"This life may feel like one long, painful death. All you can do is hang on, and sometimes you can't even do that. Fortunately, the good news of the gospel is not to hang on to God with all your strength and willpower and you'll be okay. The good news of the gospel is not some gnostic encouragement to view your suffering in the right way, or understand the theology of the cross more deeply. No, the good news is that God is hanging on to you. He's not waiting for you to save yourself, or mature into someone who no longer needs Him. Jesus will never, ever leave you or forsake you. Nothing you can do or not do can separate you from the love of Christ. In fact, the only thing God needs from you is the only thing you may ultimately have to offer Him: your death.
The good news of suffering is that it brings us to the end of ourselves...it brings us to the place of honesty, which is the place of desperation, which is the place of faith, which is the place of freedom. Suffering leaves our idols in pieces on the ground. It puts us in a position to see that God sent His Son not only to suffer in our place, but also to suffer with us. Our merciful friend has been through it all! He is with us right now! And while He may not deliver us from pain and loss, He'll walk with us through it."
--Tullian Tchividjian, Glorious Ruin: How Suffering Sets You Free
1 comment:
I needed to hear that. :) Thank you for sharing- a great way to start a Monday!
God bless.
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