On suffering
Posted: Wed Apr 19, 2006 9:14 pm
How can we offer words of comfort when even God does not have them to give?
We are called to persevere through trials and agony. We are assured that God is with us, and that He works all evils together for our good. He promises to be with us, even we when are not with Him.
Take comfort, we are told, in these truths. When on nights so dark the eye can be opened or closed without effect, we can cling blindly to such promises for our hope. For that, we are grateful, for how overwhelming is hopelessness?
But this blessed hope is only so blessed when it is all that we have. In times of suffering, the blessing works not as an anesthesia, but rather as a promise of purpose. There is nothing offered to dull the pain. It is only to be endured.
The merciful surgeon uses his sharpest blade. Our faith cannot grow in absence of pain. The Lord trims from us what is impure, and at times the process seems unbearable. Indeed, there can be no other choice. To ask God for growth without agony is as senseless as to ask for a harvest without rain.
And so, suffering remains. There is no remedy. There is no comfort. There is only the cold, sharp blade. There is only the refiner's fire. There is only the will of God, which we must face with gladness. How ironic that the child must run for protection to the very Hands that wound him? But where else can he go? The Hand that wounds is also the Hand that heals. But the order still remains, and despite the knowledge of future comfort, there still remains the cross.
What words of comfort can we offer the hurting? There can be none. There can only be the steadfast arms of a friend and the tear stained shoulder of a compassionate heart. We cannot ease the pain. Let us not be so flippant as to think that we can. But let us share one another's burdens that we may suffer in our brother's sufferings, and that we may rejoice is his glories. This is Christian love. All other is counterfeit.
We are called to persevere through trials and agony. We are assured that God is with us, and that He works all evils together for our good. He promises to be with us, even we when are not with Him.
Take comfort, we are told, in these truths. When on nights so dark the eye can be opened or closed without effect, we can cling blindly to such promises for our hope. For that, we are grateful, for how overwhelming is hopelessness?
But this blessed hope is only so blessed when it is all that we have. In times of suffering, the blessing works not as an anesthesia, but rather as a promise of purpose. There is nothing offered to dull the pain. It is only to be endured.
The merciful surgeon uses his sharpest blade. Our faith cannot grow in absence of pain. The Lord trims from us what is impure, and at times the process seems unbearable. Indeed, there can be no other choice. To ask God for growth without agony is as senseless as to ask for a harvest without rain.
And so, suffering remains. There is no remedy. There is no comfort. There is only the cold, sharp blade. There is only the refiner's fire. There is only the will of God, which we must face with gladness. How ironic that the child must run for protection to the very Hands that wound him? But where else can he go? The Hand that wounds is also the Hand that heals. But the order still remains, and despite the knowledge of future comfort, there still remains the cross.
What words of comfort can we offer the hurting? There can be none. There can only be the steadfast arms of a friend and the tear stained shoulder of a compassionate heart. We cannot ease the pain. Let us not be so flippant as to think that we can. But let us share one another's burdens that we may suffer in our brother's sufferings, and that we may rejoice is his glories. This is Christian love. All other is counterfeit.