Isaac Newton's Discovery Of The Law Of Gravity

Newton discovered the law of gravity as tradition tells it through an apple falling on his head. When the apple fell, Newton looked beyond the event, the falling fruit, and realized the existence of a governing principle more significant than the event itself.

Most of us, when we face adversity, have trouble seeing beyond the falling apple to the governing principle of gravity---that is, we miss the deeper spiritual developments that may be taking place as we endure the difficulty. We see only the circumstance rather than looking to the loving character of God to put those circumstances into perspective.

As Christians, we need to learn to discern “what is happening.” When experiences come our way, good or bad, we need to ask, “What is the governing principle here? What is God doing through this experience? Christians often pray God make me more Christ-like. Help me to be a better Christian, to be more obedient and kinder. But when God answers those prayers, perhaps through some experience of adversity designed to conform us to the image of Christ, we resist. We want Him to flood our lives with love and goodness, but we don’t want Him to confront us with ourselves. We prefer instant holiness to the process of developing a disciplined holy life” (Author Unknown).

TRIALS
All God’s testings have a purpose---Someday you will see the light; All He asks is that you trust Him. Walk by faith and not by sight.

A Christians’ character, like a beautiful gem, is formed by pressure and polished by friction (Our Daily Bread, May 20, 1998).

AN ANGRY YOUNG MAN
Anger is often associated with youth. Experience and maturity have a way of tempering our impatience. Seneca called anger “a brief insanity.”

Anger blasts the flower of friendship, ruptures relationships, destroys peace in the home, and incite crime and violence.

Peter the Great remarked, “I have conquered an empire, but I was not able to conquer myself.” In the Book of Proverbs, we are reminded, “He that rules his spirit is greater than he that takes a city” (Prov. 16:32). The greatest conquest is self-conquest, the greatest control is self-control.

THE DANGER OF COMPROMISE
It’s very easy for Christians to allow themselves to be squeezed into the world’s mold. Often they are under the illusion that by not being “different,” they are making themselves more acceptable to their non-Christian friends, but this a big mistake. The world doesn’t really have much respect for Christians who adopt its fashions and ideas. It is inclined to regard them with contempt---to write them off either as cowards who are ashamed of their faith or as frauds whose profession is not sincere (Billy Graham).

RESTORATION
To suffer passes; to have suffered never passes. The pain will one day cease. But what we learn in the time of trial is our treasure forever. Misfortune never leaves us where it finds us. More important than Job asking the question, “Why did this happen?” was to discover, “Where will it lead me?” Job in his suffering was led to a deep discovery and awareness of God that surpassed all the treasures he had lost. If life had flowed along smoothly for Job, there would have been no Book of Job with its radiant insight and inspiration. What happens when bad things happen to good people? Through the grace of God, they become better people, and God turns their sufferings into servants for His glory. It is better to walk with God in the darkness than to run in the light alone (Portraits of Perseverance).

THE FEAR OF DYING
As shadows come and death appears, We are at times beset by fears until we sense Christ’s outstretched hand inviting us to His blest land.

“Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil” (Psalm 23:4). Those who fear God need not fear death.

WISE USE OF TIME AND VICTORY
The great Napoleon said this” “In every battle, there is a crisis of perhaps ten to fifteen minutes on which the outcome depends. The proper use of that short period means victory. Improper use of those few minutes and one is destined for defeat.”