29 December

On the Journey

                            Hope—the gift of adversity!

              Every athlete has heard the phrase, “No pain—no gain.” For many athletes, this phrase embodies an absolute truth. They monitor the effectiveness of their workouts by the depth of the pain they experience.  If injured, they play through pain. They believe that pain shapes character. With character, they believe they will persevere through any trial and finish their event regardless of the obstacles they may encounter. For many athletes, perfection or winning is not everything. They complete for the love of the sport and the joy of the challenge.

              Athletes understand the significance of pain as they pursue athletic performance. They do not fear pain. Injuries are realities to be faced, accepted, and overcome. There are athletes who reached their peak performance after they sustained a potentially career-ending injury.

              When I think of athletes enduring pain in the quest of performance, I understand why the Apostle Paul was so often tempted to use a sports metaphor. As you will remember, Paul wrote about fighting the good fight, running the race, and persevering to the end of the contest. He envisioned winning a crown that would not perish. So very often, Paul wrote of rejoicing in his sufferings as he sought to be obedient to Christ Jesus.

              Paul’s perspective is certainly quite different from our assumptions about how one matures spiritually. Somehow, we have come to believe that the life of faith is something that just happens. Many of us cannot put suffering and faith together. Yet, Paul sees suffering as our first teacher. It is in the face of adversity that we grow spiritually. In Romans 5, Paul describes this spiritual reality: “. . . but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces character, and character produces  hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.” [5:3-5] There it is—a truth not only for athletic performance but also for spiritual growth—suffering [pain] produces character. Character nurtures hope, and hope gives birth to an unfailing trust in the love of God.

              As 2009 passes away and 2010 approaches, I am exhausted—I cannot lie. Yet, I have a strength I did not know existed. The trials, the sufferings, and the anguish of this past year have been severe. The pain of this past year has taught me to endure despite the events of any given day. On the morning after the fire, I accepted the reality that I must now endure a crisis I never imagined facing. I have done as I have advised many of you now immersed in grief to do—“do the next thing, one day at a time.”  Endurance does produce character—for me as an individual and for members of the body of Christ called Immanuel. Through this season of displacement, I have grown stronger even when I felt I was the weakest I have ever been. I believe that despite the frustrations we have known as a congregation, in these days since the fire, we, too, have grown stronger in the face of adversity.

              I sense, too, that through the sufferings and adversity God is forging in us a new character. After this past year, we will not be the same church or the same people. The fire and our sufferings have changed us. There is now present among us an experience of both love and unity that is real, comforting and assuring. God has tenderly led us through this season, and we have become a more gracious and tender people. In this season of suffering, we have learned to trust God in every situation. If we had trusted in ourselves, despair would have overtaken us long ago.

              Having made it through this long season, I am exhausted, but I am hopeful. I have learned that one must face a certain amount of hopelessness before hope rises. Yes, sometimes the night is darkest before the dawn. At this moment, I can truthfully say I have never been more hopeful about life and about the future of Immanuel. I do believe, with all my being, that God has new plans for us. In the past months, we have been in the refiner’s fire. God himself has purified us, and we are stronger and more precious.

              And, now, a new reality is pressing upon my mind and heart. The journey through suffering to endurance, to character, and to hope finally ends at a greater awareness of God’s love. This love tends, mends, and restores. This love liberates and celebrates. This love is not mine, neither you nor I have created this love. It is the gift of the Holy Spirit. It is the work of grace upon our hearts.

              As I prepare for 2010, I am praying this prayer for our life together. “Lord, may we become a loving place known in our community for our love for one another. May we become a place where people are graciously accepted, so they may experience your gracious power to forgive, mend, heal, and restore.  As we live together, may our lives be transformed by your loving presence. May we faithfully follow you wherever you may lead us. Amen.”

On this journey together, I pray our single quest will be to become like Jesus. Yes, I believe in 2010 a new people of God called Immanuel will enter a new sanctuary to fulfill a new destiny ordained by God. In time, we will come to accept the pains of adversity as the birth of a new future. You see, as 2010 begins, I am possessed by hope! I have come to this hope the hard way—through sufferings. Thanks be to God, for He is good!jamie