When Hell Hopes You'll Quit

One of the most confounding things about God is that He allows us to suffer. I wish I could give you the "whys and wherefores" of that, some concise reconciliation of a loving God and our terrible suffering, but I can't. What I can say is that He didn't even spare Jesus, His Son, from dying on a cross for you and me. In this imperfect, fallen world in which we live, it's pretty obvious that suffering is an essential part of loving. In 1967, at age 17, Joni Eareckson Tadawas paralysed from the neck down in a diving accident. For years, she pleaded with God to heal her. He didn't — at least not physically. But through her weakness, something extraordinary happened. Joni became a speaker, author, and advocate for people with disabilities. She paints with her mouth. She leads a global ministry. And through decades of pain, she's lived out these words: 2 Corinthians 12:8-10 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (ESV) Both the Apostle Paul, who wrote that, and, centuries later, Joni, discovered in their own experience that true strength doesn't come from ourselves or our circumstances, but from Christ dwelling within us. Your biggest weakness, your biggest character flaw, your biggest limitation is the very place where His strength shows up and shines. Bottom line: in Christ, you're much stronger than you think, because His grace is sufficient for you. That's God's Word. Fresh … for you … today.