“Love runs through us through veins of suffering.”- Ann Voskamp
Ann Voskamp continues Chapter 13 of The Broken Way by reminding us all who love ultimately suffer. Most noteworthy, when God beckoned “you shall love your neighbor,” He knew we’d also keep suffering in keeping His commandment to love. Still, Jesus gave that command.
Author Nicholas Wolterstorff observes that the burning core of suffering consists of love. However, our suffering God pulls close at our call. Therefore, we need not feel alone. Yet, Ann reminds us, we have a choice:
“We can receive if we want — there is always more God (emphasis author’s). In tears is intimacy. God understands because He stands with us.”
Furthermore, Ann reiterates that the word suffer comes form the Latin “to bear under.” Therefore, through suffering we bear under that adversity which we cannot control- an act of surrender. Ann then focuses on additional aspects of suffering. Suffering:
- asks us to bear under that which ultimately isn’t under our control- proving to us we have zero control
- begs us to surrender so we obtain greater wisdom, deeper strength, and closer intimacy
- says we cannot bear our cross alone; we must bear the vulnerability and intimacy of koinonia as well as bear depending on Jesus
In conclusion, Ann states the everlasting arms of One in control enable us to bear under that adversity beyond our control. God never lets us go. When we depend on our Christian faith community, Ann says, we’re “carried by the crossbeam of the cosmos- koinonia.”
Today’s question: Following your ministry downsizing or vocation loss, how has love run through the veins of suffering? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “A willingness to be inconvenienced”
