Day 20 - The paradox of suffering - Part II
Scripture focus: Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. James 1:2-8 NIV
As Ortberg stated, suffering is paradoxical. "Here's the other side of the paradox. Ask ten people what the number-one reason is why they doubt the existence of God. Nine of them will say it is the existence of pain and suffering in the world. We cannot fathom why there is so much hurt, so deep and so unexplained. We cannot understand why a good, loving and competent God does not come down and fix up this mess. Now. Today." (pp.7-8 Running In Circles)
Here's the part in this series where you get to put those big panties on!
Suffering, pain, trauma and tragedy are not like a math equation. There's no formula for avoiding bad times. If someone has left the impression that faith-filled people don't experience trials, then something is wrong. Scripture never says that. What scripture does say is that people who believe can be assured that their suffering is not meaningless.
In Stephen Arterburn's book Reframe Your Life, he provides a model for transforming our view of suffering. He agrees with Ortberg who agrees with scripture! "When you reframe your life, you live with a new level of discernment because you are always looking below the surface for more information before you make assumptions about people and situations." (p. 141)
That's the wisdom James is referring to in our scripture focus for today!
Discerning people realize that there's more going on than we realize. Grab a pair of God vision goggles - and use them! This requires keeping them firmly smashed on our face even when seeing the truth is inconvenient or sad or painful or disappointing. We don't just accessorize with our spirituality! It's our foundation.
One couple, missionaries at the time, suffered greatly as his sexual addiction was exposed. God didn't swoop in and protect them from the consequences of this wrongdoing. I suspect that days, weeks and even months or years into the journey both of them probably wished this whole mess had never happened. I'm grateful they chose to believe God. Instead of playing the role of victim, trying to duck out of their respective responsibilities, or hoping God would make it all go away, these two entered into the process of recovery. Today they help other families who find themselves suffering with the same affliction. Melissa and Troy Haas tell their story in two books: the Journey - Hope for Spouses Walking Through The Valley of Sexual Addiction (Melissa) and Building For Freedom - Allowing Christ to Reconstruct A Life Broken by Sexual Sin. (Troy). They are a testimony to the wild and crazy way God prospers, protects from harm, gives us hope and provides us with a future. What kind of suffering do you choose?
Recommended reading: Genesis 41 and 42 in the morning; Matthew 13 and Psalm 18 in the evening
11 comments:
I was in NJ with my (then)husband's sister, hundreds of miles away when i found out about my husband 7year affair. That along with the drug addiction issues was more than my brain could handle. I have never felt so alone in the universe. It was out of that vast loneliness that i finally was able to feel the everpresent, often ignored breath of God who had finally decided it was time for the scales to fall from my eyes. It was at that moment I started WORKING the program I had only taken seats in for so many years. I had to let God do for me that which i could NOT do for myself. And at that time it was even as simple as getting out of bed.
That suffering, that bottom, changed me in ways I am TRULY grateful for.
I too believe my suffering changed my life as well. It led me to move 250 miles away from the only hometown I'd ever known to start over in a city where people drive too fast. But it also led me towards God's purpose for my life and a community to help me get there.
i find people who are not in recovery think i am crazy when they hear me say Im thankful all i went through in that relationship. Without that relationship and recovery teaching me that i had to take care (with Gods help) of MY issues, MY stuff...(heck to find out that i even HAD stuff) or i would be miserable with someone else later. Knowing today that had it not been for THAT relationship, i would not be who i am today. And i LIKE who I am today.
Amen, sister. My sentiments exactly. :-)
have a great night!
ps-i like your screen name!
ps-i like your screen name!
I love to wake up in the morning and read conversations like this...God's people finding their way back to not only him - but each other!!!
Thanks.
love you mucho!
F*
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