Mike, I went to a special chapel today at school with Jars of Clay. The lead singer said this which made me think about things: You can never fully experience joy until you have felt pain. I am not sure where he got that from, but it made sense. Imagine, if you can, a mother truly experiencing the joys of childbirth without experiencing the pain of childbirth (if not in delivery, then at some point in the pregnancy). The joy wouldn't be as "special". The same goes with the parable of the prodigal son. The joy the Father felt was extremely overwhelming because the son had left. <<<Just food for thought>>>> And I love making you all think. :-) Destiny, thanks for your comment. Juanita, God does prune us. All of us. It hurts at times. However, we grow stronger with this. Read Hebrews 12. The whole chapter is amazing. |