The more we believe that God hurts only to heal,
the less we can believe that there is any use in begging for tenderness. A
cruel man might be bribed...But suppose that what you are up against is a
surgeon whose intentions are wholly good. The kinder and more conscientious he
is, the more inexorably he will go on cutting. If he yielded to your
entreaties, if he stopped before the operation was complete, all the pain up to
that point would have been useless. But is it credible that such extremities of
torture should be necessary for us? Well, take your choice. The tortures occur.
If they are unnecessary, then there is no God or a bad one. If there is a good
God, then these tortures are necessary. For no even moderately good Being could
possibly inflict or permit them if they weren't. Either way, we're for it.
-C.S. Lewis
I'm reading Lewis' Beyond Personality right now. I love his writings... but I find I am a slow Lewis reader. So much depth to process! Good thoughts above. Thanks for sharing! Love, Rachael @ Inking the Heart (linking up with you at Ann's)
ReplyDeleteHe is deep! But it's a good challenge. A lot of stopping and breathing and thinking. Glad you stopped by!
DeleteLove:)
R