As It Happens: A Life Of Suffering (5)

1 Thessalonians 4:14 – We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.

Here is a prayer that is eternal in its truth and a prayer that will see us through many of the dark days:

God grant me the serenity to accept what cannot change,
the courage to change what should be changed,
and the wisdom to know the difference.

And maybe we have to take a further step in trust. The further step may be not only accepting but making use of, and transforming, the things that come unbidden to us, making use of them to the glory of God and to help other folk. Westerhoff once said:

Good Friday is not the story of what evil people did to Jesus. Good Friday is the way God has established from the beginning to defeat evil. Easter is the 'because' of Good Friday, not the 'in spite of' it. Suffering and death are the way to new life.

Prayer: God of life and love: be with us in the darkness of death and the light of life. Lead us down into the valley and lift us high up on the mountain. Help us, wherever we find ourselves today, to know your peace and your presence, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.