Thoughts on Suffering and Eternity

A good friend of mine was diagnosed with breast cancer at the end of the summer. While I believe that God will use this situation to grow faith and character, bring glory to Himself, and build His Kingdom, my heart aches for my friend and her family. This side of Heaven the cost seems too high. Deep in my heart I know the beauty of sharing in Christ's suffering, but I want there to be another way. I've devoted an entire blog to lessons I have learned in my own grief and suffering, but I want to protect my friend from suffering because IT HURTS SO BAD.

Instead of typing more paragraphs and listing Bible verses about how God can redeem any situation, I know I need to lament for all the brokenness in this world. Because while it is true that God will work this situation together for good, it is also true that we were made for Perfection, Paradise, Heaven, and Eternity. It wasn't supposed to be this way.

And yet, as I lament, I am reminded of a quote from Ann Voskamp's book, "One Thousand Gifts" (see a blog post about the book here: https://carryingsheaves.blogspot.com/2024/01/one-thousand-gifts.html).

"All new life labors out of the very bowels of darkness. 

That fullest life itself dawns from nothing but Calvary 

darkness and tomb-cave black into the radiance of 

Easter morning. 

Out of the darkness of the cross, the world transfigures 

into new life. And there is no other way" 

(Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts, p 96, emphasis in original).

I wrestle with this longing for perfect eternity and the need to lean into the goodness that God can bring from suffering. Paul didn't seem to see this as a contradiction, as he also writes about both in Romans chapter 8:

Romans 8:22-23

We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.

Romans 8:37-39

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Somehow Jesus holds it all together and calls us to be groaning conquerors. I am not sure exactly how that works, but I know that we can trust Him. Please join me in praying for my friend!

The last of the flowers, slightly harmed by frost
but still beautiful!