[soc.religion.christian] Tests of faith

jmoon@lehi3b15.csee.lehigh.edu (Jonggu Moon [890911]) (08/27/90)

This is so slightly related that it is almost a different subject,
but your posting reminded me of it.

A FF ( Friend of a friend ) was mourning the death of her mother.
A priest in an effort to console her said that God does not put 
such trials apon His people unless they had the strength to handle it.

She asked then if her faith had been weaker, would her mother still be alive ?

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By the way, I believe that Spiritual warfare does exist.

Certainly Satan would not attack his own.
If you are falling away from God's grace then Satan would
leave you alone or encourage you to do what you are doing.
If you are working your way towards the Kingdom, then Satan will
do everything he can to slow you down, including causing you
financial, academic, familial, health and social problems.

Things have been uneventful for me this summer, which makes me
think that I must be doing something terribly wrong.

^>*<^ jon

hall@vice.ico.tek.com (Hal Lillywhite) (08/30/90)

In article <Aug.26.22.13.25.1990.800@athos.rutgers.edu> vice!zephyr.ens.tek.com!uunet!wuarchive!psuvax1!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian jmoon@lehi3b15.csee.lehigh.edu (Jonggu Moon [890911]) writes:
>This is so slightly related that it is almost a different subject,
>but your posting reminded me of it.

>A FF ( Friend of a friend ) was mourning the death of her mother.
>A priest in an effort to console her said that God does not put 
>such trials apon His people unless they had the strength to handle it.

>She asked then if her faith had been weaker, would her mother still be alive ?

Well, everybody makes mistakes and I think the priest made one here.
While what he said was true enough it was unlikely to console the
bereaved who was probably more concerned with her mother than
herself anyway.  As a matter of fact, while I believe Satan does
work harder on those who are trying to follow Jesus, I seriously
doubt he would be allowed to take somebody's mother to further his
ends.  Even in the case of Job's children I suspect that they were
well prepared to leave this life or God would not have allowed them
to be killed.

Most likely your FF's mother was ready to be taken back to God.
and FF's faith had little or nothing to do with it.  Job's
statement "The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away" indicates, I
think, a faith that God knows what he is about and while we may not
understand why some things happen we can trust him to do what is
best in the long term.  All of us will eventually be taken anyway,
we just don't know why one person goes today and another remains for
20-80 years longer.  From the eternal viewpoint a few more years of
earth life may not mean a lot.

bgriese@hpuxa.ircc.ohio-state.edu (Beth Griese) (09/02/90)

>In article <Aug.26.22.13.25.1990.800@athos.rutgers.edu> vice!zephyr.ens.tek.com!uunet!wuarchive!psuvax1!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian jmoon@lehi3b15.csee.lehigh.edu (Jonggu Moon [890911]) writes:
>>This is so slightly related that it is almost a different subject,
>>but your posting reminded me of it.
>
>>A FF ( Friend of a friend ) was mourning the death of her mother.
>>A priest in an effort to console her said that God does not put 
>>such trials apon His people unless they had the strength to handle it.
>
>>She asked then if her faith had been weaker, would her mother still be alive ?

Maybe I'm stating the obvious, but I think the priest was just trying to
let the daughter know that she posessed the strength to carry on
without her mother. Everyone's heard the saying "I don't think I have
the strength to go on anymore." I've felt it myself enough times, but
God knows where our limits are and won't push us more that we can
handle. The comment by the priest wasn't meant to explain why her
mother had died, just to let the daughter know that the Lord would see
her through the grief. Maybe it wasn't the best thing to say, but what
is in that situation??



-=-
Beth Griese-- journalist at large   |   "My kingdom for a quiet movie theater
(or at least for hire)              |    or a loud dance floor."
                                    |
--Columbus, OH  (Ohio State University alumnus-Go Bucks!)