingly effective. They will fly further, straighter, with more penetration power…

Image result for hunting arrow collection

To assist us in understanding how an arrow should view target selection and penetration requirements, read the following:

In the interview by Paul Bradshaw with Rick Warren, an innovative pastor, renowned author, and global influencer:

Rick said: People ask me, What is the purpose of life?

And I respond: In a nutshell, life is preparation for eternity. We were not made to last forever, and God wants us to be with Him in Heaven. One day my heart is going to stop, and that will be the end of my body– but not the end of me. I may live 60 to 100 years on earth, but I am going to spend trillions of years in eternity. This is the warm-up act –the dress rehearsal.

God wants us to practice on earth what we will do forever in eternity. We were made by God and for God, and until you figure that out, life isn’t going to make sense. Life is a series of problems: Either you are in one now, OR you’re just coming out of one, OR you’re getting ready to go into another one. The reason for this is that God is more interested in your character than your comfort; God is more interested in making your life holy than He is in making your life happy. We can be reasonably happy here on earth, but that’s not the goal of life. The goal is to grow in character, in Christ-likeness.

No matter how good things are in your life, there is always something bad that needs to be worked on. And no matter how bad things are in your life, there is always something good you can thank God for.

You can focus on your purposes, or you can focus on your problems: If you focus on your problems, you’re going into self-centeredness, which is my problem, my issues, my pain. But one of the easiest ways to get rid of pain is to get your focus off yourself and onto God and others.

We need to ask ourselves: Am I going to live for possessions? Popularity? Am I going to be driven by pressures? Guilt? Bitterness? Materialism? Or am I going to be driven by God’s purposes (for my life)?

When I get up in the morning, I sit on the side of my bed and say, God, if I don’t get anything else done today, I want to know You more and love You better. God didn’t put me on earth just to fulfill a to-do list. He’s more interested in what I am than what I do. That’s why we’re called human beings, not human doings.

–Happy moments, PRAISE GOD.
–Difficult moments, SEEK GOD.
–Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD.
–Painful moments, TRUST GOD.
–Every moment, THANK GOD.

Image result for blessings

I wish you a blessed week – May the God of all mercy be with you.

Originally posted on - https://discoveringgod491609808.wordpress.com/2018/09/30/why-do-we-need-...