20.8.18 & 28.7.19
Pain, patience and sacrifice are not exactly my favorite things in life. But not long ago I used to get a little excited when things were a bit tough. Whether work wasnt going well, or someone hurt me or emotionally I was all over the place, I had a sense of anticipation for something great. Was it fun? Absolutely not. Was it enjoyable? Oh no. Did I sometimes hate it and wish it would end? Yes. But I had this unshakeable hope that I was going to learn something beautiful or life altering. I was going to grow more into the person I was made to be.
Now, before I get misunderstood, let me clarify that God does not enjoying seeing us suffer, He didn’t create us to suffer. In fact, it grieves His heart more than we could ever know. But the reality is we live in a broken world, so what is He to do? Remove all brokeness? But that would mean removing us. Because, lets be real. We are all broken and we all break things. So instead, He redeems. He changes the story- “What was intended for evil will be used for good,”. “He has made everything beautiful in its time..” And He heals. Surgery is not a pain-free process, and the rehab can take a long time, but its far better than remaining broken. Both things can be uncomfortable. Both things can take time. But both will end in victory and in life.
Somedays it can feel so unfair though! A friend betrays you, you are insulted at work, abused by people with power, maybe even physically hurt. I remember it blew my mind the first time I realized that Jesus knows exactly how I feel. Jesus was exposed to some of the most horrific pain, injustice and heartache that comes from living in this world. All He did was good. But He was killed by the people He helped, abused by those in power, and abandoned by His friends. When I cry out “why?” Its an encouragement to know that He both knows the feeling and He knows the answer.
Why did He do it though? Just to be sympathetic? I believe it’s so He could change the story- our story. No longer would death and pain have the final say. He knew He’d walk out of that grave. And now because of that, we can too. Both here on earth, we can experience redemption and watch our dead bones come alive, but also in life after death. And along with that, I think, its so we never have to walk alone. In sects of Christianity and in Judaism the priest’s role is to be the middle man between God and humans. In this passage it says that God came down in the flesh- Jesus- to involve Himself in human suffering and walk in our shoes and then provide a way out. Whether you believe in God or not you gotta admit that its kinda a cool concept!
“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Hebrews 4:15-16
Suffering will come, it may even be neccessary to get us to where we need to be. But we dont need to fear it, because God can make beauty from ashes. We are far from hopeless. Even self inflicted pain, even our own mistakes, if given to God, can be exchanged for beauty and redemption. I guess that what Jesus meant when He said…
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
The last thing I want to do is over simplify suffering or pretend that the topic of suffering is explainable in a 5 minute read. It’s not. Its deep, its tough, it has many fassets, and many layers. But this I know. Im not alone in it. God knows how I feel, and feels it with me. He is not stand off-ish, but hands on and heart in. And suffering no longer has to have the victory over my life, because in His nail pierced hands there is healing and redemption.
Soul Food 