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WILSON
ON SUFFERING
Grace
- essential for handling suffering
In a recent conversation
a friend, who was trying to help others through a harrowing tragedy, said,
“If only they understood grace they would be able to cope better.” I found
that a very interesting comment. How does our understanding of grace affect
how we respond to suffering? Why is it essential if we are going to cope
with unavoidable tragedies in a spiritual and productive way? How does it
prevent us from becoming bitter and resentful? Why is grace an indispensable
rudiment for a correct reaction to suffering?
The
Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory,
the glory of the one and only, who came from the Father, full of grace and
truth (John1:14).
Some people who see
grace and truth separately, say, “We can be too soft, that’s grace. At other
times we can be too hard, that’s truth. We need to have both like Jesus,
who was full of grace and truth.” This is erroneous thinking. Because grace
is an expression of God’s nature it will always be truthful, and because
truth is an expression of God’s nature it will always be gracious. Grace
and truth are indissoluble. Grace without truth ceases to be grace; truth
without grace ceases to be truth.
We need to begin by
making sure that we understand what grace is. Grace is the sharing of unmerited
love. Grace is an unconditional and expressed acceptance of someone else
- despite their national identity, ethnic grouping, cultural traditions,
family background, religious preference, social standing, personality eccentricity
or sinful behaviour. Some will read this and think, “How can we accept or
condone sinful behaviour?” We need to remember that grace and truth are
not two sides of the same coin. Only one who understands grace is qualified
to confront other people about their sinful behaviour.
The second thing we
need to note is that it defines how God deals with us. He always deals with
us on the basis of his grace. He fully accepts us despite our background
and baggage. When we sin he will love us no less, and when we live righteous
lives and try to serve him he will love us no more. Nothing we do, bad or
good, can affect God’s love for us. He does not dispense grace in the same
way a pharmacist dispenses medicine over the counter. His grace towards
us in our suffering is a practical and intimate expression of his compassionate
understanding. Speaking to Moses at the burning bush God said, “I
have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying
out because of their slave drivers and I am concerned about their suffering.
So I have come down to rescue them.” Grace is God coming down
in compassionate understanding to the arena of our sorrow.
What has all that to
do with how we mishandle suffering? If we, as Christians, do not understand
God’s grace in all its truth (Col 1:7b) then our mindset towards suffering
is likely to be wrong. If we feel we need to earn God’s love, when tragedy
comes we may assume it is a kind of punishment. It’s payback time. If we
have not grasped the glorious truth that God has accepted us by his grace
unconditionally and unreservedly, when sorrows come we will be more inclined
to doubt and question his love.
The Bible records that
grace is promised to those who are going through the mill. It doesn’t promise
answers, solutions or easy remedies but grace to meet the trouble. Paul
found the grace to endure his thorn in the flesh (2Cor 12:9) and the Hebrew
Christians were encouraged to find grace to help in the time of need (Heb
4:16). I am not suggesting that knowledge of grace will make life’s difficulties
less painful, or that grace is an easy solution to the horrors of life.
However I believe that if we have no confidence in the God who is gracious,
our suffering is going to distort our perception of God, and in turn may
cause bitterness.
As you read this, you
may be facing very painful and difficult circumstances. Life may feel like
hell on earth. I would encourage you to think about the God of all grace,
whose love for you will never change, even though it may feel as if he has
abandoned and forgotten you. Ask God to help you experience his grace.
Alan
Wilson is a regular contributor to Lion and Lamb.
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