I recently read ("90 Days of God's Goodness" by Randy Alcorn, p. 124) how the Psalms contain both complaint and praise.  An example:  "Though you have made me see trouble, many and bitter; you will restore my life again."  (Ps. 71)  Mr. Alcorn quotes C.S. Lewis on the occasion of his wifes' cancer diagnosis.  Lewis says, "We are not necessarily doubting that God will do the best for us; we are wondering how painful the best will turn out to be."

Age and experience have taught me a few things about this life of following Jesus.  I am learning that C.S. Lewis is painfully correct in his worry.  Suffering is a part of this life.  We look at suffering as a thing to be avoided.  Yet, in my reading of the Book, I can't see where Jesus advocated dodging suffering.  I am even more thrilled when I read that he wasn't a fan of  ... even asked his Father to remove if possible ... suffering.

Somehow modern Christianity often gets lumped into the same category as fairy tales.  Fairytale endings always end ... happily ever after.  Some "brands" of Christianity sell us the same potions ... just take Jesus and life is happily ever after.  That, my friends, is simply not true.  Talk to those who have taken Jesus and paid the price with their lives.  Talk to those sitting in prison cells paying the high price of taking Jesus.  Where is their "happily ever after"?

In my humanness, I tend to fight suffering.  I don't want to hurt.  I'm into self-preservation.  However, what I am learning is that complaining - admitting that suffering hurts ... followed by praise - the recognition that God is bigger than I am ... is a path of two roads.  These two roads keep me anchored and true to myself ... but the road of complaining leads me to the road of praise.  The road of praise is where the power lies.  The road of praise is where the complaining is soothed by the healing balm of a big God ... with a bigger purpose than me experiencing my "happily ever after".

We will encounter suffering.  Suffering most hurts when it seems unjustified.  However, traveling these two roads of complaint and then praise ... for me is the key to seeing a bigger picture.  Suffering allows me to see God and His purposes are all about ... God.  He is wise.  He knows what will shape my character to more resemble Jesus.  I don't always have to like it ... so I can complain ... but then I have to travel the other road ... the road of praise.

Traveling along the other road,
christina