Prodigal: I can’t decide which book to read.
Me: Yes, that often is a problem for me. There are so many to choose from.
Prodigal: I have a little while to figure it out.
This comes from Philip Yancey
A shelf of all the religious books on this subject would cleanly divide into two groups. The older ones, by Bunyan, Donne, Luther, Calvin, Augustine, and others, are almost embarrassing in their readiness to accept pain and suffering as among God’s useful agents. A sense of loyalty and faith in God’s wisdom undergirds each one. God knows what He is doing in this world, and these authors do not question His actions. They merely try to “justify” the ways of God to man.
More modern books on pain, beginning with some of the agnostic philosophers of nineteenth century and continuing through to many Christians today, contrast sharply. These authors assume that the amount of evil and suffering in this world cannot be matched with the traditional view of good and loving God. Therefore, many of them adjust their conception of God, either redefining His love or questioning His power to control evil. If you read these two categories of books side by side, the difference is quite striking. It is as if we in modern times think we have a corner on the suffering market. Do we forget that Luther and Calvin and the others lived in a world without ether and penicillin, and that Bunyan and Donne wrote their greatest works in a dungeon.
Why do we think we are guaranteed a life with no pain? When I start thinking that then I find myself bitter with God. I find myself questioning more than accepting. My faith is less and I take control. In reality, sometimes we have pain and we have no answers but God is still got us and that is more important than if we have pain or not.
Let the word of Christ dwell in richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Colossians 3:16
Jennifer Van Allen
www.theprodigalpig.com
www.faithincounseling.org
