Your Life’s Story #3: The Tragedies that Lead to Triumph

 “Now if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory” (Rom. 8:17).

Recently, we celebrated Memorial Day, specifically remembering and honoring those who have served in our armed forces. Also, in a little over a month from now we will celebrate our independence day remembering the freedom that these men and women were able to ensure for us as a nation. During both of these holidays, our minds turn to the memories of those who died for our country. For some of us, these memories are clearly bitter sweet as we think of friends and family members who have paid the ultimate price. In these instances, most of us can rationalize why those individuals suffered.

On the other hand, sometimes, the suffering that happens in this life seems to be more than we can bear; and for some, they are never able to move past those painful memories. Sometimes our hurts or disappointments do only slight damage, while sometimes they inflict deep and devastating wounds. If disappointment were a thief, it would be no respecter of persons. In fact, the more a person had, the more there would be to plunder. So how could there be a Grand Weaver behind the scenes, weaving a dark pattern such as this?

It seems difficult to consider God as One who would use such dark, hopeless threads. But there arises a question, at the end of your life, what has happened to your heart through these disappointments and sufferings? One of three things will happen to your heart: it will grow hard, it will be broken, or it will be tender. Your heart will become coarse and desensitized, be crushed under the weight of disappointment, or be made tender by that which makes the heart of God tender.

God, the Grand Weaver, seeks those with tender hearts so that He can put His imprint on them. Your hurts and your disappointments are part of that design, to shape your heart and the way you feel about reality. The hurts you live through will always shape you. There is no other way (portions from Ravi Zacharias, The Grand Weaver). 

Unfortunately, most people are more moved by the tragedies than they are by the triumphs of this life. Most people who become Christians as adults come to Christ after a time of great hardships. Furthermore, even as Christians, we tend to be more shaped through the fires of affliction than anything else. C.S. Lewis explained it like this, “God whispers to us in our pleasure, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”

Even still our tragedies will ultimately lead to our greatest triumph as we seek the face of the One who suffered and died for our sins. Therefore, “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed” (1 Peter 4:12-13).

In His service,

                   Matt