Strength In Suffering

The following is a quote from 'Lament for a Son' written by Nicholas Wolterstorff. His 25 year-old son Eric was killed in a mountaineering accident in the Alps. "Let me try again. All these things I recognise. I remember delighting in them; trees, art, house, music, pink morning sky, work well done, flowers, books. I still delight in them. I’m still grateful. But the zest is gone. The passion is cooled, the striving quieted, the longing stilled. My attachment is loosened. No longer do I set my heart on them. I can do without them. They don’t matter. Instead of rowing, I float. The joy that comes my way I savour. But the seeking, the clutching, the aiming, is gone. I don’t suppose anyone on the outside notices. I go through my paces. What the world gives, I still accept. But what it promises, I no longer reach for”. From our own experience and reading others’ experiences we have learnt that trauma changes who you are. This is not necessarily a negative thing, but a reflection of the reality of how trauma and grief affects us. I remember saying to someone this past summer that I don’t walk around my garden like I used to. I don’t seem to get the same buzz, enjoyment and thrill that I did. ‘The passion is cooled’. As the months roll on the joy I once had is very slowly returning but that joy will never be the same because the ‘longing is stilled’. My heart has changed. My outlook has altered. I’m more concerned about life and eternity. After all God has set eternity in our hearts. Ecclesiastes 3:11. But so often the busyness and clutter of this world can cloud what is really important in life. A bit like Wolterstorff, I now ‘float instead of rowing’. Floating is actually a good thing. When we float we see more, we value the time and people around us. We stop striving for things that are here today and gone tomorrow. Constantly rowing means we can miss so much in life. James 4:14 “Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes”. Psalm 39:4-6 “Lord, make me to know my end, And what is the measure of my days, That I may know how frail I am. Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, And my age is as nothing before You; Certainly every man at his best state is but vapour. SelahSurely every man walks about like a shadow; Surely they busy themselves in vain; He heaps up riches, And does not know who will gather them”. Facing trauma and difficult challenges can help us to value the things that are truly important. Do I enjoy the sunsets? Do I enjoy the autumn colours? I do, but not in the way I once did - for the moment. Now they point beyond, to something even more wonderful, the new creation which is to come. A New Year is on the horizon and no-one but God knows what it will hold. For us, ’Happy New Year’ is clouded by the accident of April 2022. We are so thankful that we have Nathanael with us to start another year but things are not the same. Like Nicholas ‘my attachment is loosened’. We are learning to live with what some call ‘a new normal’. That’s for another blog… We are all just passing through this world. Jesus passed through and He wasn’t attached to the things of this world. His focus was the cross and what it would accomplish. Did He have joy? absolutely He did. Did He have purpose? Oh yes. Was He passionate? For people and for His Father’s glory, most certainly. Can we enjoy this life and the things of this world and have our eyes set on Jesus? Colossians 3:1-4 “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your  life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” This world promises much and gives little. But what Christ promises is worth having because of its eternal value. Another new year will be difficult for many, including me, but as I enter a new year, I must make the effort to spend more time with God in prayer and be in His Word each day. To treasure those in my life and spend precious time with them. Can I do those things whilst floating? I think so, but maybe I’ll need to get hold of the oars to row occasionally as God enables and allows. Take time today to read and reflect on what Jesus said to His disciples in Luke 12:22-31. He mentions the word ‘anxious’ three times. He knows we are all prone to be anxious, to worry, to strive, to row. He finishes the passage by encouraging His disciples and us to ‘seek’, to seek after His Kingdom and then everything else that we need for this life will follow. Prayer - Lord help us to seek You more in 2024. Help us to set our minds on things eternal and to align our priorities with Your word. Work in us and through us to change us, and help us to help others this new year. Amen.

Christmas is a time to give and receive gifts. As Cliff Richard reminded us in his 1988 song Mistletoe and Wine, ‘It's a time for giving, a time for getting’. The Bible describes Jesus our Saviour as a GIFT. “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” 2 Cor 9:15 Some time after Jesus was born, we have the wise men - the Magi bringing gifts to the new born King. “And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.” Matthew 2:11 When Jesus ascended into heaven He gave spiritual gifts to His people. “But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore it says,“When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.” Ephesians 4:7-8 In the midst of suffering, it is important that we take time thank God for the gifts that we sometimes overlook. Each new day, sunshine, family, friends, food and drink, creation, life and breath. Our son was born in February 2015 and we named him Nathanael a name given to us by God. The name Nathanael from John chapter 1 in the Bible actually means ‘gift of God’ or ‘God has given’ and after a 10 year gap after his sisters he certainly was God’s gift to us. Fast forward seven years and we encounter the most horrific thing possible when Nathanael (God’s gift to us) is run over by our own car sustaining a severe brain injury and life changing injuries. How can this be possible? to receive such a beautiful gift and then have to endure the pain and utter devastation of watching him be completely broken. Why? However, during these past 20 months what we’ve come to realise is that Nathanael, in spite of his disabilities and how challenging life has become, is God’s very SPECIAL GIFT to us. When God gives a gift it is up to Him how He gives it, how He uses it and how He changes the gift in His timing. Yes, Nathanael has changed and life is difficult, but how thankful we are to still have him with us, that our beautiful gift hasn’t been taken away from us completely and that we have the privilege of watching God reveal His healing renewing work in our son, our gift. Many people at this time of the year mourn the loss of their gift, when they have lost loved ones to death. I personally know people who are struggling this season because of that great loss. We know in part, that suffering, Nathanael with us and yet we we have encountered a loss in him, we have lost a part of him. God does know each of us, He knows the pain, the loss and our suffering. The GIFT that God gave every one of us in Jesus, His own Son, is now able to come and comfort those who mourn. In this life, we will all lose gifts. We may lose a son, a daughter, a dear friend, a brother or sister, our parents. But for those of us who are in Christ we have a bright tomorrow. The day is coming when we will see that gift again and the gift will never leave our side ever again. We will have the GIFT of eternity to enjoy our gifts. And better still all gifts will be perfect, spotless with no blemishes, no imperfections as indeed we all will be. We will enjoy each other like never before. And the best of all is that we will know God’s inexpressible gift, Jesus Christ like we’ve never known Him here. Then we will see Him face to face and we will know fully of what Paul said in Romans 6:23 “…but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” We have all had the experience of looking forward to opening gifts on Christmas day. The expectation and excitement is heightened as we get closer to the day. We should be like this when it comes to the gift of eternal life. We too should have an expectancy and excitement about seeing and experiencing the ultimate GIFT in all of its fullness. Oh what a glorious future we have ahead of us. Today, through any pain we might have, through and challenges and sufferings we may know, let us grasp the gift of Jesus’ presence with each of us. Prayer - Dear Father, we want to thank You for the gifts that You put before us each day. We want to especially say thank You for sending Your Son as a gift to us so that we can experience the life to come and this is a free gift to all of us who believe. Help Lord, those who are suffering and have lost gifts. Bring Your comfort we pray. Amen!

We are at the only time of the year when Churches take a look at the events surrounding the birth of Christ. Such a significant event yet we only ‘reflect’ on it once a year. Mary and Joseph both have different experiences and feelings as to what is about to happen to them. However, one thing they have in common is the fact that they both reflect. Joseph - before Jesus is born and Mary - after He is born. They both reflect, ponder, consider, what is happening to them. Matthew 1:20 “But as he (Joseph) considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream,…do not fear” Luke 2:19 “But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.” This season can often be a time to reflect on our lives. Within a few days another year draws to a close. Maybe some of us look back on it and wonder where the time has gone, if we missed opportunities. Or perhaps how did I get through another year with such a heavy burden to carry. The things that were happening to Mary and Joseph would turn out to be something that would change the world forever. This would be the moment when time would change from Before Christ BC to Anno Domino AD. I often wonder about the extent of Mary’s understanding concerning this child. Did she truly know who He was? The beautiful song ‘Mary did you know?’ asks these same questions. Standing at the foot of the cross watching her Son suffer and die must have been an excruciating moment of questioning. Jesus’ words…‘Behold your Son’ (John 19:26) must have reverberated in her soul like something out of a horror movie. Again she must have pondered what the angel had said some 33 years before. “And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Luke 2:30-33 Her son was Jesus, Yeshua which literally means the Lord saves or the Lord is salvation. Before his announcement, the angel Gabriel reassured her to ‘not be afraid’. We all have moments in our lives that we mark as life changing events. Whether it be marriage, the birth of a child, a divorce, the death of a loved one. How do we deal with these events, especially the surprising or traumatic ones? Mary and Joseph were engaged to be married with much to look forward to, when suddenly out of the blue their lives were turned upside down with the announcement that Mary would give birth to a son, the Messiah, the Saviour of the world. Maybe your life has been turned upside down. Ours was back in April 2022. It’s been 20 months since that horrific day. We’ve had time to reflect and look back on the worst times of our lives. But, as we reflect we can see how the Lord has brought us this far. We can truly acknowledge that without Him we would not be here. As we reflect we are so thankful that Nathanael is alive and healing. What would life look and feel like without him being around? As we reflect, we know that God still has a plan and a future for us all. Just because Nathanael has disabilities doesn’t mean that the Lord won’t use him or isn’t using him. As we reflect, our hearts long more and more for eternity when we will ALL be made whole. Jesus is coming back to make all things as He wants them to be. As we reflect we thank God for the great salvation He has brought in sending Jesus - the baby born to Mary and Joseph, in the feeding trough in Bethlehem. Maybe it’s time for you to reflect. Take some time out to consider some of things that have happened to you this past year or so, painful as that may be. Take time to ponder and consider how God has dealt with you in His grace and mercy. Maybe we need to hear the words spoken to Mary ‘Do not be afraid’, or the words spoken to Joseph ‘Do not fear’. ‘Ponder anew what the Almighty can do, If with His love He befriend thee’. These words are taken from the great hymn, Praise to the Lord the Almighty. Prayer - Father, thank You that we can take time to reflect and see Your hand on our lives. It’s not always been the way we wanted it to be. But You have been faithful to us even when we haven’t been faithful to You. Thank You Lord, for using the humble Mary and Joseph to bring about the Saviour, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Another Christmas is upon us And again there's so much fuss It really only amounts to one day Then the New Year, come what may We've moved on a little since last year But we still are not far from the next tear Life has changed, things aren't the same But we must remember it's all about the Name Jesus came into this world to show the way He came to suffer and die just like the prophets say As we suffer, we remember that He knew pain He knew it like we'll never know it and so He was slain As we find our way through another season of 'cheer' May we be sensitive to those around us who fear Life isn't the same for us that's abundantly true But we hold onto the Saviour and He sees us through As we enter this season, life isn't 'so merry' or 'happy' When everyone seems so chatty, happy and clappy We're trying to survive another day But 'you've come a long way' I hear you say As we share gifts this season of joy My heart still aches for my beautiful boy Another Christmas that's so different from before Yet I'm still trusting Jesus even when I can't handle the pain anymore If Jesus tarries, the Christmases will come around again and again In between, we have to deal with each new day of pain I hope and pray that God will be our comfort and stay Deep down, knowing that He will make a way As you read this poem, you may wonder how we cope Here you see a mixture of sadness, pain and hope As I close may you know the God who holds us He is our ever present help in our great loss. Thank you to all who have supported us and pray We truly appreciate those who, come what may Will be there each and every day of the year As we remember The Saviour, take time to draw near. Alan Howes

Ephesians 4:2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. The Christmas season can be a difficult time for many of us at any time in our lives for a variety of reasons. Maybe this is the first year you’re finding it difficult or perhaps you dread it coming around every year. Some very valid reasons for struggling with this holiday season may include financial difficulties, loss of a loved one, loneliness, social anxiety, mental health issues, ill health, trauma, family breakdown or peer pressure. It is ok to feel very overwhelmed by the immense pressure from society to “enjoy” the season, buy gifts for everyone, cook festive treats and meals, entertain, have the finest Christmas tree, or brightest lit house….. the list goes on and the stress mounts. How can we ease the “burden” that Christmas can become. 1. Money worries - be honest with yourself and others about what you can afford. Budget. Take a social media break to avoid comparing. Look for free or low cost gifts and events to attend. Make your own gifts. Access financial advice and support if needed. 2. Looking after You - know your boundaries and say no to things that aren’t helpful or are upsetting for you. Take the time out you need. Distract yourself with non Christmas activities, films, hobbies. Try a new activity or stick to your normal as much as possible. Remind yourself it is a season and will end. 3. Plan ahead - think about what you will need to help get you through, include as much of your normal routine as possible. know your triggers and avoid things that might be upsetting/stressful. Plan something special for after Christmas so you have something to look forward to. 4. Support from others - if you’re not able to visit others plan phone calls or video calls. Don’t be afraid to let others know how they can help you. Talk to others in similar situations like an online community. Don’t feel pressure to explain everything to everyone, it’s ok to just say this season is not easy for you. If you find it difficult to talk to friends and family then write down how you feel to help them understand. If you are visiting others suggest activities, walks, games that will help you or take time out in another room if you need a break. Choose your company carefully, surround yourself with those who will listen and truly care. 5. Know where to access further help - Mind mental health services Cruse bereavement charity Age UK Beat eating disorders help Compassionate friends Men’s advice line MoneyHelper National domestic abuse line NHS 111 Samaritans Relate Tommy’s The Trussell Trust

“At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon.” John 10:22-23 The feast of dedication, also known as Hanukkah, or the festival of lights, is a festival celebrated by both Jews and Christians alike. For the Jewish people, it’s a time to celebrate victory over the enemy - the Syrians led by Antiochus, and it was a victory over darkness. You can read more about the history of Hanukkah here… https://www.gotquestions.org/Hanukkah-Christian.html In the Bible in John chapter 10 we see that Jesus was joined in and celebrated this festival of lights. Throughout the book of John we find references to Jesus being “the light that has come into the world.” “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1:5 “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world,” John 3:19a “Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12 “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” John 9v5 “I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.” John 12v46 During our times of suffering we can often experiences periods of darkness. Sometimes it seems near impossible to find a way through the darkness and despair. I am sure that was the same for the Jewish people before their victory came. When Jesus came into the world, He came as the light that overcomes darkness. Light will always overcome darkness. Just light a candle in a dark room and the darkness is no longer. Jesus can help us in our darkest times, in those moments of desperation and fear when we may be plunged into darkness, but Jesus is ever present to help us out of that darkness because He is light and in Him is no darkness at all. In 1 John 1:5 we read “This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” We have a spiritual enemy who wants to keep us in darkness. He will remind us of our past, he will make us feel guilty. He will tell us there’s no hope and no future. These things pull us down into a dark place. But Jesus the light of the world on the other hand says we have been forgiven, we are cleansed, there’s hope and there’s a bright future. In the deep, dark and sometimes depressive December month let us remember Jesus. Not just as the child in the manger as in the opening chapters of Matthew and Luke, but as the Light who has come into the world. We all need a reminder of the good news of the light of the world. I need to be reminded of that truth. We have suffered much over the last 20 months and experienced many dark times but Jesus remains our constant light. Dark times come and go but Jesus’ light never fades and even in those dark times of suffering His light still shines brightly. If we continue to follow Jesus, we shall never walk in darkness. (John 8:12) Sometimes the circumstances of life will at times pull us down and can make us feel although we are not walking in the light. I’ve often felt like that. But we mustn’t accept that lie! Our bad experiences in this life cannot and should not affect our salvation in Jesus. Whether you celebrate Christmas or Hanukkah or neither, know today that Jesus’ light has come into this world and if you are in Him His light shines upon you, whether you are suffering or not. Prayer - Dear Lord, thank You that You didn’t leave us in darkness and brokenness but You came and shone a great light and overcame the darkness. In our suffering may we experience, more than ever, Your light that is able to extinguish the dark dark places in our lives. Amen.

Matthew 1:23 “Behold, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel” (which means ‘God with us’) As we enter December, the festive season is approaching and Christmas means something different for everyone. For some, it is a pagan holiday to be avoided, for others it's a moment to remember that God came to earth in flesh to live. For those who don't have a Christian perspective it's a time to spend, party, get drunk and let your hair down. Then there's those of us who have to somehow navigate our way through Christmas - those of us who have suffered greatly, those who have an empty seat at the table, those who have suffered a life changing situation, those who have endured divorce, those who have lost their job, those who are ill and many others in difficult circumstances. Not everyone wants to party, not everyone can be merry, not everyone can be full of seasonal cheer, not everyone wants to go through this season as though nothing has happened. Like many others, our lives have been changed and our journey now is very different. Christmas is different now for us in so many ways. But one thing that hasn't changed is that we continue to remember Immanuel - God with us in Christ 'God was indeed with us'. Now He is with us by the Holy Spirit. The Great Comforter now walks beside us in our suffering, in our loss, in our struggles, not just this Christmas season but every day. If you're struggling this season why not reach out to the God who will never leave you nor forsake you. (Hebrews 13:5) Christmas will come and go very quickly, but the Lord will remain because He changes not. He is indeed the same yesterday today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8) Amen. This season, let us not miss the purpose of life and miss what God in Christ has done for us all. This Christmas why not… Be the light Be the presence Be the warmth Be the comfort Be the listening ear for someone, even in our own struggles. Christmas is a season that is overly hyped up and one which can make people feel quite deflated afterwards. For us, the hype has gone but we hold onto the ‘why’ of Christmas, the ‘why’ of the virgin birth. God himself was born to die to bring a great salvation to those who will call on His Name, Jesus, Yeshua, Emmanuel, The Lord, Almighty God, Prince of peace. Let us revel in the God who has made Himself known to us in Christ. Celebrate that fact, even in the midst of hardship and suffering, with God’s help. Prayer... Dear Lord, in the midst of this season help us to remember that You came into this lost, suffering, broken world in order to take upon yourself the sin that has broken us all. For many of us, our lives have changed, for some, seemingly not for the better. Help us now Lord, in this changed life and this new journey. Help us to lean on You and find strength and comfort during this month of December. Amen

“WE ARE TOO PRONE TO ENGRAVE OUR TRIALS IN MARBLE AND WRITE OUR BLESSINGS IN SAND” CHARLES SPURGEON We often take blessings for granted, especially the everyday or small ones we might not even realise are blessings. The air we breathe, the food in our cupboards, the car we drive, the people in our lives, a bed to sleep in, warm homes in winter, flowers that delight us with their beauty. We could go on. But what of trials? Financial worry, breakdown in relationships, the loss of a loved one, health problems, caring for aged parents, an accident that haunts you everyday. Trials can be giants. Is it no wonder we “engrave our trials in marble and ‘write’ our blessings in the sand”. When we are faced with things that are hard, painful, raw, life changing, that are hurtful and difficult, we cannot easily let them go. Once the waves wash over the words on the sand they will be no more, but our trials aren’t like that. Many of the trials we face will last a lifetime. Yes, they may change over time, become less painful, but nevertheless, remain, as though engraved in marble. If we’re truly honest, we tend to focus on the trials rather than the blessings. Allow me to change the words of Spurgeon for a moment. “Even though our trials may be engraved in marble, may we also engrave the blessings”. As we look back on our lives may we remember the blessings that have come our way. As we remember yesterday may we take a moment to think on the blessings that came across our path. The folk we saw, the opportunity to give someone a hug, a word of encouragement given and received, sunshine on a cold winters day, children laughing. We all face difficulties and challenges that may never truly go on this side of eternity, but there are also many blessings that will accompany those seasons. Thank God for those. Let’s not allow the blessings to be here today and gone tomorrow. In the words of an old christian song, Count your blessings one by one, come and see what God has done. “When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,Count your many blessings name them one by one,And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.” “Count your blessings, name them one by one;Count your blessings, see what God hath done;Count your blessings, name them one by one,And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.” “Are you ever burdened with a load of care?Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,And you will be singing as the days go by.” “Count your blessings…” “When you look at others with their lands and gold,Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold.Count your many blessings, money cannot buyYour reward in heaven, nor your Lord on high.” "Count your blessings…” “So amid the conflict, whether great or small,Do not be discouraged, God is over all;Count your many blessings, angels will attend,Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.” “Count your blessings…” Trials and blessings go hand in hand in this life. Look at the words of Jesus in John 16:33, “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace. In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world.” [My conquest is accomplished, My victory abiding.]” Yes, our trials may be engraved in marble but we can, with God’s help, take courage, take heart and also look at the many blessings He puts before us. In the midst of hardship, let us not be like the children of Israel, “They forgot God, their Saviour, who had done great things in Egypt, wondrous works in the land of Ham, and awesome deeds by the Red Sea.” Psalm 106:21-22 Trials can sometimes be blessings in disguise. For many of us, we may not feel that way right now, but God is always working in the good and the bad. Prayer - Dear Lord, in the midst of deep suffering may we never forget the blessings that also come our way. We know that in this life, blessings and trials go hand in hand. We thank You today for Your mercies and Your grace. Help us to see Your hand in the small things that we often take for granted and thank You for them. May we engrave the blessings in marble today.

You had your life in front of you But then life changed just out of the blue We never saw it coming Life was good and you were running It hurts each day that things aren’t the same We so long for those days to come again Only God knows our deepest desire So to Him we run through this raging fire We will never be the same here And we must learn to let go of the fear Life changes just like the seasons We will find out soon, God’s reasons God, help us to deal with the loss As it is so hard dealing with the dross We know deep down you are the God of hope So let us come to you, we don’t want to mope You still have your life in front of you It’s different now, but you haven’t lost your value In God’s eyes you are still His Even though there is so much we miss We long for the day when we will all be complete Face to face with Jesus, it’s Him we’ll meet Your life will then show what it all meant Why you went through this whole event

To truly ‘know’ God turns your world upside down and gives you a completely different life perspective. Knowing Christ brings so much hope when faced with adversity. The world would think foolishness of such an idea that one can be deeply sorrowful on one hand yet, rejoice on the other. Can this really be possible? In the Bible in 2 Cor 6:8-10, Paul actually mentions many such contrasting opposites - can these really be possible? How can we be poor, yet make many rich? How can we have nothing yet possess everything? How are we punished yet not killed? How are we dying, yet living? How are we unknown, yet known? How are we imposters, yet true? 2 Corinthians 6:8-10 Of course this cannot be possible in and of our human selves. Only Christ by the Holy Spirit has to be the means by which these things are able to be. Paul says “always rejoicing”. And he says something similar in Philippians 4:4, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” And also 1 Thessalonians 5:16 “Rejoice always,…” It is important for us to remember that God doesn’t want us to be stoic about the sufferings and hardships we endure. We can’t just carry on with life and pretend nothing has happened. When Paul encourages us to rejoice, he is not urging us to think positively about our situation and to empty our minds of negative things. He is willing us to focus on the Lord, for He is our source of rejoicing and He is our joy in the midst of suffering. “The joy of the Lord is our strength.” Nehemiah 8:10 In no way is Paul negating our suffering and pain. Bible teacher and Author John Piper says “You can’t stop pain and tears from coming, but you can keep joy from going, because the pain and joy are grounded in different realities”. In my own experience over the past 18 months, I have let joy go so many times. In those early days of my personal suffering, following our son’s accident, everything was so emotionally raw that it left me paralysed with numbness. In the months that followed, darkness was still very much my friend, it was close and very present. Joy is always only around the corner when we tap into the source of it, the Lord Himself. We are called to rejoice ‘In the Lord’ in spite of intense sufferings. This does not make our suffering disappear and become something else, but does help in the process of coping and dealing with the situation at hand day to day. “His mercies are new every morning” Lamentations 3:24 Ecclesiastes 3:4 says “there is a time to weep, and a time to laugh;a time to mourn, and a time to dance;” and there is indeed a time to weep and be sorrowful but at the same time rejoice. This can only be done in and through the Spirit abiding in us. We in ourselves could naturally never rejoice in the depths of hardship and despair and there are many times when we don’t ‘feel’ like rejoicing and that is ok. It’s ok not to be ok. I know in my heart that with the Spirit’s help, rejoicing is more and more possible even in the pain and sorrow of suffering and this helps me to overcome. Knowing Christ in our suffering brings hope, brings peace, brings joy and is producing in us the character that God wants in us. Romans 5:3-5 “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” If you are facing difficulties or suffering deeply right now and can find no way to rejoice, don’t feel guilty. God hasn’t changed, He’s still the source of joy. The time will come when you will again be able to tap into that source of joy. Meditate on Psalm 30:5 “For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favour lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.” Prayer - Dear Lord, we thank You that You are the source of ALL true joy. Yet, You also know the suffering that we endure at times. You know when we’re completely exhausted with nothing to give. Yet, You bid us to come and drink from You so that we can truly rejoice in You. So help us to that end. Amen

Job 2:10 Shall we accept only good things from the hand of God, and never anything bad?” So in all this Job did not sin. We can often think that because we’re believers in Christ no harm should ever come to us. We can often think that only good or should I say our perception of good should come from the hand of God. The Bible, and history itself, is clear that bad things do indeed happen both to the ‘righteous’ and the ‘unrighteous’. Job is a clear example of just how evil can come upon someone. The Bible tells us that Job was blameless and upright, he feared God and shunned evil. Yet in spite of this he loses everything from his health to his family and livelihood. I’ve often wondered where our own personal tragedy in 2022 came from. Was it from Satan? God? or just a matter of life’s unfolding events that has nothing to do with either Satan or God? One thing is for sure God in His sovereignty allowed it to happen, just as God allowed Satan to buffer Job by taking away everything, but his life. God does allow tragic things to happen for His purposes beyond our understanding. When we try not to wrestle with the questions of why or who and accept what has happened, we will then begin to find some peace and some purpose. We must learn to accept that God is still in control in spite of the sufferings that happen all around us. These things can take time but we are on the journey to finding peace and purpose in the midst of pain. Prayer - Lord please will you help me to know that You are in control and that you have my life in your hands whatever comes my way. Amen

‘God, I know you’re not mean, but it feels like you are today’ I came across these two statements in my reading recently. A big part of me instantly agreed even though I wasn’t quite sure what to make of statements that seemed to be quite blasphemous and irreverent. When used as a verb ‘like’ can mean to take pleasure in; find agreeable or congenial: The question begging then, is do I always find myself agreeing with God and the way He does things. When I see the suffering in the world and how people are treated it is something that is difficult to come to terms with if God is, indeed, in control. To put it another way, we could ask the age old question ‘Why does God allow suffering’? I think it’s normal for anyone to have questions about suffering, injustice etc. and particularly those of us as image bearers of God - a God who is love and loves justice. Do I agree with what God allows? Do I agree with how He seemingly puts up with all the suffering in this world? So often in the Bible, we see people ask God ‘How long’? Rev 6:9-10 “When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” Psalm 13:2 “How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?” Psalm 94:3 “LORD, how long will the wicked, How long will the wicked triumph?” I am sure as I write this, there are God fearing people in the war torn Middle East and other parts of the world asking the same question ‘How long?’. ‘Dear Lord, I don’t always like You’ all of a sudden has a different meaning when seen in this light. Am I congenial (agreeable) to what He allows? How presumptuous of me even to ask such questions. But when you’re in the midst of deep suffering, it is ok to question God. We ask why is God allowing us to go through this trauma with our son? Others ask why so many lives lost with the tensions in the Middle East? The BIGGER picture We may not always like what God allows, However, God sees the bigger picture, His creation from beginning to end, His plans and His purposes. We only see the small fragments of our own lives, the pieces of the mosaic without seeing how they fit together into the whole picture - the beautiful finished completed artwork. We may not like God in what He allows but we are called to love God with everything, in spite of our circumstances… Luke 10:27 “And he answered, “You shall love the Lord Your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbour as yourself.” Joseph struggled with God when he was forcibly sold and taken to Egypt. Yet God used great distress for His good. Genesis 37-50. The same could be said with Job when devastation stripped everything but his life from him, yet God blessed Job’s latter years more than his former. Job 42:12 God is God for a reason. We are not God. He allows and purposes things for a reason in spite of us being disagreeable. Are we content with our son Nathanael being left unable to walk and talk? Of course NOT. But we have to trust God that He will show us how this is working for the greater good of everyone. Prayer - Dear Lord, I don’t always like You because of what I see happening in Your world. But I do love you because You first loved Me and sent Jesus. I don’t understand everything that’s going on right now, but I trust You that you have the bigger picture in view. So help me to trust you in my suffering and the suffering of so many people in this world. Amen