Aching With Joy (Pt.2)

This is the final excerpt from a two part series called "Aching With Joy." If you have not had the opportunity to read part one I would encourage you to do so for context. In this final post we will discuss what our ultimate goal in suffering must be as well as how to apply the truths learned thus far.

Coping Isn’t Our Goal

If you’ve made it with me this far you may be asking, “If joy is not happiness, then what is it?” The answer to this question is that joy is,

“Thankfully embracing and contentedly submitting to God’s will for my life, recognizing the incredible opportunity I have been given to glorify Him. . .” (Pastor John Janke)

If you’re like me there have been days when I’ve opened my eyes from sleep simply to wonder, “How am I supposed to get out of bed let alone make it through this day?” Maybe you’ve found yourself in survival mode just coping with the pain until you can crawl back into bed and escape through the partial blessing of sleep. At times, this may be what is necessary considering that grief attacks the body in very physical ways. The word “cope” can also mean to manage or survive. When your brain is under extreme stress coping or managing is a God given instinct for survival. Yet, after the initial grief has passed, and our brain begins to adjust to the suffering we are experiencing, our end goal must move from “surviving” the trial to embracing it. Believe me, writing that last sentence tore at my heart as much as it probably did yours. How can I embrace the loss of my children? My heart screams out that embracing their loss would be dishonouring them! And yet, from all we have seen, to embrace this gift of God is to agree with God that He is good, He has completed an act of love for all parties involved, and we are seeking to bring Him glory. Let me support this with God’s Word. Romans 8:28-29 states, "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers." I Peter 1:6-9 also continues, “In this (God’s secure promise of your inheritance) you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuine of your faith - more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire - may be found to result in praise and glory and honour at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” Here again we see that joy can be a relative of grief. In fact, the goal in our trial and grief should be joy (embracing with thankfulness) for when God’s grace produces this unnatural phenomenon in our lives, God is praised, glorified and honoured. For the true believer God’s glory and honour must be our love and treasure above anything else. Including our own children.

So How Do I Apply This?

It would be cruel of me to tell you in short, “your suffering is meant to bring God glory and praise so God has called you to thankfully embrace your pain and contentedly submit your life to Him,” without also sharing the end of the story. Peter does not end his letter but continues by instructing his readers with the, “So, what now?” in verses 8-25. First, the mourning mother, along with all suffering believers, is called to love God and trust fully in Him though she cannot see or feel Him. This will not be of your own doing but the grace that God will produce through you. It is a grace induced choice to obey regardless of feeling or sight. It is faith. Second, we must prepare our minds and set our focus solely on our eternal hope, “the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ (vs 13).” Seek to be consumed with God’s holiness and be watching for the ways in which God is seeking to make you more like Christ (vs 14). While this may not be evident at first, the suffering servant of Christ will find that she is able to eventually look back and see how God has been radically changing her life. Finally, sincerely look for the needs of others and demonstrate God’s love to them (vs 22). While you may feel as though you have absolutely nothing left to give to anyone else, this is exactly where you need to be for God’s power to be magnified in your weakness (II Corinthians 12:9). Embrace your brokenness, for in such a place you have never been more beautiful.

Love,

Rachel