Citius, Altius, Fortius

So often it seems that we view the things that go "wrong" in our live as God punishing us, or at best "teaching us a lesson!" But we say lesson as if we've just been told to take our medicine and its not the type that can be taken orally.
Moving right along...I should start this by pointing out that my son loves playing catch w/ his dad now, but there was a time when, after being called out to play catch, he was sure my husband was trying to torture state secrets out of him. He hated catch. It was so hard. "Why is dad punishing me?
I think we view God bringing us along like that, but it's not a punishment or even a lesson so much as it's an exercise. Citius, Altius, Fortius. Perhaps it is because we have to learn this, right here, right now before we can move forward. Perhaps if we went on ahead without it, we would not be able to deal with what comes next. God is being gracious in keeping us here until we can get it, and that will bring us great joy and success. "Be still and know that I am God."
Keep the old eyeball on the ball, and pay attention to the Great Teacher. And when you ask for a quarter and He gives you 24 cents, He knows you can handle finding the other penny. Don't let it get you down. Faster, Higher, Stronger.