I know, with a title like that some of you want answers and you want’em NOW! Ok, ok. Why don’t you click HERE and you can read part one and feel tons better about where we’re going with this thing?
Better now?
Well, here’s part two…
First of all, is “sifting” the exclusive right of the evil one? Satan sifted Peter, but the long term result was that Peter got stronger in his faith.
- Job was sifted, but that turned out good as well
- Joseph? Sifted over and over again.
- King David? How about 14 years of sifting to get him ready for the throne?
But sifting can end bad too.
- Judas was sifted and he never made a recovery. He learned nothing from the sifting process.
- Esau (from the Old Testament) was sifted. Missed out on a lot because he refused to learn the lessons of the sift. Sounds like something from that old TV show, “Kung Fu!” ‘You must learn, young grasshopper! If you do not, you will be squashed like the worthless bug you’ve become.”
- Samson—Hurts to even think about all the missed opportunities from that guy’s life.
So, sifting can be good and it can be bad. So, the problem is not in the process—nor is the solution. Tragedy or Triumph both come from the reaction within the process.
More about that tomorrow.