We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. – Romans 8:22-23
There’s a phrase I hear fairly consistently these days (maybe the last couple of years’ worth of days): “There’s a lot going on…” The speaker could be referring to their personal lives, the lives of close friends/family, the nation, the world, or a combination of some or all of the above. I don’t think I’ve heard someone use this phrase positively. It is often accompanied by a groan, perhaps a rueful chuckle, and sometimes welling tears.
There’s a lot going on.
Between climate change, wars and rumours of wars, oil prices, gas shortages, inflation, recessions, housing crises, healthcare systems buckling and the ongoing pandemic, it’s hard to know which news story to read first (or whether it’s best just to ignore them all). Many of us have had to deal with additional pressure at work as our colleagues succumb to covid or the flu, and then have to deal sickness in our own households, along with the lingering symptoms that drain. Some of us may be beginning to feel financial stress in an uncertain economy.
There’s a lot going on.
The truth of Paul’s groaning resonates. We feel it, don’t we? Things are not as they should be. Something in us cries out against all that is wrong. Even those who don’t know Christ cry out against it; how much more do the children of God rail against what we know was not God’s intention for us?
But even our groans are hope-filled because we wait eagerly, looking forward to what is to come. There is something to come. The pains and suffering of this life are not for nothing. They are the birth pains of the glory that is to come. We endure them with hope, as a woman in labour who knows that the incredible pain and effort, the struggle that may seem unending, will result in new life, a precious baby. This is the reason that Paul considers that our present sufferings are not worth comparing to the future glory that will be revealed: new life.
Even as we groan inwardly amidst the stresses and sufferings of this world, we have the Holy Spirit, giving us a foretaste of what perfection and glory is to come. He has testified already with our spirits that we are children of God, adopted into His family, loved by Him as our Father. But we don’t yet live in the fullness of this glorious reality. He (the Spirit) gives us a preview of what it will be, so that we can look forward with eager expectation to that time of final consummation.
This is so gracious of our God.
For us to be able to look forward to something, we have to be able to grasp, even in a small way, the reality of that future event. Children don’t look forward to Christmas or birthdays until they have enough understanding of what those occasions mean to build a sense of anticipation. How does the anticipation of your birthday party put all other chores and irritations into perspective? It is “worth” sharing your toys, it is “worth” eating your vegetables, for the sake of the party that is to come. In a similar (but infinitely greater way), as the Holy Spirit gives us a taste of the life to come, where we will know perfection, freedom, exuberantly joyful love, we also can put into perspective the hurts and worries and groans of this life as we eagerly anticipate the one to come.
Often, I know I can try to deal with the groanings of this life through distraction. I don’t want to take the time to deal with the issue, to process my response. I want to ignore it. An article in The Age this weekend was entitled, “Feeling stressed? Baking shows are the TV meditation you need”. I felt convicted. Baking shows (or whatever may be your poison) will only seem to soothe, but eventually only leave you with a greater hopelessness. There is no answer there. It is a black hole that holds out a promise but will demand your life in payment for the nothingness it offers.
This is not what God calls us to. His answer is not for us to bury our heads in the sand. We groan. We feel the pain, the tension, the stress. We feel how incredibly not-right things are and process our response in the light of our foretaste of eternity. The answer is not to shut down or shut out our emotions. The answer is not to make light of real pain and suffering. The answer is to weigh this suffering against the glory which is to come.
Prayer focus:
- Praise God that through the Holy Spirit, He has given us a foretaste of the glory that is to come
- Are you feeling burdened and weighed down? Take your burdens to God and share them with some trusted friends who can pray with you and for you
- Pray that we would be compassionate towards those who are suffering, even as we learn how to put our personal sufferings into the perspective of eternity
