The greatest misconception the world has ever held of Christianity is that those who profess a belief in Jesus Christ do not experience pain, sorrow, and loss. Nothing could be further from the truth. There is no brainwashing or magic immunity we are offered when we accept Christ into our lives. It's an understandable mistake for the world to make, especially when they hear Christians speak so much about joy and peace, even during life's trials.
Pastor Doug said something last week that has stuck with me: one of the biggest disservices we can often do as Christians is to just tell someone "it'll all be alright". Sometimes it's not alright. Sometimes that sick person doesn't get better or that financial hardship doesn't simply disappear. Sometimes that difficult person in our life continues to be difficult and our adversaries will get the upper hand. As believers, we aren't called to never feel sorrow; we are called to understand, and trust in, a joy and peace which is bigger than this world... even the darkest things this world can throw at us.
So what do we do for those whom may feel God is far away? Does God not offer them some comfort? Does the Almighty look callously at the pain and suffering of the lost? Absolutely not. God has, in fact, provided exactly what these hurting masses need in each and every one of us.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. 4 He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 5 For just as the sufferings of Christ overflow to us, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. (2 Corinthians 1:3-5)
My thoughts go to Brother Bob and the different hardships he has experienced (because of his openness with his testimony, I do not think he would mind me sharing). His life has been fraught with deep lows and tremendous highs. Recently he has had to endure watching his wife go through a horrible experience which led her to the hospital in critical care and is now traveling to bid farewell to his father. (Please share a prayer for our brother as he travels and tends to these family affairs.) However, you will not see Bob moan in angst or play the role of a victim to some cruel Creator. It is abundantly clear to all who have met Bob that his face glows with the joy of someone who feels and experiences Christ's love. It is precisely due to God's good blessings in Bob's own life that he is uniquely positioned to be able to afford care and compassion to so many others he meets on a daily basis. Though he no-doubt would not accept the praise, his supernatural joy is infectious, even when going through the darkest valley. This is how God reaches the lost who are suffering; through his servants whom have experienced the emotional and spiritual healing which can only come from above.
So how do we reconcile the goodness of God with the terror or tragedy we see in the lives of others? We reconcile it by being the reconciliation. We are the solution, not because of anything we do on our own, but because God has blessed us with an inner peace and joy; we were not given this peace and joy to keep it to ourselves, but to share it with others! We do this through being there for those in pain, affording charity to those in need, lending a shoulder to cry on and an ear to listen. We do this through acts of kindness and love to strangers and those whom may not even deserve it. Simply put, we do this... through seeking to treat others the way Christ has treated us.
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