"What do people mean when they say, ‘I am not afraid of God because I know He is good’? Have they never even been to a dentist?"
- C.S. Lewis from The Grief Observed
Got whacked in the head with that quote. My fine friend Mr. Lewis brings up a great point. If I truly believe that God is good, how should I expect anything less than hard discipline and suffering? When a dentist cleans my mouth, it usually hurts and there is some blood. When a potter forms his clay, he has to force and push and pull the clay into the right form. And when we dig out and polish a gem, it usually takes much chiseling and strength to make it beautiful.
If I really believe God loves me and cares about me, then I'm going to see Him deny me many things and challenge me in many ways. It's similar to how my parents tell me "no" to desserts and ground me if I've done something wrong. It's also in the same way my parents give me chores and hard work to show me how to become an able adult and be humbled and appreciative about my surroundings. God will give me sufferings and trials in hopes of trying to form me into a better and more beautiful person than before.
It's because I know God is good that I also know things will not be easy.
Dang it.
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