I've been thinking about the "Overmedication of children" blog since I have one building where at one time 75% of the kids were on meds for behavior control (mind-boggling isn't it!). One of the things I've learned over the years is the mindset behind a lot of this is our society has come to think struggle is bad. Kids shouldn't have to struggle to learn, parents shouldn't have to struggle to parent, teachers shouldn't have to struggle to teach, people shouldn't have to struggle to live, Christian Scientists shouldn't have to struggle and grow to be healed. Kind of interesting isn't it? Must be a by-product of a wealthy society immersed in labor-saving pre-packaged existence.
Some interesting points...
Not that struggles are events to look forward to, or suffering should be justified, but in the everyday crucible of human existence, answers to problems don’t always come easily. It may take struggle, grappling, humbling, patience and persistence to conquer a challenge and demonstrate a worthy ideal. Modern-day society's tendency to seek out quick fixes through the narcotic effect of medicine, absolving responsibility, and pointing fingers at others rather than at self, deprives adherents of the benefit that comes from engaging worthy moral and spiritual struggle until victory is obtained.
Jesus Christ certainly had his struggles. In Luke’s account of Jesus’ experience in the Garden of Gethsemane, he recorded, “And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” (Luke 22:40) Now that’s a mighty struggle! But his steadfast trust and faith in “God’s will be done,” reaped a grand reward—eternal life in Spirit.
Struggles are not evil. They are purifying times that turn us from wrong to right, from the flesh to Spirit, from fear to love. When embraced correctly, they heal us. We do not have to run from them in fear, but can triumph over them in Love.
