Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger? Lies....

[seeker2122]

There is this popular saying that whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger.
I'm sure you've all heard of this. I don't believe this to be true at all.

In fact, I believe what the Joker says about it. "Whatever doesn't kill you, simply
makes you stranger".

Applying this to a Christian mindset. It seems the common agreement is that hard times
are made to test us, to purify, refine, and hone us into something better. That's what
everyone always says. Trials and tribulations, storms in life, make you stronger, build your
character, makes you into a man!

Maybe that is God's good intentions, to put you through trials and fire so that you can become
the best version of yourself He meant you to be. But I don't believe this is true. I do believe
SOME people can come out of hardships a better person and a more complete, wholesome, tried
tested and true person. But a lot of people don't. They only come out of it more jaded, broken,
scarred, twisted, and perhaps even more vengeful, resentful, angry, and frustrated.

In my life experiences, I have found that most of these "tests/trials" only made me a worse person.
My mental and physical health has deteriorated and I can feel I am losing myself. I have less hope,
less strength, and less toughness because of it. I'm probably only a couple more hardships away
from ending it all. So it confuses me to think why it is believed that these awful things that happen
in life to you are supposed to be for my good.

If that is the case and if that is what God is saying, then does that mean that the reason why instead
of becoming stronger and building character from these experiences, I become weaker and more dark
is that I somehow failed the test? I'm supposed to pass these tests of trials and hardships as a "command"
from God? Is it a MUST to always succeed and pass these tests with flying colors so that I can reap the
rewards of building my characters and wholeness as a person and in my faith?

Isn't it possible that and true that not all hardships/tests/trials make people better by going through it but
it actually does just make things worse and drives a person to a point of no return? I feel like what I need
more is love, tenderness, compassion, loyalty, etc to heal me and build me back up again.....not horrors after
horrors as if it's supposed to somehow make my mind stronger and make me develop a stronger tolerance
and resiliency to life's hardships. I found it has only broken me down to the point I don't know who or what I am
anymore and I have no strength and hope in me to want to even find out.

 

[rebornfree]

Just Googled that phrase and found that it's author was Friedrich Nietzsche.The phrase has a secular ring to it which smacks of self effort rather than reliance on the Lord. I think that Nietzsche was an atheist, so I would ditch it and concentrate on God's love instead.

Many of he Psalms are helpful. I've found 23, 34, 46, 91, 103, 121, 139 and 145 are particularly good when I've needed help. If we are His (i.e have accepted Jesus as our Saviour and Lord) I think we can take comfort in them.

Jesus didn't tell the blind, the deaf and the lame who came to Him that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger; He healed them. He also drove out demons.

From what you said in your post I agree that what you need is tenderness and compassion and I pray that you will find it and that the Lord will ease these trials for you.

 

[rebornfree]

.

 

[tonychanyt]

Isn't it possible that and true that not all hardships/tests/trials make people better by going through it but
it actually does just make things worse and drives a person to a point of no return?

Right.

I feel like what I need more is love, tenderness, compassion, loyalty, etc to heal me and build me back up again.

Right. Avoid talking to people who are not sympathetic to your condition and just tell you that whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger. See How to deal with depression.

 

[prodromos]

Whatever doesn't kill you, merely prolongs the inevitable.

 

[FireDragon76]

Nietzsche was a fan of asceticism, that's what the quote is referring to. He believed it was important to have a spirit that could endure hardships, that such people were superior human beings. Otherwise, he felt that you were merely allowing life's circumstances to determine your attitude towards the world. He believed there was something noble and life affirming about enduring suffering in a hopeless situation. It is related to his concept of amor fati (love of fate) and the eternal return.

Nietzsche was an interesting figure. A Lutheran pastor's son, he was a devout Lutheran until his father died of a horrific brain disease, then he began to have doubts at university, where he was studying to become a pastor. He himself probably died from the same brain disease. Some of the themes in his philosophy may have been influenced by Lutheranism, in fact, especially his concept of amor fati (the love of fate).

 

[Daniel Marsh]

There is this popular saying that whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger.
I'm sure you've all heard of this. I don't believe this to be true at all.

In fact, I believe what the Joker says about it. "Whatever doesn't kill you, simply
makes you stranger".

Applying this to a Christian mindset. It seems the common agreement is that hard times
are made to test us, to purify, refine, and hone us into something better. That's what
everyone always says. Trials and tribulations, storms in life, make you stronger, build your
character, makes you into a man!

Maybe that is God's good intentions, to put you through trials and fire so that you can become
the best version of yourself He meant you to be. But I don't believe this is true. I do believe
SOME people can come out of hardships a better person and a more complete, wholesome, tried
tested and true person. But a lot of people don't. They only come out of it more jaded, broken,
scarred, twisted, and perhaps even more vengeful, resentful, angry, and frustrated.

In my life experiences, I have found that most of these "tests/trials" only made me a worse person.
My mental and physical health has deteriorated and I can feel I am losing myself. I have less hope,
less strength, and less toughness because of it. I'm probably only a couple more hardships away
from ending it all. So it confuses me to think why it is believed that these awful things that happen
in life to you are supposed to be for my good.

If that is the case and if that is what God is saying, then does that mean that the reason why instead
of becoming stronger and building character from these experiences, I become weaker and more dark
is that I somehow failed the test? I'm supposed to pass these tests of trials and hardships as a "command"
from God? Is it a MUST to always succeed and pass these tests with flying colors so that I can reap the
rewards of building my characters and wholeness as a person and in my faith?

Isn't it possible that and true that not all hardships/tests/trials make people better by going through it but
it actually does just make things worse and drives a person to a point of no return? I feel like what I need
more is love, tenderness, compassion, loyalty, etc to heal me and build me back up again.....not horrors after
horrors as if it's supposed to somehow make my mind stronger and make me develop a stronger tolerance
and resiliency to life's hardships. I found it has only broken me down to the point I don't know who or what I am
anymore and I have no strength and hope in me to want to even find out.

What is God's purpose of giving us blood clots?