Life's Inanities and Ironies

  Primary Scripture: Hebrews 12:15; Ephesians 4:31-32 “Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.” “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” Few experiences provide more fertile soil for bitterness than prolonged recovery or permanent disability. The loss of independence, the alteration of plans, the awkwardness of others, the perceived silence of God—all of these can nourish a root that eventually defiles many. Bitterness rarely stays contained. It spills into relationships, into prayer, and into the atmosphere of the home and church. Hebrews warns that this root springs up when a person fails of the grace of God—when he stops drawing on the grace that is available and begins to demand that circum...

“Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” “Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary… And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.” Recovery and disability are not private matters. They are opportunities for the local church to demonstrate the reality of the body of Christ. When one member suffers, the whole body is affected. When the church fails to respond, the suffering member is left isolated, and the testimony of the gospel is weakened. Bearing burdens is practical. It includes meals prepared and delivered, transportation to medical appointments, help with household tasks that have become difficult, assistance with medical supplies or paperwork, and simple presence. It also includes spiritual care: reading Scripture, praying, listening without offering quick fixes, and gently guarding the recovering believer from unnecessary demands. The...

  Primary Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” Paul’s thorn was not removed. Three times he pleaded with the Lord for deliverance, and three times the answer was no. Instead of removal, Paul received a greater revelation: God’s grace is sufficient, and His strength reaches its full expression precisely in human weakness. This is one of the most important truths a recovering or disabled believer can embrace. The world, and sometimes the church, measures strength by independence, productivity, and physical capability. Scripture measures strength by the degree to which a person depends upon Christ. When the body is limited, the i...

  Primary Scripture: John 9:1-3; Exodus 4:11 “And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.” “And the Lord said unto him, Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the Lord?” Some surgeries restore full function. Others leave permanent change: reduced mobility, chronic pain, an ostomy, sensory loss, or diminished stamina. The initial relief that the procedure is over is soon replaced by the sobering realization that life will not return to what it was. This is the moment when many believers face a crisis of identity and purpose. Jesus’ disciples assumed disability must be the direct result of personal or parental sin. Jesus corrected them sharply. The man’s blindness was not a ...