For the past few months, my closest friends, my core group if you will, have something in common. We are all going through one of the most difficult times in our lives. There are deaths, health issues, both mental and physical, cancer diagnoses, medical procedures, natural disasters, relationship problems, family challenges, pet issues, overwhelming work obligations, heartaches and disappointments galore.
Personally, this has been my hardest year since Dale’s death five years ago, for a laundry list of reasons.
We have cried together, prayed together, laughed at the absurdity of it all together, and tried to put some sort of sense around it. One thing we have not done – we don’t tell each other to “look on the bright side.” Nope, we all know that heartaches and trials and grieving require a compassionate response that says, “I’m so sorry you’re going through that. I can’t imagine how hard that is. I’m here for you in whatever way you need me.”
Hmmm…maybe that’s why they are my core group!
Are you going through a similar season? Would your troubles allow you to easily slip into my core group? Come join our “pitiful” party! Maybe you’ve got your own group that is going through a ton of difficulties.
This blog post isn’t primarily about the hardships themselves. It’s about what I mentioned earlier – trying to make some sense out of this adversity blitz.
My first reaction is to look heavenward and implore, “God, what is going on here? Why so much heartache? What’s up with all this junk?” This was not one of those times where he clearly answered my question. Imagine that.
With no clear divine guidance, here’s where my own musings, along with a little help from my friends, took me.
I’ve written in the past about the onslaught of worldly disasters – from natural catastrophes to wars to violence to pandemics to economic fallout to … fill in the blank. Often it causes me to wonder if things are ramping up as we get closer to the end. Are these the “earthly groanings” the Bible talks about in Romans 8? You can refresh some of those reflections from this past Spring in this post.
Of course we’re getting closer to the end because each passing day accomplishes that. How close we are to that day, no one but the Father knows.
But that same thought process and analysis caused me and some of my friends to question if all our increasingly deep and frequent personal “junk” was also the result of the approaching end times. Are our own “groanings” a foreshadow of what’s to come?
Why even ask this question when there’s no sure answer to that? It seems like we can just watch and wait…and suffer through it.
I would propose that it’s definitely not all we can do. Yes, the details are in the fully capable hands of our sovereign, good God. But as in all things, we have responsibility in how we respond.
I’ll keep my suggestions for what a faith-filled response might entail short and to the point.
- Don’t miss the reality of the spiritual warfare going on around us, and likely ramping up. Satan loves to attack us at our weakest points – emotionally and spiritually. Be watchful for this “preying lion” who wants to discourage us and limit our witness for God. Become your own praying warrior! God’s armor is sufficient.
- Do whatever business with God is necessary so that your place in eternity with him is secured. Are you “all in” with God? Or do you have some areas that need to be addressed? Is the end really at hand? Get your heart right with God as if you knew it would be today.
- Live fully and gratefully in the “now” and the “not yet.” What? For whatever time is left, let’s commit to a life that is Christ-focused in all that entails. And, keep your eye on that eternal prize.
On a lighter note, we also discussed the possibility that we’re experiencing more junk simply because we’re getting older and so are most of our friends! Likely some combination of all of these.
But finding an answer to the “junk” question shouldn’t be our primary goal.
Take poor old Job and his troubles. Nothing we’ve experienced compares to the total annihilation of his life. When he questioned God about that, did he receive a fully satisfactory explanation? Not at all. One of my favorite, and most convicting, texts is when God answered Job, “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?”
Gulp! That statement from God could and should set us all straight. Yeah, we’ve got no right to question Almighty God. And ironically, he never did answer Job’s question!
Consequently, I don’t expect God to fully disclose all that he’s up to here with me and my core group. Might he give some insights to us individually? Perhaps, but he certainly doesn’t owe that to us.
So maybe you go back to your spiritual mantra we talked about a few weeks ago. I can tell you I’m there all the time. “God, I hate this. But I trust you.”
I’d like to close with a paragraph from one of my favorite devotionals, New Morning Mercies by Paul David Tripp.
“Your King rules over everything that would discourage and disappoint you, and he rules for your good and his glory. What is out of your control is under his rule. What you don’t understand is under his careful administration. … Long after the kingdoms of this world have been destroyed, you will reign with your King in his kingdom forever and ever and ever.”
And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace,
who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ,
will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.
1 Peter 5:10