Thursday, October 24, 2013

Christian platitudes and bumper-sticker theology

The Charming and Beautiful Susan shared the following article from Nate Pyle with me today. This is the most refreshing perspective on suffering I've read in a long time.

The past three weeks have been the most difficult I have ever gone through. These three weeks have been filled with illness, the terrible-three’s (the terrible-two’s are an out-and-out lie), a friend suffering the consequence of sin, a ministry I am a part of reeling in confusion and pain, having to cancel a trip to celebrate my parents 60th birthdays, and our family experiencing the emotional roller-coaster of finding out we were pregnant only to be told the pregnancy was ectopic and could be life-threatening to my wife if it was not ended. Needless to say, I have had enough. I know I am not alone. As trying as the last three weeks have been for me, I know some people who have dealt with far more for far longer. But that doesn’t change the fact that this has been painful for me and my wife. In the face of all this, I can honestly say I feel no pressure to be the “pastor” and have the answer for this. Honestly, even as a pastor, I have no answer for this. My questions before God about the reality of what my family has experienced over the last three weeks are the exact same questions anyone would ask.  
Why? 
Why not step in? 
Why not act? 
Why wouldn’t you make it right? 
Why couldn’t you part the clouds and provide a moment for us to catch our breath? 
Why everything at once? 
Why? 
Not only am I okay asking those questions, but I think there is something holy and sacred in being courageous enough to ask them. Don’t be fooled, those questions are only to be asked by the courageous. It is easy to spout trite Christian platitudes designed to make people feel better with bumper-sticker theology. But insipid axioms do little in the face of the actual brokenness of the world. It is more courageous to ask the hard questions of God and wait for him to answer than it is to find hope on the side of coffee mug. Asking those questions requires courage because, in the end, it is very likely they will not be answered.

 - Read the rest of this article here --> http://natepyle.com/confronting-the-lie-god-wont-give-you-more-than-you-can-handle/