Bad things happen, and we each have our perspectives and strategies for navigating the times when bad things happen. My perspective has changed over time, and not necessarily in any coherent way, at times believing that everything happens for a reason and at other times believing that there is no reason for anything, and probably anything else along the continuum between those extremes.
This is one of the many examples of how what we believe matters, though, because a person's perception of circumstances largely dictates how s/he will choose to respond to those circumstances. Hawkfeathers expressed exasperation with the belief that "if bad things happen, you attracted them because they are in you" on another thread. This should cause her to respond to unhappy events with efforts at self-improvement, which isn't a bad thing. In contrast, some one who believes the hardship to be God's will should respond with resignation and acceptance, or another religious belief might be that it is the work of the devil and requires sacrifice and zealotry because it must be "fought."
So, as I pondered this I wondered how folks here perceive hardship. Do you see it as part of some larger plan for your life, a consequence of your own actions, just random doodoo occurring, enemy action? Does it depend on the circumstances of the hardship? Do you respond in various ways depending upon what is occurring or find that you basically pull out the same tool kit every time?
This is one of the many examples of how what we believe matters, though, because a person's perception of circumstances largely dictates how s/he will choose to respond to those circumstances. Hawkfeathers expressed exasperation with the belief that "if bad things happen, you attracted them because they are in you" on another thread. This should cause her to respond to unhappy events with efforts at self-improvement, which isn't a bad thing. In contrast, some one who believes the hardship to be God's will should respond with resignation and acceptance, or another religious belief might be that it is the work of the devil and requires sacrifice and zealotry because it must be "fought."
So, as I pondered this I wondered how folks here perceive hardship. Do you see it as part of some larger plan for your life, a consequence of your own actions, just random doodoo occurring, enemy action? Does it depend on the circumstances of the hardship? Do you respond in various ways depending upon what is occurring or find that you basically pull out the same tool kit every time?
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