Why did God ask Abraham to sacrifice his son Issac? Abraham underwent a series of spiritual tests, but sacrificing Issac was one of the hardest. I think that is because God wanted Abraham to train his spiritual muscle; without pushing oneself it is not easy to actualize one’s potential and grow. To be the father of many nations, God thought it was indispensable for Abraham to face the trials and reach a greater level of loyalty to the Almighty. It is possible to learn certain knowledge by reading books, but true character development usually comes when going through hardships.
From this point of view, hardship is something we should welcome and fully embrace. A test can put us into a danger, but when overcome it only strengthens us. On the other hand, easy and comfortable life can lead a country or a person into decline. A good example is Spain. Spain accumulated a wealth through extracting natural resources from Latin America. Spain chose to waste the wealth for luxury and war instead of investing. Its love for the luxury and comfort has gradually led the country to the prolonged period of decline.
Then what can I learn from this? Looking actively for tests and putting myself into the tests. Once in the game, I should adopt different strategy though. Hardship does not have to be always difficult and painful. Once the goals are set, I will have to figure out several smaller and incremental steps to attain goals. Life will find its excitement and meaning along the way.
No comments:
Post a Comment