Suffering

I have been wanting to write this for quite some time but I have been, er, suffering from a lack of time to sort out these thoughts and type them (however labored) here.

Seriously, though, I don't know about you but it seems to me that so many people I know are really suffering right now. The types of suffering are vast; from a typhoon that greatly affected our community in the Philippines, to health problems, to family strife and on and on.

A couple weeks ago it really struck me that a lot of people are suffering. Whenever I see a news headline, it just reminds me all the more that people are truly suffering all over the world.

Now, granted that suffering is nothing new (and some of you are thinking, "Sister, I have been suffering for 20 years, tell me something new!") but, somehow it seems that we are all being prepared for something.

There isn't a grace that comes from God that is detached from suffering. I am convinced of this truth more and more. Why is that? It's not because God doesn't want us to have a "free ride" or "get something for nothing." It's not like that at all.

Suffering releases a rain of grace from God. It does that because that's the path that Jesus chose. Through His suffering, Jesus beat death and redeemed us. He didn't just cover our sin and make us look nice. Through His suffering He truly won us the grace to be completely transformed, to be brought back to our original integrity. That's the path of grace.

So, God must really be raining down some serious grace right now. He knows we all need it. So we continue to run the race so as to win. If you find that you have trouble accepting suffering in relation to yourself, trying offering it up for someone else. Say, "Jesus, I offer this suffering up for so-and-so, or for whomever You desire." You may be amazed at your capacity to suffer with joy when you realize that Jesus allows you to enter into His work. You don't have to wait for a big suffering, all of us encounter small things everyday. We all get tired or thirsty. We all have to wait in line or try to get along with others around us. We can offer anything.

Let the rain of grace pour out upon us all.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Amen! This is so true. I'll offer my sufferings for you today :)

God bless.

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Fr. Santan Pinto, SOLT 1948-2011