Sacred Suffering

Suffering asks us to figure out what we truly believe. Honestly. Not what I want to think of myself, not what I want to convince someone else to think of me - the plain truth and nothing but the truth. It also requires a certain level of trust in God. Mike O’Neill in his book the Power to Choose says, “There’s no power in something that you’re supposed to believe but don’t.” We need to work hard to evaluate what we really, truly believe about God.

What I believe about me teaches me what I truly believe about God; what I believe about God informs what I believe about myself. These two beliefs are mirror reflections of each other.

What marvelous love the Father has extended to us! Just look at it - we’re called children of God! That’s who we really are. But that’s also why the world doesn’t recognize us or take us seriously, because it has no idea who he is or what he’s up to.But friends, that’s exactly who we are: children of God. And that’s only the beginning. Who knows how we’ll end up! What we know is that when Christ is openly revealed, we’ll see him - and in seeing him, become like him. All of us who look forward to his Coming stay ready, with the glistening purity of Jesus’ life as a model for our own.

~ 1 John 3:1-3 The Message