Getting into the mindset and the head of the apostle Paul is rather uncomfortable at times. It’s uncomfortable because we like ourselves the way we are. That’s to say that we are comfortable with what we’ve got now. In one sense we assume we have enough strength to do what we need to do, thatContinue reading “Productive Suffering”
Category Archives: Suffering
Death Make Life More and Less Serious
They say that death is the ultimate equaliser. But in life, death can be a helpful reorganise.
Remembering Ellie
This week my husband and I remember the birth, life and passing of our first child and daughter, Ellie. It’s strange to think that it’s been a year. Recently my husband reminded me of something that Mark Thompson, the principal of our theological college wrote to us at the time: “Take hold of the GodContinue reading “Remembering Ellie”
Comparing our Sufferings
When we go through suffering we often compare our suffering to someone else’s. We do this for a few reasons I think. Sometimes we are just trying to be polite as we confront someone who has suffered what we perceive as ‘more’. Sometimes we think it can help us get a perspective on our sufferingContinue reading “Comparing our Sufferings”
Grief in a ‘pleasure v pain’ world
Mark Vroegop in his book on lament “Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy” writes this, “Finding an explanation or a quick solution for grief, while an admirable goal, can circumvent the opportunity afforded in lament – to give a person permission to wrestle with sorrow instead of rushing to end it.” (p.19) This quote got me thinkingContinue reading “Grief in a ‘pleasure v pain’ world”
To Ponder Suffering
As I ponder upon the magnitude and intensity of human suffering – specifics, generalisations, through history, at this very moment – I shake my head. Sometimes there are no words. Who can truly fathom it? Who can really give an exhaustive answer? Only God. In our limited experience we can do not much more thanContinue reading “To Ponder Suffering”
Bigvai and Shiphrah 