Chapter 8 is about being emotionally healthy enough (in our real lives) to not screw up our lives so that we can even think about seeking a vocation. I have a great deal of this chapter marked and underlined. Things like "First, we should not be surprised by difficulty" (pg 143). And, "...life is not fair" (pg 143). Or how about, "...it is clear (to who?) that we need to make sense of difficulty and to see what significance it has for our capacity to fulfill a vocation. As we shall see, there is hardly anything more critical to personal and vocational development than the nature of our response to difficulty, setbacks, rejection, disappointment or suffering. The evidence that we are responded effectively is that we develop emotional maturity and resilience" (pg144).
Personally I know this is true. I know that my greatest growth is coming out of great pain...but I hate it! At least...I did hate it. But more recently...as the sharpness of the pain is less intense, I am beginning to be grateful for the grow that has resulted from the pain. I still am not thankful for the pain. That may never happen...but for the growth, I am grateful.
How would you describe your relationship with that pain that is forcing you (or has forced you) to grow?
We will be studying the book of Romans this year in Community Women's Bible study. This chapter looks at Romans 5 and 8. "...suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope" (Romans 5:3-4).
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Much of my childhood was not good. I think the pain and violence and powerlessness I experienced is what lead me to children's ministry and helped me achieve the successes I have enjoyed working with high risk children.
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