God uses suffering?

Excuse me for an extended quote, but Michael Card had much to say.

“[Jesus] does not explain away the pain, nor does he say that he has come with the answer or that he will fix everything. Instead, he bows his head and allows the tears to flow. It is not about providing answers or fixing a problem; it is about entering fully and redemptively into their suffering, because Jesus knows that God uses suffering to save the world (Luke: Gospel of Amazement 70).”

I believe Card has it right. Unfortunately, I know far too many people, Christians and pastors who try to do all the responses to pain that Jesus avoided.

When working with hurting churches, I try to move them quickly beyond, “why did this happen?” and into “how can God use our current condition for our health and God’s glory?”

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