Category Archives: Suffering

A Wintry Mix

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Today outside my windows is something weathermen call a “wintry mix.” This forecast includes a potpourri of snow, rain, sleet, ice, and hazardous driving conditions. Welcome to late-winter in the Midwest.

We’ve all heard the description of March as “in like a lion and out like a lamb,” and the weather can’t get much more beastly than it is today.

IMG_5185But on my front door is a wooden plaque that says, “Winter Welcome.” I won it in a Christmas grab bag 16 years ago and like to display it until winter finds its way out of the neighborhood. I’m not sure if the plaque is meant to welcome wintertime visitors or to welcome winter itself, but if it’s the latter, I’m going to take it down. Winter and its “wintry mix” has worn out its welcome.

Often we feel this same way about life’s struggles, especially the ones that are long-lasting and particularly harsh. It’s easy to become immersed in the misery of our troubles, and just when we think things can’t get any worse, they do. Like the deep snow outside my windows is getting slammed with an ice-coating today, a season of suffering makes us ask, “What next? Will this season never end?”

Traveling through life’s “winters” reminds me of C. S. Lewis’ books about Narnia, a magical land “where it’s always winter but never Christmas.” In other words, all the negatives of winter dominated Narnia without even the Christmas season to bring light and warmth.

Against all odds, though, Narnia’s 100-year winter did eventually melt into springtime, and it had everything to do with a lion named Aslan. In Lewis’ allegorical story, Aslan represented Jesus Christ, the only One who could rid Narnia of the evil White Witch and her desire to keep Narnia trapped in the debilitating deep freeze of winter.

AslanBut Aslan was “on the move,” and as he was, Narnia began to thaw. The warmth of spring came to the world and ruin came to the wintry White Witch.

As we slog through circumstances that feel like we’re trudging through hip-deep snow, we should remember that the Lord will, indeed, bring an end to our “wintry mix.” Along with a new season, he’ll bring relief and warmth. That’s because Jesus is on the move in our world much like Aslan was moving through Narnia. The big difference is that Aslan was a fantasy; Jesus is real.

Though our problems often come to us much like March comes “in like a lion,” according to God’s control of the calendar, they will “go out like a lamb.” And isn’t it interesting that two of the names of Jesus in Scripture are “The Lion of Judah” and “The Lamb of God.”

We go into our struggles with The Lion and move out of them with The Lamb.

“Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons….” (Daniel 2:21-22)

Watch out!

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The other day I bought a piece of glass that had a warning attached to it: “This glass may have sharp edges.”

???????????????????????????????The company wanted to make sure every person who purchased their product would be thoroughly informed, so it printed the warning in 19 languages. In other words, it was made as easy as possible for consumers to stay safe.

God has done the same thing with his warnings, not necessarily with 19 languages in one document, but definitely with words. In the Bible he repeats warnings over and over in an effort to persuade us, wanting us to avoid mishaps just like the glass company does.

For some people, listening is all the caution they need to stay out of trouble. God says, “Watch out!” and they do. Others consider themselves the one exception to every rule and plow past warning signs, assuming nothing untoward is going to happen. They figure the odds are in their favor. Still others believe that most warnings are exaggerations, and on that basis they can be disregarded.

But when God says “don’t” followed by “if you do,” it’s more than just a casual suggestion. He’s really saying, “Don’t hurt yourself by doing such and such. Your life will turn out better if you follow the water-tight counsel I’m giving you. Ignore it to your own peril.” Yet setting aside the “peril” part, we can be pros at the ignoring.

Whatever God says goes, and once he has told us to “Watch out,” if we haven’t, he usually lets us find out why we should have. But lest we think all his advice is “you’d better not,” he’s quick to include plenty of “how about this?”

Scripture includes far more positive promises than worrisome warnings. Instead of, “Don’t do this” God often says, “Do this…. and then watch my blessing flow!” So we can either “Watch out!” or just “Watch….” If we heed the warnings and claim the promises, it’s win-win.

As for that sheet of glass with its 19 warnings, I was so intent on studying the different languages that I cut myself on its sharp edges.

“Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.” (Proverbs 11:14)

Mary continues…

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Yesterday we got a glimpse into what Mary is thinking these days. In one sense, she’s waiting. Most of us bristle at having to wait for almost anything, but waiting for deadly cancer to show itself is possibly the worst wait there is.

Yet through these uncertain days, Mary’s faith has remained certain. Today she describes her lowest cancer-related moment and what she did to get past it:

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Practically every Christian has memorized Romans 8:28: “All things work together for good to them that love God.” But life offers up all kinds of “things” that can’t possibly result in anything good. At least that’s our perspective going through them. But God’s Word is true no matter what we think.

All of us experience dark days when it seems life can’t get any worse. My most recent experience with that occurred on the day I learned I had pancreatic cancer.

My lowest point came when I realized I had to call each of our 7 children with the bad news. As they wept and agonized over my dim prognosis, I wept, too. What mother wants to call their children and strike them with pain like that? What mother wants to make her grown children cry?

Though I knew in my head that having cancer wasn’t my fault or my choice, at that low moment it felt like I was responsible for the pain my children were feeling. And since they weren’t coping well, neither was I. It was one of the darkest days of my life.

But God comes close to the brokenhearted. In the middle of nearly unbearable pain, he puts his arms around us by way of Scripture and offers practical help, personalized to our needs. When I was suffering most, I heard God’s whisper into my soul: “All things will work together for good. Even this.”

I couldn’t see it then or even for days afterwards, but now, at the one year point, I can see how he kept his promise. Here’s some of it:

Family, friends, and even strangers began lifting my name and my family’s names to the Lord for his immediate help. Many promised to pray for me not just once but every day! Others sent cards, emails, Bible verses, encouraging words of all kinds… by the hundreds! A year later, it hasn’t stopped.

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But there’s more. My children came and are still coming from far and wide, again and again, supporting their parents and also each other. My grandchildren have spoken tender words of love to me. And we’ve all gained a broader perspective on eternity, connecting it in new ways to life on earth.

I’ve received visitors bringing gifts, food, and especially a desire to pray over me, calling out for strength and encouragement, which then traveled from God through them and into me.

God has blessed me with more good days than bad this year, and several days were downright spectacular! I got to welcome two new grandbabies and see a daughter get married. It was an important year full of family joy.

Best of all, though, my terminal diagnosis drove me to God and his Word like never before. I’ve leaned on him harder than at any other time in my life and have soaked my brain in Scripture. He taught me how to take full advantage of his promises and gave me a golden opportunity to testify to others that the supernatural peace the Bible promises is available even in the middle of terminal cancer.

And all of this is God “working things together for good.”

[ Tomorrow Mary will share how she resists the enemy’s desire to make her fearful. ]

“I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear; but now my eye sees You.” (Job 42:5)