We are created in God's image. God, being love, desired an entity with whom to fellowship and love. Hence, He created us. Before that He created the world, one of God's greatest evangelistic tools, since the world squeezes man to bring him to the recognition that he cannot live independently of God. Suffering in the world drives man to Him. A perfect example is reflected in the experience of the disciples as they toiled in the dark, in a boat, in a storm, and went nowhere. Once Jesus entered the boat, they were immediately at shore. Living in the world without Christ is simply toiling in the dark, getting nowhere. Once we are exhausted and invite in Christ, we land without effort. Many parents cannot understand why their thirteen-year-old is not standing at the front door on Sunday morning with anticipation saying, "Daddy, Daddy, is it church day? I hope so; I can't wait to get into the Word." Why, after all the Christian input, teaching and training, is the child not excited about Christ? It is because the world has yet to evangelize the child, but it will! The squeezing of the world will teach the need for Christ through experience and cause the training and teaching to surface with power. I often comment that Christian parents are an odd lot, for they want to keep their children from everything that brought them to Christ.

Michael Wells
Heavenly Discipleship

A scary thought, but ihave so often realized how true it is. It isn't easy to allow our children to suffer, but it IS often the way God grows us. Thanks for that Madre.

Leslie, that is so true. I want a close relationship with my kids and want to help them thru difficult times but I also know that involves letting them go thru those times and stand back a bit to let God work thru it with them.