I was wondering what I wrote for the blog one year ago today, so I looked it up in the archives. As you know, usually whatever I’m reading will find its way out through my fingers. Exactly one year ago, I was reading Suffering and the Sovereignty of God. Consequently, that post had to do with that book. Specifically, a small part of an interview between John Piper and Justin Taylor that is included at the end of that wonderful book. How do we prepare ourselves for suffering? And not just suffering, but suffering well? Suffering for the glory of God? Suffering and treasuring Christ at the same time?

Well, I haven’t suffered enough to have any answers to those questions. My “answers” are still just theories I have yet to live out. However, I know many of you have suffered. And done so to God’s glory. I know some women who are this day going through their own trials, and I think about them.

Today, my cousin Amanda will be going to the hospital for major surgery. And our Aunt Sandy is traveling hundreds of miles to help care for her and the children.

Amanda has experienced her share of suffering in her short life. It is her story to tell, and I don’t know the half of it nor do I have her permission, so I’ll just tell the parts that leave me in awe of her. First of all, marrying a man who is in the military is nothing to sneeze at. I guess our cousin Parker was just too handsome to resist. Not long after their wedding (a little over a year maybe), she had to say goodbye to her husband as Parker left for his first tour of duty in Iraq. He was a member of the 3rd Infantry, and rolled into Iraq on a tank at the very beginning of the Iraq stage of America’s war against terror. (No kidding–we’d stay up late at night on the off-chance of seeing him on the news with one of those embedded reporters). He missed birthdays, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the birth of their first child. He came home for a year, and then had to go back for another year. Y’all, he “lived” in Baghdad. Can you imagine?! We are so thankful that it pleased God to bring him back home safely a second time! Through both tours, Amanda showed such strength and dignity; she bore it well. And just a few months ago, they welcomed home their second child. Amanda has been suffering physical pain for quite some time now (again, I don’t feel at liberty to give details). And her doctors feel that surgery is the best course of action. To hear it described, it sounds pretty invasive and dangerous, rather exploratory. So, I’m asking you to please pray for her, the doctors, and the rest of her family.

And here is that post from one year ago today:

In Your Face

Karl and I always have our noses in a book. We read separately and we read to each other. I mentioned in a previous post that I had received a box of books for review. The box contained the two most recent John Piper books, Suffering and the Sovereignty of God and What Jesus Demands from the World, Redemptive Suffering by Leslie Montgomery, and How to Pray for Your Wife by Mark A. Weathers. I’m looking forward to comparing the two books on suffering. Piper’s book on suffering is based on the talks given at the 2005 Desiring God conference, and includes chapters by Mark Talbot, John Piper, Stephen F. Saint, Carl F. Ellis, Jr., David Powlison, Dustin Shramek, and Joni Eareckson Tada. The appendices includes “Don’t Waste Your Cancer” (by Piper and Powlison) and an interview with John Piper conducted by Justin Taylor. This is, perhaps, the best work on suffering I’ve ever read. It is weighty! The testimonies are honest. The pain these individuals live with is not glossed over like it doesn’t matter because “God is good.” My official review will come later, but I mention it because I read the interview to Karl while on our way to the concert last Wednesday night.

The final question from Justin Taylor reads, “What are you doing in your own life to prepare for suffering and death? And how do you counsel all of us here to prepare for suffering and death–whether we’re in the final chapters of life or young people not knowing when the Lord will take us or what he will give us? How do you prepare for suffering and death?”

Piper has many wonderful things to say to answer this question, but the part of his answer that I want to mention today is this: “The list of ways to prepare ourselves to suffer well goes on and on…We are all vulnerable to drifting away from the living Christ if we don’t have people in our lives getting in our face to tell us the truth about God when we can’t see the truth, especially the truth that’s uncomfortable to us.”

Why don’t we do this? Are we afraid of hurting feelings? Are we at a loss for words? Do we not know the truth ourselves? Do we just assume that our friends know better? I know that at my lowest point, up to my eyeballs in open sin, no one came to me and said, “What are you thinking?! You are ruining your life! Do you know what the Bible says about your way of life? Let me share something with you…” Or, “I know your situation looks really bleak, but let me share some scripture with you.”

I guess you can only do this with certain people. I don’t, and can’t, have a relationship like that with everyone, but I must have one or two people in my life who can speak the uncomfortable truths to me when I’m “vulnerable to drifting away.” I have tried to cultivate relationships like this with other women for years, but I have not met one who can do this. Most of the time, when I share with a woman a struggle I am having, rather than sharing an uncomfortable truth, she will pat me on the back and tell me she understands. For example, I shared with a small group of women that I would like for them to pray for me to fight idleness in my life. My reading of the scriptures tell me that idleness is evil. Well, these ladies told me, “you need to relax. You have four children and there are going to be days that you don’t get anything done.” In no way did I imply that my biggest problem was that I didn’t get anything done. In no way did I mean that I was tired all day. I opened myself up and shared a struggle with sin and all I got was “relax.”

Why do so many people relax in the face of sin? Is it because we think we’re doing pretty good? Laziness isn’t that bad? Do we care so little for one another? Is it because God is not seen as holy? Do we have such a low view of God? One day we are going to find out differently and wish we had been more serious about one another and our sanctification. I need a friend who isn’t afraid to get in my face with uncomfortable truths and help me on my way to Heaven.

Who’s helping you? What are your thoughts?

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