Fellow Sufferer

Greetings fellow sufferers!  Let me acknowledge something from the start.  I understand that I am writing to many people who are experts in suffering, the kinds of suffering that far exceed any sour grapes that I have ever tasted.  I also know that some of you are currently right in the middle of the fire of suffering and the storms of daily trouble and trials.  My heart goes out to you.  You are the biggest reason I believe God has led me to write this blog.  That being said, you need to know that I too am a credible sufferer.  In my 64 years and 41 of those years being a born-again Christian I have known,

·         The pain of deep-seated emptiness, loneliness, and confusion over why in the world I am here and what the purpose of this life is.

·         The pain of shattered dreams and lost loves.

·         The pain of addiction and the frustration, guilt, and shame of living in a never-ending cycle of sin-confess-sin-confess.

·         The pain of being in bondage to bitterness and anger at my mentally ill father and the wounds that naturally come in that kind of relationship.

·         I have experienced deep-seated anxiety fueled by the fear of rejection, humiliation, and being found to not have what it takes.

·          I have known the emotional stress, fatigue, and pain of a troubled marriage – pain that was often created by my own sin.

·          I have lived with worry that comes from lost jobs, wondering if I will have enough money this month to pay all my bills and provide a decent life for my family.

·         I have experienced friends that have left me behind, false accusations, and betrayal from those within the church- and the disillusionment that led to a time of spiritual drift.

·         I have had seven surgeries, painful rehab, and a cancer diagnosis that sent me emotionally reeling.

·         And I have known the grief of losing my mom and dad.

While I can honestly say that today I look at all of these things in my rear-view mirror, I move forward in life with them being the “suffering credentials” God has given me to love & serve the hurting and prepare me for the next round of suffering ahead – whatever that may be.

I share all this with you to let you know my intent will not be to try to sanitize real life pain and suffering.  I won’t give you Christian platitudes or old worn out cliches.  I know, through life experience, that while often brought with good intentions, there are some things that are said that can pour salt on the wound.  I hope to avoid doing that and you should call me out if you find yourself stinging more severely from my words.

I will share with you my own thoughts and reflections on suffering from my life experiences and from several authors who have suffered severely and were able to still find hope in the midst of their storm.  My desire is to point you to a God who promises to be with you in the midst of suffering, to never leave you or forsake you, to never stop loving and caring for you, and to somehow, beyond reason help you see that your sorrows are never wasted when you hand them over to him.

Join me every Wednesday as we pull back the curtain on suffering in hopes of finding a loving, caring God there.  I love you guys and am always lifting you up in prayer!  Pastor Jim