A Place of Healing: Wrestling with the Mysteries of Suffering, Pain and God’s Sovereignty
A brief book review with prayer for the sick
We have all asked the question, “If there is a God, why is there suffering?” But how often have we asked, “If there is no God, why are there people who still believe in Him despite all of their sufferings and pain?”
After reading the book, A Place of Healing: Wrestling with the Mysteries of Suffering, Pain and God’s Sovereignty by Joni Eareckson Tada, I have learned of one such person who continues to believe in God despite her tremendous pain.
Because of a diving accident, Joni has lived as a quadriplegic for decades that has kept her mostly in her wheelchair, and recently, she has suffered tremendous pangs of pain from a fracture at the back of her spine. Despite all of these however, she continues to have faith. In fact, her faith becomes even more deeper as she clings to God more tightly in her dependency upon His Grace.
Below are just some of the excerpts in the book:
“Whatever you want, Lord…whether I jump out of my wheelchair pain free and tell people that my healing is genuine evidence of God’s awesome power… or whether I continue smiling in my chair, not in spite of my pain but because of it, knowing I’ve got lessons to learn, a character to be honed, other wounded people to identify with, a hurting world to reach with the gospel, and a suffering Savior with whom I can enjoy greater intimacy. And every bit of it genuine evidence of God’s love and grace.”
“To this point, as I pen this chapter, He has chosen not to heal me, but to hold me. The more intense the pain, the closer His embrace.”
How could we ignore such words? How could we not notice the kind of faith that lives within a heart that suffers from so much pain?
It is so difficult to believe when one is suffering , but I guess it is more difficult not to believe a person who keeps on believing despite her pain. That is the reason I wanted to share this book with you, so may be blessed by it and by Joni’s story, as it has blessed me.
It is true that we are God’s beloved children, and that by all means, we expect our Father to love us and provide us with everything we need. But even in the seeming absence of riches, and even in the presence of pain, we cannot conclude that God isn’t there anymore, and that He doesn’t love us anymore.
We are after all, still mere pilgrims in this world. This is not yet the end. In fact, this is still a battlefield where we continue to fight for everything we hold dear.
These are Joni’s own words:
“At different times in my life I’ve enjoyed the old pictures of Jesus cradling cute lambs or walking around with blow-dried hair, clad in a white robe looking like it just arrived from the dry cleaner. But these days, these warfare days, those old images just don’t cut it for me. I need a battlefield Jesus at my side down here in the dangerous, often messy trenches of daily life. I need Jesus the rescuer, ready to wade through the pain, death, and hell itself to find me, grasp my hand, and bring me safely through.”
A Prayer for the Sick
Lord, we lift up to You today every person whose painful sickness is a prayer. Through mysteries yet to be revealed and Your wisdom that is beyond our reach, they suffer daily in body and in soul. We offer to You as a sacrifice, their every trial as well as the suffering of their loved ones.
Through them, O Lord, we see the suffering of Christ Himself. May they find consolation in His wounds and strength in His loving gaze.
May His resurrection bring them courage, and His mercy give light in their darkest nights.
We offer them to You as an incense that reaches up to the very heavens. May their tears be pure and their faith be firm.
May they endure their cross knowing that they are never alone.
In Your passion, O Lord, you have carried us all and shared our every burden.
May we not be crushed by despair nor be thrown down by the foe. But rather, may we rise in holiness and hope, holding on to You, both now and forevermore. Amen.
Note: I received an advanced review copy of the above book. I will also receive an affiliate commission from Amazon for every purchase of the said book through this post.
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