Uncomfortable Grace

Grace brings my heart back to You through providential affliction. -paraphrase from The Valley of Vision

Difficulty in life makes me think God isn’t paying attention and the bad guys are winning. As God’s child, I think my life should be easy, predictable and comfortable. I begin doubting God’s goodness and quit going to him for help. God allows difficulties in my life because he wants to use them to complete his work in my heart. He is after full ownership of my heart. He wants to fill me so completely that I don’t have any fear, shame or doubt left. He wants to make me whole. “We cry out for God’s grace and we get it - but it’s not the grace that we’re looking for. We want the grace of relief or release. We get those in little pieces, but largely they are yet to come. What we really need right now is the grace of transformation.” -paraphrase and quote from New Morning Mercies by Paul David Tripp

God’s grace is often uncomfortable, afflicting grace. He brings challenges, suffering and discomfort into our lives to reveal our secret sins and subtle idols. He afflicts us so he can put to death our old naked, hiding selves and instead make us into his image. He wounds us so he can heal us, so he can make us whole. It is far from pleasant but if we make it through, we are grateful for how much stronger and healthier we are.

A key concept here is “if we make it through.” How often have I cried out for relief and railed against God for “holding out on me?” How often have I been wounded by a friend and held on to my wounds and bitterness until I became poisoned by them. Richard Rohr says, 

“If we do not transform our pain, we will most assuredly transmit it."

Rohr continues that all pain and suffering is potentially redemptive. All wounds are potentially sacred wounds. The outcome depends on what we do with our affliction. Do we turn to God and ask for deep soul healing or do we turn on God and accuse him? Christianity is about transforming people so that we don’t keep handing the pain on to the next generation. We only have to look as far as Jesus to see a perfect example of one who suffered unjustly. He did not deserve that cruel death and yet he found a way to forgive his enemies. His life-giving, grace-giving sacrifice has been transforming people for centuries. 

We have to make a choice. We can continue living as victims and allow bitterness to poison us. In doing so we will most assuredly make victims of others. Or we can let God’s afflicting grace bring our hearts back to Him and be made, not only whole, but into a free conduit of grace in this world.