A thought by Charles R. Swindall, from his book, Start Where You Are. Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)
Yes, it does.
Charles says, “Almost imperceptibly, you become a person with keener sensitivity, a broader base of understanding, and a longer fuse. Patience is a by-product of pain. So is tolerance of others and obedience to God. For lack of a better title, let’s call the whole package ‘wisdom.’
“For too many years in your life, you have operated strictly on the basis of knowledge—human absorption of facts and natural reaction to others. But affliction has now entered your life, and even though you would much prefer to have it over with, it has not ended. Difficult though it may be for you to believe, the pain you are forced to endure is reshaping and remaking you deep within.
He goes on, “Human knowledge comes naturally, is enhanced by schooling, and enlarged by travel. But with such knowledge there often comes carnal pride, a sense of self-sufficiency, and tough independence. This kind of knowledge can prompt us to become increasingly disinterested in the spiritual dimension of life. As our reservoir of horizontal knowledge grows, our skin gets thicker and often our inner being (called ‘the heart’ in Scripture) becomes calloused.
“So God opens the door to pain.”
Charles continues, “Some physical ailment or emotional collapse or period of uncertainty levels us to mere mortality. Or a domestic conflict explodes and we are reduced to a cut above zero. The affliction (whatever it may be) paralyzes our productivity and we are cast adrift in a sea of private turmoil and, possibly, public embarrassment. To make matters worse, we are convinced we’ll never recover.
“At just such a dead-end street, divine Wisdom waits to be embraced. She brings with her a beautiful blend of insight— the kind we never had with all our ‘knowledge’—genuine humility, a perception of others, and an incredible sensitivity toward God.
He then says, “Without this prolonged period of recovery, such God-given wisdom may very well pass you by. During the time it takes you to heal, wisdom replaces knowledge. The vertical dimension comes into clearer focus.”
Could that be what we need from this time that we are going through? Do we need a clearer focus on the vertical dimension? Do we need God and His wisdom?
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