Where is God in our pain?

We are entering the season of “Immanuel” – “God with us”.  We have been talking about being more keenly aware of God’s presence in our lives, understanding his promise to us, his children, that he will never leave us or forsake us.  God will never leave us alone.  But, what about in our pain?  What about in times of suffering … where is God then?  Has he abandoned us?

Last week, I had the opportunity to go to the 9/11 Memorial at Ground Zero in New York City.  The first thing that impacted me on the night I visited, was the immense size of the site.  Before I saw them, I heard them--the 30 foot-waterfalls.  When I got up to them, I saw first one and then the other memorial pond representing the footprints of each of the World Trade Center buildings.  When I got close, I could see the names of those killed that fateful day, etched in bronze and backlit, all around the perimeter of the ponds, each about an acre in size.   In truth, what I saw, took my breath away.

People talked in hushed groups, some with flowers in hand for their lost loved ones . . . and it made me remember one of the best explanations I have read on the subject of ‘where is God in our pain?’  It was from Gordon MacDonald, a great Christian thinker of our day, who spent time at the site, immediately following Nine-Eleven.  Included in his journal are these thoughts:  “And more than once I asked myself—as everyone asks—is God here?  And I decided that he is closer to this place than any other place I’ve ever visited.  The strange irony is that, amidst this absolute catastrophe of unspeakable proportions, there is a beauty in the way human beings are acting that defies the imagination.  Everyone—underscore, everyone—is everyone else’s brother or sister.  There are no strangers among the thousands at the work site.  Everyone talks; everyone cooperates; everyone does the next thing that has to be done.  No job is too small, too humble, or, on the other hand, too large.

 Tears ran freely, affection was exchanged openly, exhaustion was defied.  We all stopped caring about ourselves.  The words “it’s not about me” were never more true.

 No church service; no church sanctuary no religiously inspiring service has spoken so deeply into my soul and witnessed to the presence of God as those hours last night at the crash site.

 In all my years of Christian ministry, I never felt more alive than I felt last night . . . as much as I love preaching the Bible and all the other things that I have been privileged to do over the years, being on that street, giving cold water to workmen, praying and weeping with them, listening to their stories was the closest I have ever felt to God.  Even though it sounds melodramatic, I kept finding myself saying, “This is the place where Jesus most wants to be.”1

Have you been at a place of extreme tragedy, sadness or death?  I was today—as I gave a ‘blessing’ at yet another friend’s memorial service . . . just 46 years old.   David – a Southern California athlete from a large family, leaving behind a young family with many questions.   Yet there is a hush of holiness nearby . . . as the fragility of mortality is realized by all in attendance.  I have often sat alongside a dying individual, sometimes with family members nearby, ministering to their needs – and it is true, there is a holy reverence in this most intimate time.

Sometimes God uses pain for good in our lives too.  C.S. Lewis said, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains.  It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”

The psalmist wrote, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”2  “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”3  These are truths you can share with those who are hurting. . . and by all means, let them know they are not alone!  The brother of our Lord wrote, “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.”4

Oh yes, God is near . . . in fact, he is much closer than you think.  He is as close as you will let him be, and he loves you completely.

Grace and Peace to you, my dear ones~

Christine

PastorWoman.com