One of my favorite movies of all time is Steel Magnolias. I think I love this movie because it is a story of 4 strong southern women and their triumph over adversity…together. Being from the south I feel a special kinship to the scenery, the big hair, the accents, and the sassy old ladies!! The movie is FULL of quotes worth using over and over again but one that I especially love is this; “That which doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.”
We have all had times in life where we thought we could just die; in those times we feel like it would just be easier if we did. Even Paul talks about his feeling of death in 2 Corinthians 1:8
We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we
suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far
beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life.
suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far
beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life.
I think I can speak for the majority of the squad when I say that we have faced our share of hardships in the province of Asia. We, as a squad, have seen sickness, hospital stays, spiritual battles, personal demons, opposition at borders, and served in ministries where we see death of innocence on a daily basis. The desire to give up could easily overtake anyone of us; we could get angry and cry out for death to just get it over with. We could ask the age old question of why bad things happen to good people? We could choose to work for a change in our own strength; we could choose to give up on a God who doesn’t seem to be doing anything…Why do we have to deal with the issues that Asia has presented? Why do we have to deal with the skeletons in our own closets? Why do we have to experience any of it in the first place?
Paul answered those questions with this answer in 2 Corinthians 1:3-7
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who
comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any
trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If
we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are
comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient
endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.
comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any
trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If
we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are
comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient
endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.
Verse 9 has been written on my heart since the first time I saw it; sitting on the steps in front of my college dorm too many years ago and with a storm sneaking up on the horizon. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened
that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.
that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.
So how do we not despair even of life? We know that our God is our VICTORIOUS WARRIOR. There are times when we still have to battle against depression, secrecy, bitterness, anger, resentment, and feelings of inadequacy. But, through every trial God has shown Himself faithful. We have seen Him fight the battles that we have seemingly lost; we have seen Him bring redemption in places that were long forgotten and hidden in darkness. We have watched Him make right that which was bent on being wrong. He comforts us so that we can comfort the lost and hurting world. He works everything to the good; He offers healing to each of us so that we can show others that it’s possible, and maybe, be blessed enough to help them take steps in their own healing.
Another important principle of the movie that I don’t want to overlook is the fact that the ladies have each other. God does not mean for man (or woman) to be alone. I don’t think He meant purely in the “marital” sense of alone. I believe He also knew the importance of having tangible help through the trials of life. He knows what it is like to live this life. He understands that a lot of what comes our way is too much to carry alone. He tells us to Carry Each Others Burdens… in Galatians and through His own example. He uses His people to do His will; giving a hug, encouraging someone, being a shoulder to cry, and even putting into practice church discipline.
Having had the experiences I have in my own life, seeing the pain around the world, and knowing the names and faces of a few amazing hurt people I now understand my role in this whole thing. To comfort others as I have been comforted by my Father in Heaven. And, believe me, nobody does it better than my Daddy!
