Life as a Weary but Rescued Child

Parents don’t like to make their children unhappy, but sometimes, we have to say ‘no’ to things they want to have or to do that we know are not good for them – like the toddler who wants to play with the carving knife or the teenage who just can’t understand why they are not allowed to go to the football team party after the game where there is lots of booze, drugs and sex. It would be really nice if our children would just trust in our love and care for them.

God does much the same thing. He has already proven His love for us in the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. Now He asks for trust in the midst of suffering. What does this look like and how can we even do this?

Just as Jesus did, pray for a surrendered will. It’s OK to question — read Psalm 13:1 or Judges 21:3. But daily surrender will lead to patience and a new perspective (Psalm 73). James speaks of patience and perseverance in James 5:10-11. The different perspective arrives when out of our confusion we turn to God in worship, realizing that God has already, but not yet rewarded the righteous, that would be us (Romans 3:22-23), and punished the wicked. God will Himself wipe away every tear (Revelation 21:4).

Daily surrender helps us learn from our suffering. Job, Lamentations, Jeremiah and sixty-seven lament psalms, starting with Psalm 13, even Hebrews 11 are great places to learn. God is not silent or hiding. He is right beside us and will never forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:8). And don’t forget to ask older men and women of faith how they got through the suffering in their lives!

Blessings,
Cheri