No Quick Fix

Rarely are there quick fixes when it comes to suffering. 

Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada, and man, do I identify with Paul who said these heartbreaking, poignant words in 2 Corinthians 12. You can hear the groaning in his voice when he describes his suffering and then he says, “Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.” Wow, that is me. Or at least it was me in the early years of my paralysis. Back then, I was squirming to get up on my feet. I could not imagine being paralyzed for the rest of my life without use of my hands. I’d look down at my useless legs and at my wheelchair – and I love this word – I would plead with the Lord to take it away from me. Like Paul, I groaned; I put my heart into it; I anguished before the Lord. But to make a long story short, I got the same response the Apostle Paul received. Like his “thorn in the flesh,” my condition remained chronic. It was never, ever going to go away, no matter how much I pleaded before the Lord. Why is it chronic? Why do some hardships never go away? Well, know this: The hurting and the hammering process will not end until we become completely holy – and there’s certainly no chance of that happening this side of eternity, right? And this is why, eventually, I was more easily able to accept my quadriplegia as a chronic condition. I finally realized that my broken neck was not a jigsaw puzzle I had to solve real fast. No, my diving accident – and maybe you can identify – it was the beginning of a long, slow, steady, arduous process of becoming like Jesus. And sure, there were – and there still are times – I wish it were easier, but man, I realize I’m far from perfect. I’ve got a long way to go to be made like Christ, all polished and complete in his image. Over the years, I’ve come to see that God was wise in refusing my pleading. “Oh, Jesus, take it away from me.” He said no to that. And in saying no, he is using suffering to purge sin from my life; using trials to strengthen my commitment to him. Same is true for you. He’s forcing you to depend on grace and bind you together with other believers. He’s using suffering to produce more discernment in your life, foster sensitivity or discipline your mind. He’s teaching you how to spend your time wisely, stretch your hope, cause you to know Jesus better, and make you long for truth, leading you to repentance of sin and teaching you to give thanks in times of sorrow. Suffering is all about increasing our faith and strengthening our character. Oh, friend, when it comes to chronic conditions that don’t go away – and you’ve got one, probably – God only has your best interest at heart: that Jesus would beautifully and radiantly shine in your character. So if the pain and discomfort of your difficult circumstances persist, take heart. God is up to something pretty special in your life!

The grace of God is enough to sustain us through hardships that keep hanging around. God’s grace – that is, the desire and the power to do his will – that grace is sufficient. “Therefore,” as Hebrews 12 says, “strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.” Health and wholeness and maturity and completeness will be yours one day. But until that day, James chapter 1 gives us both great advice; it says: “When all kinds of trials crowd into your life, don’t resent them as intruders, but welcome them as friends!” Yep, it’s the answer God often gives when we plead for him to take hard things away. 

© Joni and Friends