Coping with Personal Discomfort on the Way to Glory
The afternoon I began writing down my thoughts concerning our Scripture for today, I had planned to be on my way to Florida with a friend who had asked me to conduct a private ceremony in memory of his wife whose ashes were to be scattered in the ocean.
A day earlier I had suggested that we postpone the trip for one year due to my perception that he was simply not ready to dispose of her cremains; the closer the day for the trip, the greater his emotional upset and the more intense his migraine headaches. He was not ready.
Based on research and personal experience, the grieving process takes from one to seven years depending on the extent of coping skills learned during a loved one’s long-term illness.
How well we deal with emotional “after effects” of a loved one’s death depends on the extent to which we learned and practiced skills for coping with the debilitating, discomforting effects of illness. Actually, any devastation suffered by a loved one tends to make folks bitter or better.
One of the most vocal critics of Christianity has been Ted Turner who told the AJC that he had been saved seven or eight times in his life but that he became disenchanted when, despite his prayers for her to get well, his sister died anyway. He became bitter, and stayed that way. Others become bitter then get better. What we need is to strike a balance, yet always pressing onward and upward!
One of the realities we all face is that, no matter how sinful or how spiritual our lives may have been, disease and death affects every one of us.
This was the issue faced by Paul who had endured the negative effects of multiple crises, yet managed - with God’s help - to cope with pressures, perplexities, persecutions, physical hardships, painful experiences. These unwelcomed crises knocked him down but not out! 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 . . .
Having just reminded the Corinthian Christians that, despite all he and they had gone through, their sure hope was still in Jesus’ resurrection, Paul went on to say that, therefore, “we do not give up”!
Commitment to Christ had changed Paul’s perspective! Folks, you gotta have a positive perspective! Eternal not momentary!
Paul viewed his situation in light of eternity! “For I consider that present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory to be revealed” (Romans 8:18).
The Bible never belittles feelings of disappointment, but God’s Word makes it clear that the way we feel now will not always be the way we feel. And I believe that disappointment is an indication of longing for something better! You might even call it a type of homesickness! I have a longing in my heart for Jesus!
Whether the discomfort of disappointment stems from one’s faithfulness to Christ, or is brought on by distresses such as disease, divorce, poverty, loneliness or whatever, if endured (coped with) in humility with a positive attitude that honors God, you know what? Our coping is going to add to our eternal weight of glory!
Consistently focusing on the eternal enables us to endure the temporary! When God gave me the gift of seeing and hugging my son in his glorified state, my emotions ran the gamut . . . fear – skepticism – heightened awareness – blessed assurance – vindication – elation – admiration – consolation – adoration – expectation – not about me, but about God! Glory to God for the gift of new life in Christ!
What emotions do you experience when you think about a new, glorified body that will never break down? While waiting for the promise of our new state of being in heaven, God’s grace sustains us for enduring the discomforts of this life – 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 . . .
We do not know what Paul’s “thorn” was - for good reason: Mention of his personal experience was only intended to help us one and all to draw strength and encouragement from his example of coping - no matter what our weakness is. God’s grace is sufficient regardless of causes, conditions, or circumstances. God’s favor bestowed upon undeserving sinners is indeed amazing!
C. S. Lewis believed wholeheartedly that God’s grace is the one doctrine that sets Christianity apart from all other religions. He arrived at that conclusion following his experience of losing, then regaining, the joy of his Christian Faith.
For more than a year Lewis wrestled with God over the untimely loss of his beloved wife Joy Brown, but he finally came back to what he already knew, that is, the eternal perspective with which God would have His children view their present situations. In light of eternity is how we learn to look at and thereby cope with our disappointments and the discomforts associated with them.
After Lewis regained the joy of his faith, God’s power was unleashed in his ministry as he became the leading theologian of his time and completed his career with the publishing of his most read book, “Surprised by Joy”.
In much the same way, by his humbling experiences, the apostle Paul had been empowered to glorify God as never before!
The examples of how these greats among Christian disciples were used by the Lord – in the sense that their testimonies . . . writings . . . tasks . . . spiritual journeys were “made complete” because of or in spite of their weaknesses – also is true of you and me!
A truth I have learned is that, in weaker moments, I depend on God more. Therefore, I become stronger than I was when things were going well. Prayer in my life has always been multiplied in proportion to the severity of the crisis!
When it appears that “heaven is silent”, a good rule is to rely on what God has already said . . . what you already know: “For by grace are you saved . . . the gift of God”! “He that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out!” “Cast all your cares on Him, for He cares for you!” “The Lord is my light and my salvation . . . the strength of my life . . . of whom then shall I be afraid!” . . . or sing a song: “On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand!” “My faith looks up to Thee, thou Lamb of Calvary, Savior divine!” “Have thine own way, Lord, have thine own way!”
Another good rule is to keep on praying. Paul persisted in prayer until he had a clear answer from God – one that he understood and accepted: “No”!
BUT: What Paul already knew about God reassured him that God’s grace would be sufficient for him while God worked in and through his situation to bring about, to bring to completion, Paul’s part in God’s grand plan for those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose. God is not through with us yet!
Likewise, if we trust in God’s power, not our own, we can rest assured that, even though our affliction might not change, God will change us so that we can adapt to our changing circumstances and in that way give witness to the grace of God - and, in so doing, impact the lives of others for good.
Any disappointments or discomforts of mine pale in comparison to the tragedies endured by some . . . Yet, with God’s help, and the help of people who care, many of these folks are fighting the good fight and not giving up. Joni Erickson Tada had her life forever changed when she misjudged the shallowness of the water in the Chesapeake Bay where she and some friends went diving. Just eighteen years of age, her broken neck turned her into a quadriplegic, paralyzed from the neck down.
Joni could have given up.
During her two years of rehabilitation, according to her autobiography, she experienced anger toward God and the world, suffered from depression, had suicidal thoughts, and began to doubt her Christian faith. Then God did a great work in her life. Joni prayed, and prayed, and prayed. She prayed herself into taking up art with a paintbrush clinched with her teeth.
Joni has produced some great artwork . . . has written over forty books . . . recorded several music albums . . . starred in an autobiographical movie of her life . . . is an advocate for the unborn as well as the disabled. In 1910 she became a breast cancer survivor.
Despite all her “troubles”, Joni gives glory to God and encouragement to other people. Her popular song, “Alone Yet Not Alone” was nominated in 2014 to receive the Academy Award for Best Original Song . . . ! Amen.
