and angles of meaning. I
know it was healing for years
of relational stuff when my
mom made the decision to
welcome him back and care
for him in his dying days. I
know I had to get past some
of my own pride to be able
to reconcile with my dad.
Some things that needed to
happen, happened because
my father wasn’t “healed”
the way we asked for.
Just like my father in his
illness, and just like Jesus
dying of dehydration and
asphyxiation on the cross,
we all have distresses in life,
both physical ailments and
emotional troubles. Those
of us who are on spiritual
journeys are not immune to
the effects of living in a fallen
world. And in fact, we may
have additional hardships
that others don’t because
we are targets of persecution
and spiritual attack.
What are your troubles?
What do you thirst for?
“I am thirsty for this illness
to end.”
“I am thirsty for my
marriage to get better.”
“I am thirsty for a job.”
“I am thirsty for respect.”
“I am thirsty to do
something that matters.”
“I am thirsty for my son to
get his life together.”
“I am thirsty to defeat my
addiction.”
“I am thirsty to find a
boyfriend.”
“I am thirsty for the pain to
go away.”
“I am thirsty for my
coworkers to stop making fun
of my faith.”
Whatever you are thirsting
for, there are two things that
will help you uncover the
meaning in your distress:
trust and time. Just as going
through a dark night of the
soul can be a part of your
spiritual maturing, so enduring
distress with faith helps to
mold you into someone who
is more like Christ. Jesus’s
distress on the cross didn’t
mean his situation was
hopeless, and neither should
your distresses cause you to
lose hope.
Jesus knew in advance
that he would be successful
in his mis¬sion on the
cross. That’s why he said
beforehand, “In this world
you will have trouble. But
take heart! I have overcome
the world.” (John 16:33, NIV)
Strike the Rock
Our biological need for
hydration is so great that
when we are thirsty it gets
to be like we can’t think of
anything else. And when our
need is that urgent, we can
lose all sense of perspective.
Two times the Hebrew
people got in trouble over
water while they were in
the desert of Sinai. Now, in
fairness, you can understand
why. Sinai is one of the driest
places on earth. Parts of
it get less than two inches
of rain per year. It has little
surface water except after
the occasional flash flood.
Solutions 35