I have posted this in another tread and I see an "opportunity" to post this in this thread. People will view circumstances from human point of view (emotional) while Christians will view circumstances as opportunities in God's point of view. Anyone whoever believe such things is their own prerogative.
I have seen differently because I have seen people turn to Christ when they were facing circumstances that woke them up. Life is short. Our temporal mind-set thinks primarily about the things of now and we focus on this world as if it is all there is. As a Christian, those of us who know that this life is only temporary so biblically, we are commanded to better make good use of our life for God's glory regardless what happens. It is foolish to waste time focus on the negative view of suffering because we need to make the best use of our time to impact this world for Jesus while we have the opportunity to use the positive view of suffering. One of my good friend who was a pastor, He died of cancer and during the funeral, over 3,000 people came to respect him and many of them turned to the Lord.
Since no one knows the future, so what do we know what is to come? For we are living today knowing that we will die someday. Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains. There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven. There is a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return.
Life is full of surprises. The possibilities for tomorrow are usually beyond my expectations. In reality, uncertain future is part of life. I must treat "today is my last day" because tomorrow may not come for me.
God has also given us a wealth of opportunities to use in the Great Commission. An opportunity may be defined as a providential circumstance which permits us to turn ourselves to glorify God. Christ lives His life again through US and continues to live in through US, that God will continue to work, reaching out and through the human instrument to accomplish His wonders among the lost around us.
The enemy of opportunity is preoccupation of doctrines that prevent God's great commission. If anyone wants to do this, that's between the believer and God.
"Therefore as, we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially those who belong to the family of believers" (Galatians 6:10).
One thing we may be sure of, however: For the believer all pain has meaning; all adversity is profitable. There is no question that adversity is difficult. It usually takes us by surprise and seems to strike where we are most vulnerable. To us it often appears completely senseless and irrational, but to God none of it is either senseless or irrational. He has a purpose in every pain He brings or allows in our lives. We can be sure that in some way He intends it for our profit and His glory. Jerry Bridges Navigators
By the way, my mother-in-law died yesterday morning at 3:30 of organ failures due to complications of her illness (old age).
