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Doctrine can be life-saving. As we think about the Truth it leads to thankfulness, and greater love for God no matter what we are facing at the time.<\/p>\n
I feel like I am juggling a couple of plates on here at the moment. \u00a0One is the series on obeying Jesus commandments<\/a>, and the second is the theme of suffering<\/a>. \u00a0They might seem unrelated. But they are not. \u00a0For when we are suffering it is then that our foundation is tested<\/a>. And what is our foundation? \u00a0What is it that Jesus says will mean that your house will not be destroyed when the storm comes buffeting? \u00a0Most of us immediately reply \u201cby having your life built on the rock!\u201d \u00a0But what is the rock? Jesus said those who build on a solid foundation are everyone who\u00a0\u201chears these words of mine and puts them into practice<\/strong><\/em><\/a>\u00a0ie obeying his commands.<\/p>\n We had an interlude to share about the way Kanye West has recently been converted<\/a> through his own season of great suffering, and to talk to Matt Chandler about his new book on suffering<\/a>. Today I want to get back to my backwards review of Keller\u2019s outstanding book Walking with God through Pain and Suffering<\/a>.<\/p>\n The penultimate chapter of Kellers book speaks about another critical way of dealing with our suffering, and the emotions we feel when facing severe challenges. \u00a0Keller urges us not to pretend that we don\u2019t feel bad. Nor to even try to simply deny or push away our emotions or thoughts. \u00a0But instead to look the situation head on, aknowledge it but remind yourself to think about some crucial things that will help you to think, to thank and to love.<\/p>\n Help When Life Hurts<\/p>\n This article is part of a growing collection, drawing from Adrian Warnock\u2019s medical and psychological expertise, lived experience, and Christian faith.<\/p>\n Click the type of pain you or a loved one are experiencing right now<\/p>\n General suffering & disappointment<\/a> See the full list of over 40 articles \u201cChristian peace does not start with the ousting of negative thinking. If you do that, you may simply be refusing to face how bad things are. That is one way to calm yourself\u2014by refusing to admit the facts. But it will be a short-lived peace! Christian peace doesn\u2019t start that way. It is not that you stop facing the facts, but you get a living power that comes into your life and enables you to face those realities, something that lifts you up over and through them . . . Here is a metaphor for it. If you have ever been on a coast in a storm and seen the waves come in and hit the rocks,\u00a0sometimes the waves are so large that they cover a particular rock, and you think, \u201cThat is the end of that rock.\u201d But when the waves recede, there it is still. It hasn\u2019t budged an inch. A person who feels the \u201cpeace that passes understanding\u201d is like that. No matter what is thrown at you, you know it will not make you lose your footing . . . if you want peace, think hard and long about the core doctrines of the Bible<\/strong>.\u201d \u00a0\u2013 \u00a0Tim Keller\u00a0Walking with God through Pain and Suffering<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Keller is arguing that for the Christian we need to think long and hard about the big questions of life: who are we, why are we here, what will happen to us after we die. \u00a0We have good answers to these questions. \u00a0Much better answers to those of modern society as Keller explains:<\/p>\n Why don\u2019t contemporary books on stress and anxiety tell you to respond to it by doing deep thinking about life? It is because our Western secular culture is perhaps the first society that operates without any answers to the big questions. If there is no God, we are here essentially by accident, and when we die, we are only remembered for a while. Eventually, in this view, the sun will die and all that has ever been done by human beings will come to nothing. If that is the nature of things, then it is no wonder that secular books for people under stress never ask them to think about questions such as \u201cWhat are we here for?\u201d Instead, they advise you to not think so hard about everything but to relax and to find experiences that give you pleasure.\u201d \u00a0\u2013 Tim Keller Walking with God through Pain and Suffering<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n To put it another way and to connect with his final chapter<\/a>, atheism doesn\u2019t take away the problem of suffering, or its pain. It just takes away the hope.<\/p>\n Instinctively we often think that doctrine is somehow unimportant. And particularly when we are suffering. But for me personally reflecting on the gospel was the single biggest help and comfort to me<\/a> at some really low points during this period of sickness I have been in for the last two and a half years. \u00a0Keller recognises the possible objection some might feel to the importance of this reflection on truth and demolishes it:<\/p>\n \u201cSomeone reading this might say, \u201cYou are talking about doctrine but what I really need is comfort.\u201d But think! Is Jesus really the Son of God? Did he really come to earth, die for you, rise again, and pass through the heavens to the right hand of God? Did he endure infinite suffering for you, so that someday he could take you to himself and wipe away every tear from your eyes? If so, then there is all the comfort in the world. If not\u2014if none of these things are true\u2014then we may be stuck here living for seventy or eighty years until we perish, and the only happiness we will ever know is in this life.\u201d\u00a0 \u2013 Tim Keller Walking with God through Pain and Suffering<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n This is one of the amazing gifts of suffering. When things are going well, we can find happiness through the pleasure that we can find in this world. We have our health, we are able to work and get a sense of acheivment. We go on holiday, we enjoy so many things. \u00a0And we can forget the really important matters of life. \u00a0When we are suffering these distractions are taken away. And often we can even lose any sense of the presence of God that we may have enjoyed. And so in our anguish we seek God desperately. \u00a0And the Bible promises us that those who seek him, find him. Real comfort can be found in dwelling on these wonderful truths. Whether it be by reading the gospel of John<\/a> (which I strongly recommend), or a book about the gospel<\/a>, or simply listening to music that is saturated in gospel truth<\/a>. We must learn to meditate on the truth of Jesus\u2019 love for us<\/a>, and his sacrifices for us in order that we might know him for ever.<\/p>\n Keller summarises the first published sermon of Jonathan Edwards (preached when he was just 18 years old) as follows:<\/p>\n \u201cHis simple point was that a Christian should be happy, \u201cwhatever his outward circumstances are.\u201d385 Then he makes his case in three propositions, which I paraphrase. For Christians: Their \u201cbad things\u201d will work out for good (Rom 8:28). Their \u201cgood things\u201d\u2014adoption into God\u2019s family, justification in his sight, union with him\u2014cannot be taken away (Rom 8:1).Their best things\u2014life in heaven, new heavens and the new earth, resurrection\u2014are yet to come (Rev 22:1ff). This sermon is simply an example of one young man doing what Paul is talking about. He is \u201creckoning,\u201d counting it all and adding it up and letting the glory of the gospel salvation sink in. Our bad things will turn out for good, our good things cannot be taken away, and the best is yet to come. \u201cThink about such things\u201d (Phil 4:8)\u201d . \u2013 Tim Keller Walking with God through Pain and Suffering<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n AS we think on these things it should inevitably lead to us thanking God for all he has done for us. Even if we cannot think of something in our current situation to thank him for because everything looks so hopeless right now, we can thank him for loving us enough to send Jesus to die for us and save us. We can thank him that in just a little while our human earthly suffering will be over and we will be with him forever.<\/p>\n If we really stop to think about our situation fully, our eyes will soon be opened, however, that there are always many things to thank God for<\/a>. I remember being very grateful for being able to sleep in my own bed again after a stay in hospital. It might seem a small thing if you have never had to try to sleep in a hospital bed.<\/p>\n Suffering, approached rightly, can also make us incredibly grateful for the small things since they are evidences of God\u2019s grace and kindness towards us. If you are facing a really tough period right now it may be a good idea to start a list of all the things you want to thank God for. \u00a0Top of that list will be Jesus saving you. \u00a0Thats a great place to start. But if you look around and really think you will find much more to add. \u00a0And the more you add, the more thanksgiving will well up in your heart as you express it towards God.<\/p>\n And the natural fruit of thinking about the kindness of God, and thanking him is surely worship<\/a>. \u00a0And as we worship, love will well up in our hearts for him. \u00a0We will realise that He is so much more important to us than all the things we held so precious, so much of which suffering may have robbed us of. \u00a0And so we rededicate ourselves to his service, and to love him.\u00a0We love him<\/a> because he first loved us.<\/p>\n And so if we think about the good things God has done for us, we thank him for these things, and we learn afresh to love him, that will give us a stability which means that whilst suffering will indeed shake us, it will not destroy us.<\/p>\n \u201cWe must love many things\u2014and when these good things are taken away, it will hurt. And yet, if we cultivate within ourselves a deep rest in God, an existential grasp of his love for us, then we will find that suffering can sting and cause pain, but it can\u2019t uproot us, overthrow us. Because suffering can\u2019t touch our Main Thing\u2014God, his love and his salvation\u201d\u00a0\u2013 Tim Keller Walking with God through Pain and Suffering<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n I hope you can see already why I found this book by Keller so very helpful!<\/p>\n I have also written about other lessons I have learnt from\u00a0Tim Keller\u2019s book \u201cWalking with God through Pain and Suffering<\/a>\u201d \u00a0<\/i>\u00a0here:<\/p>\n https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/adrianwarnock\/2020\/03\/five-truths-about-suffering\/ https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/adrianwarnock\/2020\/03\/our-culture-cant-cope-with-suffering\/<\/p>\n\n
\nFinancial difficulties<\/a>
\nFeeling disqualified<\/a>
\nChronic illness & disability<\/a>
\nDivorce & family pain<\/a>
\nDepression & mental health<\/a>
\nBereavement & end-of-life<\/a><\/p>\n
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