Featured Image:
Difficulties in life leads a man to his knees in prayer before God. The light represents God’s presence.
Timothy Keller writes in his book, Walking with God Through Pain and Suffering:
“The loss of loved ones, debilitating and fatal illnesses, personal betrayals, financial reversals, and moral failures—all of these will eventually come upon you if you live out a normal life span. No one is immune.”
“Therefore, no matter what precautions we take, no matter how well we have put together a good life, no matter how hard we have worked to be healthy, wealthy, comfortable with friends and family, and successful with our career—something will inevitably ruin it. No amount of money, power, and planning can prevent bereavement, dire illness, relationship betrayal, financial disaster, or a host of other troubles from entering your life. Human life is fatally fragile and subject to forces beyond our power to manage. Life is tragic.”
All is not well in our nation and world. There are many who are hurting, grieving, and daily struggling to find purpose or meaning. How can we walk through these dark seasons with hope and faith? What about wounds or issues that don’t disappear?
Wounds that Don’t Heal
Do you feel alone? Depression often feels like standing alone in a dark room full of fog. Ever felt unseen, or ignored?
Some emotional wounds hurt for years. Dr. Scott Eilers discusses the vicious cycle of feeling unseen, hopeless, and feeling emotionally dead while living with depression.
His videos and insights are helpful. He speaks and teaches from the perspective of someone who struggled with depression for a lengthy season of his life. The common platitudes that people say to others with depression don’t help. He argues that people need encouragement and hope from others–support and care.
Faith Perspective: Vision then Thorn
God gives Paul a vision. Paul writes about this revelation in 2 Corinthians 12: (Berean Standard Bible)
Paul’s Revelation
1I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to gain, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. 2I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of it I do not know, but God knows. 3And I know that this man—whether in the body or out of it I do not know, but God knows— 4was caught up to Paradise. The things he heard were too sacred for words, things that man is not permitted to tell.
God calls Paul to Paradise and shows him things that Paul can’t repeat. Got Question explains this experience:
https://www.gotquestions.org/Paul-third-heaven.html
How does this relate to depression or dark seasons?
Can you imagine seeing heaven in a vision like Paul? This vision comes with a high price!
2 Corinthians 2:5-8
Paul’s Thorn and God’s Grace
5I will boast about such a man, but I will not boast about myself, except in my weaknesses. 6Even if I wanted to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me, 7or because of these surpassingly great revelations.
So to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.
Paul explains why he was give a thorn: to keep him from becoming conceited. Conceit in this context refers to pride in self. Bible Ref.com comments: emphasis mine
“However, God understood that such knowledge also had the potential to make Paul proud, arrogant, and conceited. God wanted Paul to be Christlike in his humility instead of seeing himself as being above those he served. To guarantee this, God gave to Paul a “thorn in the flesh.” The word for thorn here is the Greek skolops. The term most literally defines a pointy piece of wood, and might be better translated into English as “a stake.” The imagery Paul creates here is that of a sharp object stabbed into his body, unable to be removed, bringing chronic pain and discomfort.”
Source: https://www.bibleref.com/2-Corinthians/12/2-Corinthians-12-7.html
God desires that we be Christ-like! This “chronic” stake that irritated Paul served a purpose. Is it possible that God doesn’t heal or remove chronic issues for a greater purpose?
Paul is troubled and hurt by some “thorn” that God won’t remove.
Paul’s Experience
Paul’s Perspective:
He probably had many good reasons why he should be pain-free:
(1). he could have a more effective ministry;
(2). he could reach more people with the gospel;
(3). he could glorify God even more!
But the Lord was more concerned with building Paul’s character and preventing pride.
Instead of removing the problem, whatever it was, God gave Paul more overwhelming grace and more compensating strength. Paul learned that God’s “power is made perfect in weakness” (verse 9).
Source: https://www.gotquestions.org/Paul-thorn-flesh.html
God’s perspective is different from Paul’s desire for relief. If this is true for Paul, a mighty apostle who had the privilege of personally meeting Jesus (Damascus Road encounter) and a trip to heaven, then how might it apply to our sorrows?
The Difficult Questions
Why doesn’t God end much of the suffering of our world? Why does He allow terrible acts of violence, hatred, murder, etc.? Why doesn’t God return and put an end to all sorrow, death, loss, and grief?
Why does He heal some people while others die or suffer in agony? I don’t know the answer to these “why” questions. Faith and trust in God is a journey. This faith journey isn’t easy and doubt(s) rise up like imposing mountain peaks.
Disconnection in Church & Relationships
Going to Church often doesn’t help. Why?
The smiling “all is good” mask that is often worn to church or out in public.
Minimizing, Avoidance, Denying, Toxic Positivity
Humans tend to minimize others’ pain. It’s easier to minimize or speak some platitudes than to invest time active listening to someone. Over the past weeks, several people have mentioned or discussed deep wounds or issues. There are no “easy” answers or quick fixes for these hurts.
Do you avoid people or pass by people quietly because you don’t feel like hearing their sorrows? I invest hours outside alone to recharge after being around people. There are times when I ask someone if we can talk later because I don’t have the emotional focus or energy to actively listen.
Denial and toxic positivity are dangerous to a community of faith. This is apparent when people come into worship wearing the “all is good” mask. This is why people seem/act hypocritical. Being authentic isn’t desired–most people want to hear a casual hello or ask a how are you doing? then move on to someone else. Tell someone how you are really doing and they will avoid you next time they see you.
Lack of authentic connections
This is dis-empowering and inauthentic: a major reason why people are leaving the church. There are many who don’t bother coming into a church. How many people drive past a church every Sunday? They would rather deny or self-medicate than encounter “Christians” who don’t care. Better to be alone than surrounded by fake, apathetic people.
Going to church is a struggle for me as a single man in his mid 40s. I often don’t feel connected to others because my life is different (no wife, kids, etc.). Added to this equation are the numerous rejections in ministry, so church isn’t a place I feel accepted, valued, or emotionally safe. There are others who feel rejected, judged, or unwelcome for various reasons. Several non-church attendees have shared their feelings about church with me. They feel rejected and judged by the people who should be living out the Gospel.
The Religious Structure, After Church Gossip, Grumble Sessions
Most churches have a rigid structure for worship. Three songs then the preacher speaks. Those who attend are expected to sing, then sit quietly. Is this how believers worship in Acts? People prefer a church that plays their favorite worship style(s) songs or has a particular teaching style from preacher. People then rush out of the building for their favorite lunch spot.
One Sunday when I was in a restaurant, I overheard people making negative comments about their pastor and degrading his family. This was right after they had been in church. Imagine they were smiling and pretending to like the pastor while at church until they arrived at their favorite gossip nest wherein they gathered to grumble together. I don’t go out to eat in my town after church for this reason–I eat alone away from the gossip vipers.
Show up, sing, then be quiet and listen
When can people ask questions, share testimonies, or grieve together in a meaningful manner when everything is carefully scripted? How can Holy Spirit move and act when everything is planned to the minute? Perhaps Spirit moves but few notice or respond because many are on smartphone playing on Facebook or planning their perfect lunch adventure.
The expectation is to show up, sing, then be quiet and listen to the pastor preach his sermon. This is how the show goes every Sunday and we wonder why no one responds or is transformed with the Gospel.
God’s Response to Paul’s Thorn
2 Corinthians 2:9-10
9But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me. 10That is why, for the sake of Christ, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Three Lessons from Passage
“Three lessons stand out. First, humility in His servants is enormously important to God. Second, God is willing to allow Satan a limited level of power to create helpful weakness in His children. As Paul shows in the following verses, God’s power is made perfect in a believer’s weakness, not in our strength. Third, spiritual strength is no guarantee of health, wealth, or prosperity—as Paul’s reference to his own prayer makes clear”
Source: https://www.bibleref.com/2-Corinthians/12/2-Corinthians-12-7.html
Christ extends His grace to Paul and us in our weaknesses! In His grace we are strong! We are wise to consider these stanzas from Jesus Paid it All
2 Lord, now indeed I find
Thy power and Thine alone,
Can change the leper’s spots
And melt the heart of stone.
3 For nothing good have I
Where-by Thy grace to claim;
I’ll wash my garments white
In the blood of Calv’ry’s Lamb.
4 And when, before the throne,
I stand in Him complete,
“Jesus died my soul to save,”
My lips shall still repeat.
In our moments of darkness, we can reach out for His grace and mercy. We also invite him to melt our stony hearts and long for the day when we stand complete in Him! Join me in praying that God will strengthen the discouraged and renew our places of worship.
What we all need is a fresh encounter with Him! His touch is what redeems, renews, and transforms the cold, harsh hearts into hearts burning with love for Him and others!
Words of Grace & Hope 