"Deeper into the arms of Jesus"... This is what I learned of the purpose of suffering today in church. These are the words of Joni Erekson Tada, who was paralyzed as a teenager and went on to be a great artist and testament of God's grace. Joni is currently suffering from breast cancer, I learned today, and she continues to cling to the Lord and give Him glory.
It has been said that all people suffer, that all Christians suffer, so why do I feel like I am the only one who is suffering? Why do I feel like my faith is sorely tested time and again? Is this meant to reveal my limited thinking? Cradled in narcissistic self-love, I come to the place wherein I believe that I do not deserve the suffering that has been allowed into my life. A sort of "Woe is me" attitude. What can the Lord do with that? What can society do with that? Surely there is a higher purpose for the pain that enters our lives.
This must be my purpose as I grapple with the losses and the resultant self-pity in my life. For this I co-labor with all who struggle. If not for grace, there go I, meaning that if it were not for God's grace, I would not be standing.
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