March 28: Pain and Suffering

Pain and suffering, of course, come to everyone, whether we are good, bad, or indifferent. Our nation is experiencing an epidemic of violence these days, the tragedy in Nashville, TN is just the latest episode, so to speak. Please join us in praying for the families and communities involved. Please ask, too, how much of this senseless violence will have to visit us before we do what we must do to protect our children. Are we really willing to live as if guns are more important than kids?

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A step removed from the pain and suffering of gun violence is the day-to-day pain and suffering we all endure. We face trials and difficulties in our families, among our friends, from our aging bodies, and from unfulfilled expectations. In the book The Road Less Traveled, the author, M. Scott Peck, says “life is difficult.” That’s not especially profound, but what he also says is that once we accept that life is difficult, it’s not so difficult!

Who has not felt on occasion that life is not fair? Who has not thought that if we do what God wants, God should do what we want? Well, sometimes God does and sometimes God doesn’t … at least not on our schedule or according to our expectations. The Letter to the Hebrews (12, 1-4) encourages us to never grow despondent, but to keep alive in us the hope of eternal joy that God has promised us. “Keep hope alive!”

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