It Won't Be Pain-Free

Although I really do believe that learning to see things with God's perspective will help us in dealing with life, I think it's important to remember it's still not always going to be easy. I think it can help us a lot in dealing with everyday things that tend to wig us out and even with a lot of larger issues, but let's face it-- there are some HUGE life events that hit us so hard it literally knocks the wind out of us.

A few entries ago I pointed out that Peter, as he was encouraging the people who were suffering, didn't try to tell them they wouldn't have to suffer . Suffering, pain . . . it's inevitable in this world. Yesterday Leonard talked with an old friend of ours, David (Jordan's dad). Jordan was my daughter Rachel's boyfriend who was killed in a car accident four years ago. To make matters worse, Jordan's brother was driving the car. So for the past four years, this family has suffered. David has tried to sort through the grief of losing his son, while seeing his other son going in a downward spiral because of his feelings of guilt. In situations like this, it's hard to even want God's perspective. You just want your sons back.

There just isn't an easy answer to these situations. Certainly God's perspective helps to some degree. They appreciate knowing that Jordan is in heaven for all eternity, and that they'll see him again someday. They even know that it's possible this could have been the best possible thing that could happen to Jordan at that point in time. They understand that, and it brings an underlying comfort. But does it make it easy to live life without their son? Does it take away the pain they feel at not having Jordan here with them? Absolutely not. I'm sure any parent could understand that.

I think we need to really understand that trying to have God's perspective in this life is just one part of a multi-faceted plan. I think we try too hard to find an answer that will be a fix-all, and it just doesn't work that way. I would never walk into a room and tell someone who has just a lost a child to try to see things through God's perspective. I think at that point in time, they need friendship. Relationship. People to cry with. People who are willing to feel the loss as deeply as they do, not tell them why it should be okay.

Books are written all the time that focus on a single topic and imply that if you get that down, your whole life will be transformed. I disagree, although I can certainly see how that strategy sells books. I don't think any one revelation is ever the catch-all answer. And as passionate as I am right now about learning to see things from God's perspective, I think it's equally as important to remember to maintain balance in our spiritual lives. It's not ALL about perspective. It's about relationships. It's about faith. It's about forgiveness. It's about daring to hope.

So, are we going to continue to suffer in this world? Unfortunately, yes. We're going to need each other -- God made that point very clear. And we're going to need to cry out to Him. There are things that are going to be extremely difficult to go through. And there will be pain. But my desire in all this talk about perspective is that somewhere along the line as we deal with these things, surrounded by the love of friends and the compassion of God, we'll hear something deep inside of us offering a glimmer of hope that the pain won't consume us. Can you hear that quiet voice of hope?

There's something bigger than the pain.