“All roads lead through suffering to seeing Him as our only Home. All roads with the Way Himself are the Via Dolorosa, the Way of Suffering, the way that Jesus carried His cross through Old Jerusalem to Calvary. Only the way of suffering will lead us home. Everything else is mirage.”- Ann Voskamp
Ann Voskamp concludes Chapter 5 of WayMaker as she observes that we most question the idea that God’s the embodiment of kindest love. Hence, we find ourselves most suspicious. And we keep doubting along the way.
As a result, we speak of God’s kind love, but we live as if we can’t trust Him. Also, we talk about God as our Father, who stands between us and the world like a protective old bear. Yet, we often live like He’s hibernating. In addition, while we claim safe oneness with God, we view Him as unreliable.
However, Ann notes, through our adoption as God’s children He draws a picture of the way life looks with Him. As the author explains:
“I can feel the whole meaning of life shifting: The only place we ever need to arrive at is where we fall in love with God, who suffers with us. . . . God’s curled around us, especially when we’re curled in a fetal ball. . . . We’ve arrived when we’ve come to the place that keeps tracing our name engraved on the back of His hand.”
Certainly, Ann states, it’s important that we’re made right with God as we navigate through life. Above all, though, it’s of greatest importance that God adopts us as His very own children – as a way of life.
In conclusion, Ann asserts that the hellish roads aren’t the ones of suffering. Rather, the hellish roads consist of those roads that suffer from lovelessness. So, we may not know what the road we currently travel holds. But, we do know that whatever that road holds, Jesus = our road. And He holds!
Today’s question: Do you agree with Ann that all roads lead through suffering? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Receptivity + activity = life”
