The Gift of Suffering
Everybody loves receiving gifts. Or do they? Some presents border on the extravagant and we find it hard to accept them or we even refuse them. Then there are those who are gifted, possessing a talent in a certain area of life. Suffering is both of these. It is a gift from above and like all gifts can enrich us.
We've all seen those gifted with the talent to suffer well. They don't let their trials get the best of them; they let their suffering bring out the best in them. Patient and long-suffering these saints inspire us to imitate them. Or maybe we are one of them. Either way they seem to grow stronger with their pain and they suffer well. Christ is their champion as He who suffered most, suffered best.
We might be discouraged thinking we can never reach such heights but this seemingly innate ability can also be infused into our own soul turning weakness into strength. Appropriately this occurs through the other way suffering is a gift - that which is bestowed upon us.
However you want to envision it God sends, allows or arranges for us to suffer. How horrible we might think at first, but it is a divine gift and a sacred opportunity. So often those closest to us or even ourselves cause us the most pain. The ones Jesus loved the most - all of mankind - made Him suffer the most. Those that scorned and scourged Him He loved the most. Those that crowned, cursed and crucified Him He loved the most. He chose to let the carriage of suffering carry them closer to Him. Jesus embraced them instead of distancing Himself. Rather than controlling the situation He found a more excellent way.
This is a tall order, the imitation of Jesus, no doubt. We can barely tolerate the rude driver let alone our crucifiers. But what if with the Spirit of Love we truly embraced those that make us suffer? Might a miracle not happen? The reconciliation that we all seek when we are hurt is born of our suffering. We become God-like when we show mercy where judgement is due. Great gift indeed.
Do we not weep in moments of great sorrow and great joy? Our own biology reveals how God wired us. We shed tears upon witnessing Christ upon the cross, sharing in His suffering and His eternal joy. At Calvary we find the most profound expression of both sentiments to the point where they become one.
At a more obvious level, we receive suffering to grow and learn. Parents do likewise to their children. Education, athletics and other challenges cause suffering at first to later produce joyful fruits. Discipline remains the strongest of these (who suffers more - the parent or child?) and the parent that withholds it often deprives their child. If we are always bailing them out how will they learn? How will they grow? Yet if we see them emerge victorious over their challenges and mistakes are we not being God-like? "Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief..." (Isaiah 53:10). I repeat and consider this again. "It pleased the Lord to bruise Him." Divine gift.
Is there a limit to what we can tolerate? Can't we say, "Thanks Lord, I'm pretty stuffed now and my plate is yet full. I'll pass on this round of misery if that's okay with You"? At this point the gift fully manifests itself. When the tears are streaming down and we are crushed under the weight of it all, when our circumstances seem hopeless and our failures have grown to goliath proportions, when we are wounded again and again by those we love the most... this is the greatest gift and here we are transformed. We seek the Lord's mercy and grace. He alone can soothe our deepest hurt. "And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.'" Having said this, He breathed His last." (Luke 23:46).
So let us not allow our trials get the best of us. Let us receive God's grace through suffering and break down the barriers within and between us through the miracle of reconciliation. Let us not seek the living among the dead for He is risen.
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Author: clayonmyeyes
Location: Buenos Aires Argentina
Gender: Male
Age: 42
Blog Entries: 92 (archive)
Blog Comments: 460
i am 40 y.o. with a great wife and 5 sons. i fully accepted christ into my life in early '04. one month later my wife bore our 4th child. i retired from practicing medicine in june'04. we relocated to argentina from pittsburgh (my wife is argentine) that same year....
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i grew up and remain catholic. believed firmly as a youth then slipped away. later i raged against god and tried my best to push him out of my life. but through my loving wife and kids he gently brought me back under his care. a story familiar to many......
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