Back in ancient China, in the days of the feudal wars, the armies would often come into the villages and force all the young and healthy men to join them and fight in the wars. Most of the men or boys taken would never return and many were killed in battle.
During those days there was a Zen master who was also a farmer. He had a lovely wife, two daughters and a son.
The Zen master also had a nosy neighbor. The neighbor had noticed that the Zen master's son had left and not come back for three days. He went to the Zen master and said, "It is so bad that your son has been gone so long, surely the armies have taken him or worse." To this the Zen master replied, "Could be good, could be bad." The neighbor thought to himself, "What could be good about his son being gone so long?" But he didn't say anything.
A few hours later the young son of the Zen master came home and he had four wild horses with him. He apologized to his father for being gone so long and said that some of the horses were very difficult to catch. The horses would tremendously help in the farming. The neighbor came running over and excitedly said to the Zen master, "It is great that your son is home safe now and the horses will help greatly!" "Could be good, could be bad" said the Zen master to his neighbor." He couldn't hold it in this time and asked, "What could possibly be bad about this?" Again, the Zen master just said, "Could be good, could be bad." The neighbor realized that the master was trying to teach him something but he didn't get it.
The next afternoon the Zen master's son was breaking the horses so that they would be fit for farming. As he was in the corral trying to tame one he fell off and broke his leg. The Zen master immediately went in and carried him to a safe place. The young man was moaning in pain. Just then the neighbor appeared and said, "This is horrible, you need your son to help in the farming and this could take months to heal." The Zen master looked at his son and then towards the neighbor and said, "Could be good, could be bad." This really drove the neighbor crazy! "What on earth," he thought, "could be good about his son breaking his leg?"
Early the next morning the neighbor awoke with the sounds of metal clashing, many horses and men shouting. It was the army! They were going through their village and forcibly taking all the young and healthy men. As the neighbor came upon the Zen master and his son he saw one of the generals talking to the Zen master. He heard him saying, "You are fortunate that your son has a broken leg or you probably never would have seen him again." The general turned and got on his horse and the army rode out like thunder. At that moment the Zen master looked at the neighbor and said, "See? Could be good, could be bad." The neighbor finally understood what the master was trying to teach him.
COMMENTARY
The actual story was much longer than this. It took the neighbor very long to figure out what the Zen master was trying to teach him. We see two lessons in this story. One is not to get too excited just because something at first appears to be good and also, not to get too worried just because something at first appears to be bad. I call it the "Could be good, could be bad" philopsophy. It is kind of a take life as it comes attitude and trust that all things, good or bad are ultimately in God's hands.
The hard part is not worrying too much. Jesus said, "Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." ~John 14:27
Easier said than done. So what does it take to have this attitude? The answer is Faith. The bible says faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Evidence of things not seen? Sounds like a difficult phrase to comprehend doesn't it? How do we have faith when it looks so bad on the outside? We must come to believe that, as the scripture says, "God worketh all things together for good for those that love him ,and are called according to his purpose." ~ Romans 8:28
It is a sign of spiritual maturity and wisdom to come to this place. It is a serene, calm and steadfast trust that no matter what befalls you or the ones you love, you just know, somehow, that in time it will all be good. Even if that time is not until some point in eternity after you have passed on. Perhaps you cannot fathom what could be good about a tragic event that happened to you or one you love. Yet you must know that God is in control and put all your faith in Him, trusting that He knows the mysteries and intricasies beyond your comprehension.
These words were found on a cellar wall in Cologne after World War II:
"I believe in the sun
even when it is not shining;
I believe in Love
even when I feel it not;
I believe in God
even when He is silent."
"The author of this poem", said Liane Cordes, "had the kind of patience that is born of faith and courage. Despite the destruction, injustice, and fear that permeated those war years, the writer never lost faith that life, with all its apparent sorrows and seemingly senseless atrocities, was still worth living.
Can we, when faced with despair, bitterness, or grief, muster the same faith and courage? Can we still affirm, even if we do not understand or see the reasons for our misery and suffering, that there is a Higher Purpose in it, and that we shall ultimately receive the guidance and inspiration to help us overcome it?"
APPLICATION
Learn from the lessons in this story and stop letting people, events and outer circumstances control how you feel. Regardless of whether something presents itself to you as bad or good remain calm, always trusting that all is in God's control. Does this mean you are to be a dull, unenthusiastic person? Not at all! Rejoice at what is good, enjoy it and be grateful. And if bad, or even tragic news, comes your way, trust that it didn't take God by surprise and that He works all things together for good.
Do not live with worries, doubts and fears any longer. Look at them as unwelcome parasites not welcome in the mind or heart of a true believer. Learn from how you have overcome your hurts in the past. Remember also that much more than not, the things you worried about never came to pass.
"Some of your hurts you have cured,
And the sharpest you still have survived,
But what torments of grief you endured,
From evils which never arrived!" ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
Start using this phrase in your life. "Could be good, could be bad." Regardless of the outcome, you can trust that all will be well in His time. Faith is the greatest weapon against fear. As George Mueller wisely said, "The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith, and the beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety."
"Trust the past to God's mercy, the present to God's love and the future to God's providence" ~ St. Augustine
J. Lawrence Finley
During those days there was a Zen master who was also a farmer. He had a lovely wife, two daughters and a son.
The Zen master also had a nosy neighbor. The neighbor had noticed that the Zen master's son had left and not come back for three days. He went to the Zen master and said, "It is so bad that your son has been gone so long, surely the armies have taken him or worse." To this the Zen master replied, "Could be good, could be bad." The neighbor thought to himself, "What could be good about his son being gone so long?" But he didn't say anything.
A few hours later the young son of the Zen master came home and he had four wild horses with him. He apologized to his father for being gone so long and said that some of the horses were very difficult to catch. The horses would tremendously help in the farming. The neighbor came running over and excitedly said to the Zen master, "It is great that your son is home safe now and the horses will help greatly!" "Could be good, could be bad" said the Zen master to his neighbor." He couldn't hold it in this time and asked, "What could possibly be bad about this?" Again, the Zen master just said, "Could be good, could be bad." The neighbor realized that the master was trying to teach him something but he didn't get it.
The next afternoon the Zen master's son was breaking the horses so that they would be fit for farming. As he was in the corral trying to tame one he fell off and broke his leg. The Zen master immediately went in and carried him to a safe place. The young man was moaning in pain. Just then the neighbor appeared and said, "This is horrible, you need your son to help in the farming and this could take months to heal." The Zen master looked at his son and then towards the neighbor and said, "Could be good, could be bad." This really drove the neighbor crazy! "What on earth," he thought, "could be good about his son breaking his leg?"
Early the next morning the neighbor awoke with the sounds of metal clashing, many horses and men shouting. It was the army! They were going through their village and forcibly taking all the young and healthy men. As the neighbor came upon the Zen master and his son he saw one of the generals talking to the Zen master. He heard him saying, "You are fortunate that your son has a broken leg or you probably never would have seen him again." The general turned and got on his horse and the army rode out like thunder. At that moment the Zen master looked at the neighbor and said, "See? Could be good, could be bad." The neighbor finally understood what the master was trying to teach him.
COMMENTARY
The actual story was much longer than this. It took the neighbor very long to figure out what the Zen master was trying to teach him. We see two lessons in this story. One is not to get too excited just because something at first appears to be good and also, not to get too worried just because something at first appears to be bad. I call it the "Could be good, could be bad" philopsophy. It is kind of a take life as it comes attitude and trust that all things, good or bad are ultimately in God's hands.
The hard part is not worrying too much. Jesus said, "Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." ~John 14:27
Easier said than done. So what does it take to have this attitude? The answer is Faith. The bible says faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Evidence of things not seen? Sounds like a difficult phrase to comprehend doesn't it? How do we have faith when it looks so bad on the outside? We must come to believe that, as the scripture says, "God worketh all things together for good for those that love him ,and are called according to his purpose." ~ Romans 8:28
It is a sign of spiritual maturity and wisdom to come to this place. It is a serene, calm and steadfast trust that no matter what befalls you or the ones you love, you just know, somehow, that in time it will all be good. Even if that time is not until some point in eternity after you have passed on. Perhaps you cannot fathom what could be good about a tragic event that happened to you or one you love. Yet you must know that God is in control and put all your faith in Him, trusting that He knows the mysteries and intricasies beyond your comprehension.
These words were found on a cellar wall in Cologne after World War II:
"I believe in the sun
even when it is not shining;
I believe in Love
even when I feel it not;
I believe in God
even when He is silent."
"The author of this poem", said Liane Cordes, "had the kind of patience that is born of faith and courage. Despite the destruction, injustice, and fear that permeated those war years, the writer never lost faith that life, with all its apparent sorrows and seemingly senseless atrocities, was still worth living.
Can we, when faced with despair, bitterness, or grief, muster the same faith and courage? Can we still affirm, even if we do not understand or see the reasons for our misery and suffering, that there is a Higher Purpose in it, and that we shall ultimately receive the guidance and inspiration to help us overcome it?"
APPLICATION
Learn from the lessons in this story and stop letting people, events and outer circumstances control how you feel. Regardless of whether something presents itself to you as bad or good remain calm, always trusting that all is in God's control. Does this mean you are to be a dull, unenthusiastic person? Not at all! Rejoice at what is good, enjoy it and be grateful. And if bad, or even tragic news, comes your way, trust that it didn't take God by surprise and that He works all things together for good.
Do not live with worries, doubts and fears any longer. Look at them as unwelcome parasites not welcome in the mind or heart of a true believer. Learn from how you have overcome your hurts in the past. Remember also that much more than not, the things you worried about never came to pass.
"Some of your hurts you have cured,
And the sharpest you still have survived,
But what torments of grief you endured,
From evils which never arrived!" ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
Start using this phrase in your life. "Could be good, could be bad." Regardless of the outcome, you can trust that all will be well in His time. Faith is the greatest weapon against fear. As George Mueller wisely said, "The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith, and the beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety."
"Trust the past to God's mercy, the present to God's love and the future to God's providence" ~ St. Augustine
J. Lawrence Finley
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