Bad Luck
Those who have followed my blog will not be surprised to learn that the past month has probably been one of the most trying ones in my life. Five or six major ordeals have hit me within a four-week period, one after the other. To make matters worse, little things have gone wrong as well.
Why?
I have two theories as to why bad things happen, and each one is framed against a backdrop of Judeo-Christian thought.
The first one maintains that bad things happen because God is trying to teach us a lesson. Although this would appear to stem from a Puritanical mindset, it's not so much a comment on God's vindictive nature as humanity's unwillingness to listen. As my wife commented, God speaks in whispers. When we don't listen- he talks. When we don't listen again, he shouts. Since my wife has OCD, she thinks that God is trying to tell her that she can't control everything- that there will always be problems to solve and imperfections to deal with.
I tend to lean toward the more Job-based idea that Satan is basically making our path difficult because he fears what will happen when we reach our destination. If he can trip us up now, then he won't have to stop us when we're stronger. Either coincidentally or not, most of our problems began when we moved to Mississippi and I began preparing for law school. And like Job, I think God allows Satan a great amount of latitude when placing obstacles in a Christian's path. Without a test of faith, what is belief in God worth?
One could say that you could combine the two theories and maintain that God caused the bad things to happen because he doesn't want me to go to law school. But I have a hard time rectifying this with what has happened. I like to think that God wouldn't let one of my dogs be killed because he doesn't want me to become a lawyer. That's not to say it's impossible, only that something in my gut tells me that's not the case.
One small point, and then I'll leave it be. A day ago I went to a gas station to get gas. The guy ahead of me paid for his gas and walked away. The second I walk up to the counter, the lady looks at me and tells me that the electronic system has just went down and that they can't sell gas.
That would be odd enough, but today I went to a gas station and the doors were locked. A sign on the door said "Temporarily closed." I waited for five minutes and left. What are the odds that two gas station within days of each other would somehow close or break when I wanted to use them? I'm twenty-five, and I've never had that problem once. Then I have it twice in two days?
Something more powerful than me is at work here, and that something wants to make my life as difficult as possible.
Why?
I have two theories as to why bad things happen, and each one is framed against a backdrop of Judeo-Christian thought.
The first one maintains that bad things happen because God is trying to teach us a lesson. Although this would appear to stem from a Puritanical mindset, it's not so much a comment on God's vindictive nature as humanity's unwillingness to listen. As my wife commented, God speaks in whispers. When we don't listen- he talks. When we don't listen again, he shouts. Since my wife has OCD, she thinks that God is trying to tell her that she can't control everything- that there will always be problems to solve and imperfections to deal with.
I tend to lean toward the more Job-based idea that Satan is basically making our path difficult because he fears what will happen when we reach our destination. If he can trip us up now, then he won't have to stop us when we're stronger. Either coincidentally or not, most of our problems began when we moved to Mississippi and I began preparing for law school. And like Job, I think God allows Satan a great amount of latitude when placing obstacles in a Christian's path. Without a test of faith, what is belief in God worth?
One could say that you could combine the two theories and maintain that God caused the bad things to happen because he doesn't want me to go to law school. But I have a hard time rectifying this with what has happened. I like to think that God wouldn't let one of my dogs be killed because he doesn't want me to become a lawyer. That's not to say it's impossible, only that something in my gut tells me that's not the case.
One small point, and then I'll leave it be. A day ago I went to a gas station to get gas. The guy ahead of me paid for his gas and walked away. The second I walk up to the counter, the lady looks at me and tells me that the electronic system has just went down and that they can't sell gas.
That would be odd enough, but today I went to a gas station and the doors were locked. A sign on the door said "Temporarily closed." I waited for five minutes and left. What are the odds that two gas station within days of each other would somehow close or break when I wanted to use them? I'm twenty-five, and I've never had that problem once. Then I have it twice in two days?
Something more powerful than me is at work here, and that something wants to make my life as difficult as possible.
posted by Yorick at 10:55 PM
2 Comments:
thought this was applicable:
"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena...who strives valiantly, who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in worthy causes. Who at best, knows the triumph of high achievement and who at worst, if he fails, fails while daring greatly so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat."
--Theodore Roosevelt
you are in the arena. stepping out in faith to fulfill a dream, or calling: law school. and there are risks with every leap. unfortunately, we are always pelted by sacrifice when in transition. for what it's worth, from a complete stranger, i am sorry about hunter. as someone told me once, "i think dogs do go to heaven, there's a soul behind those eyes."
just keep breathing.
yorick,
God will get your attention but i can't believe he lets bad things happen to us. when is the last time you ask him about it?
Post a Comment
<< Home