Swept away by Grace-A Study in I Peter (part 17)-Beauty that Emerges Out of Pain
Christ came to give new life and to give it abundantly; yet, often we see dear Christians suffer physically while battling illness. Some would cry out in anger and ask God, why? Since God is the supreme, omnipotent physician why would He ever allow physical and/or emotional illness in any of His adopted children? That is the question Peter wants to address. I Peter 4: (AMP) “So, since Christ suffered in the flesh [a]for us, for you, arm yourselves with the same thought and[b]purpose [patiently to suffer rather than fail to please God]. For whoever has suffered in the flesh [having [c]the mind of Christ] is done with [intentional] sin [has stopped pleasing himself and the world, and pleases God],2 So that he can no longer spend the rest of his natural life living by [his] human appetites and desires, but [he lives] for what God wills.”
Pain has its way of either pushing us into bitterness or drawing us closer to God. There are times along this journey when God may call upon us to suffer that within that pain and suffering He may use it for His Glory and the spreading of the Gospel. How we see that suffering becomes pivotal to our walk. Peter knew this as he urged his readers to remember the suffering of Christ and to see that suffering in the light of Christ’s physical suffering.
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As the butterfly struggles and breaks forth from the cocoon, there emerges this very fragile creature of beauty. When we are able to see suffering as a blessing through the eyes of Christ; from the depths of even life long illness and pain can emerge a gentleness of spirit, a kindness of the eyes, and outward demonstration of God’s love and Glory that could never be displayed otherwise.
The surgery was over. As I awoke from the anesthesia, I felt excruciating pain raging
around my ribcage. From all the surgeries of the past it had become necessary to reconstruct my abdominal wall from pig fascia. With nothing to attach to except my ribcage, the surgeon had placed thousands of stitches around and across my ribcage. The pain seemed unbearable. Yet, there would be the pain medication to get me past the first few days. Then it happened—my IV wasn’t working. It would be hours before anyone could place a more permanent IV as my veins had been destroyed during previous surgical recoveries and all the illnesses of the past. As I lay there—unable to speak above a whisper with my body trembling from the pain—I started to ask “Why, Lord?” Then the soft gentle voice was, “I am here”. I realized then that the pain I felt was nothing compared to that which Christ bore when they had flogged Him and the flesh on His back was torn open. As I remembered Him, I took a slow breath and whispered, “Thank You” as I closed my eyes and waited in silent prayer. Am I a better Nurse Practitioner because I have been there? Yes. Do I feel that I was privileged that God would reveal so much of Himself to this humble servant? Yes. Would I want to face that pain again? No. Yet, if that is what He calls me to do, let me have the Grace of Spirit to allow whatever suffering He asks of me be the vehicle which leads someone else to Christ as a result.
Read what Paul wrote concerning his own suffering. Philippians 1: (GNV) “11 Filled with the[a]fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God.12 [b]I would ye understood, brethren, that the things which have come unto me, are turned rather to the furthering of the Gospel”
Let me end with a song by Joni Eareckson Tada, a quadriplegic since age 17 who is a beacon of God’s light to this world. Listen to these words, Alone, Yet Not Alone.
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© 2014 Effie Darlene Barba
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