Redemption and VIP Suffering

I always feel a little uncomfortable talking about how Christians should respond to suffering. I mean, I can tell you what the Bible says about how you should face it, but honestly, I've been blessed with a life that (relative to many) has measured pretty low on the suffering scale. In light of this, my words ring a little hollow even to myself. I can only wonder how they sound to one who is actually going through the pain of life's trials.

Susan Maynor is a friend of ours from our old church in St. Louis. She is much more of an authority on the subject. About five years ago she was widowed when her husband lost his battle with cancer, leaving her with two young sons. I was quite impressed then (and have been ever since) at the faith Susan displayed as she walked through this experience.

A couple weeks ago Susan remarried. Many of us sent our congratulations via facebook. I was especially touched when I read her response to the bevy of messages she had received: "Thank you for all the congrats--so lovely--how I'm blessed and humbled by the sweet, sweet hand of redemption."

And today, I am once more impressed, as in her blog she reflects on the idea of suffering like a VIP. Susan rightly considers her suffering not in a vacuum, but ponders it within the context of the sufferings of Christ in his work of redemption. As she does, she asks, "Can I really get it if I am comfortable, avoiding suffering of any kind?" She answers her own question:

Not really.

Though I don’t have nor will ever know nails in my hands or thorns on my head, the more I lose and suffer in this world, the more I gain in understanding the redemption story. The more I get how truly redemptive it is that I got married again. Or that my children now have a father who can coach baseball and grill hot dogs.

The more I walk this journey, the more I know I need to follow him no matter what because suffering is about as VIP as I can get.

You can read the whole post here.