I’ve often wondered why dark menacing
clouds approaching from the horizon are so beautiful. I vividly
remember one of the more awe-inspiring and spiritual moments of my
life occurred while walking along Lake Michigan, on the campus of
Northwestern University, on a windy, blustery day. A violent storm
was rolling in, and the clouds crashed around like waves and were
periodically illuminated from within by severe lightening. An ominous storm was coming, but I didn’t think that I should hurry
home. I just stood there, struck by the beauty of it all.
Beautiful dark skies over a Kansas field. image source. |
Perhaps, our souls are just as
out-of-tune as reality—our hearts and reality playing the same
wrong note in the same wrong key. Or, maybe there is something to be
appreciated about darkness. I think it is the latter.
Caravaggio's "Deposition from the Cross", 1602 |
This means there is a purpose to our
pain and our darkness. The brokenness of our lives will be redeemed
for the beautiful story they make. Death, disease, pain, brokenness,
hatefulness, poverty, and loss do not stand in equal opposition to
the the Light. They stand in subjection to it. As Joseph told his
brothers who sold him into slavery and faked his death, “You meant
evil against me, but God meant it for good...that many people should
be kept alive...” (Gen. 50:20, ESV)
There are, no doubt, forces of evil
that are morally culpable for the pain caused in this life. But, pain
is allowed to remain for a purpose. Perhaps that purpose is beauty.
I agree that light is beautiful because darkness exists. Likewise, darkness in our life exists to show us something more worth it. If darkness, all the turmoils, does't exists, we would not be able to appreciate what we have. I guess that is why God created such turmoils in our lives: in order for us to appreciate what we have. Although I still blame God for some troubles I have, I hope I will appreciate what I have one day, instead of complaining.
ReplyDeleteI think that humans experience happiness because there is unhappiness, suffering and pain. If we only had happiness, we will not experience true happiness because we did not suffer or receive pain. However, since we have both pain and happiness, we know what the true happiness feels like. For example, if we have everything we want and there is nothing we wish for, we are satisfied but not happy. If we did not have anything, and we got one precious thing we wanted for years, we will be happy. I think God made both good and evil as one will help experience another. This blog made me think a lot and changed my thought that God should have made my life happier or without any unhappiness. -Kousei
ReplyDeleteI agree that everything have purpose even the darkness, pain and unhappiness. I knew that unhappiness was created with a purpose, but I didn't think that it was a good thing. This post changed my thought. Now I think unhappiness is also the good thing because it shows us the happiness. -Juwon
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