Sometimes, amidst the hustle and bustle of this life we live, I just sit and try to paint a picture of what a perfect world would look like in my head. If I can’t get a hold of it now, I can at least try to see it in my mind’s eye. The problems in this world are uncountable. Everyone in this life has something they are complaining about. Taking my country as a case study, the economy is nothing to write home about. There are no stable jobs for the average person, poverty is dealing mercilessly with many people, and most don’t even have a support system whatsoever. To crown it all, we still have to deal with sickness, death, and everything that comes with them. And we won’t rule out people who live in better countries, where basic amenities are catered for by the government, because even there, people still get sick and die.
From the moment we are born, the fight for survival begins. Many people have been suffering right from birth till now, and yet life still doesn’t feel any easier. We were told not to be soft because life isn’t. There’s no room to sit and cry, all you’re expected to do is get up and keep pushing. But where does it all end? Was life always meant to be like this? From a biblical standpoint, we learn that God didn’t create the world this way. In fact, He made a perfect world for humans to live in, until the first act of disobedience changed everything.
So what happens if the world were to become perfect again? Would that affect our growth in any way? Would we become stagnant? Saying yes to that almost feels like admitting that suffering has eaten so deeply into our bones that we now believe growth cannot exist without it. Personally, I want to leave that idea behind. If suffering were such a powerful tool for growth, why do people leave their countries in search of greener pastures where governments actually take care of their people? If problems truly make us better, why do most people quit when things get harder? I hate the idea of ever measuring my growth as a human being by how much pain or hardship I’ve endured.
There are so many people with massive potential, but because of overwhelming negative external factors, it seems like they have little or nothing to offer. Take those same people and place them in better conditions, and you’ll be shocked by how creative, productive, and innovative they become. That, on its own, is growth. Yes, it’s true that sometimes problems teach us how to handle situations better. We may develop certain qualities because we’ve jumped over many hurdles. But what if it doesn’t have to be that way? Taking away factors that constantly weigh us down will not make our brains stop working, unless we choose to stop using them.
I genuinely believe people would thrive more in a perfect world. I don’t see problems as growth-enhancement tools. If I ever get the chance to live in a perfect world, I’m grabbing it with both hands. With fewer problems competing for my attention, I’d have the space to focus on being more productive, creative, and intentional. None of us chose to be born into a world filled with suffering, but I’m certain that if people were given the chance, the means, and the authority, many would actively choose to make the world better.
Suffering and trouble are not the only fuels for growth. As long as we have working minds and the willingness to use them, growth will come naturally. Maybe the world doesn’t need to be harsh for humans to evolve. Maybe it just needs to be fair on all of us.
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