The Making Of Mara (Bitterness) Series

2.2. Something wonderful can survive everything terrible

Shattered dreams hurt, and we may feel we cannot survive. In a sense, we will not – suffering changes us, and not always for the better. Grief is natural and blameless, and part of the process of discovering a better dream than the ones we cherished, the dream of a deeper experience of God.

2.3. Some dreams important to us will shatter, and the realization that God could have fulfilled that dream pushes us into a terrible battle with him

No one escapes life unscathed. Whether you believe (as Naomi and I do) that God causes our trials, or (if you want to protect God from such a charge) you believe that God only allows trouble, the Bible insists that God can prevent calamity. He can make our days better, but does not always do so. That creates a crisis of faith, a conflict with God.

John Piper correctly notes, “All experiences of suffering… threaten our faith in the goodness of God and tempt us to leave the path of obedience” (Desiring God, 257).

2.4. Only an experience of deep pain develops our capacity for recognizing and enjoying true life

Much to my daughter’s dismay, on Friday night Helen said that she would rather have the homemade pumpkin soup we were enjoying than a Krispy Kreme Doughnut. I feel the same way about the Brussels Sprouts recipe we make. The capacity to enjoy tastes which are complex and nuanced never develops from a diet of French fries and soda pop. The palate must be exercised and trained in the “harder” tastes to learn to appreciate their greater delights.

Similarly, we neither envision nor pursue greater and deeper dreams (like knowing God) when we are fed a steady diet of lesser desires satisfied (like job success and a happy family life). Only in the struggle do we awaken to the greater dreams.

2.5. Not many Christians drink deeply from the well of living water. As a result, our worship, community life, and witness are weak

In the church today, we usually expect people to either live the victorious life or to be broken in an acceptable way. Few people, even when they have experiences as hard as Naomi’s are able to admit their bitterness and struggles. As a result, few Christians find the living water which is able to satisfy the soul.

Those who do not know Jesus cannot find it because Christ has it. But those who pretend they are not hurt do not find it because we do not admit we need it. In the end, our worship, fellowship, and witness are weak and insipid.

2.6. No matter what happens in life, a wonderful dream is available, always, that if pursued will generate an unfamiliar, radically new internal experience, which will eventually be recognized as joy.

Rather than join with the Buddhists in numbing desire, God would have us dream greater things, that we can know him and the power of his Spirit. Then we will enter the joy of the Lord.

3. Conclusion

Crabb concludes one of his chapters by imagining what Jesus might say to us when we hurt:

“Some of your fondest dreams will shatter, and you will be tempted to lose hope. I will seem to you callous or, worse, weak – unresponsive to your pain. You will wonder if I cannot do anything or simply will not.