Suffering isolates. The world can become very small when we suffer -- whether others intentionally avoid us or if they simply move on with life while we are stuck in one place. It's often hard for others to understand our suffering, and so they simply go about their life while we are in a different place. What a gift the mission and ministry of the church can be to those who suffer. Deacons and caregivers are often willing to enter into another's suffering, to sit with them in the hard times, to wait in the terrifying ambiguity of medical uncertainty, or to weep in times of crushing heartbreak. There may not be any answers, but there can be another person walking the journey with you, reminding you that you are not alone, pointing to the ultimate reality that God is with you, even in the midst of suffering and pain.
No comments:
Post a Comment