Wednesday, March 3

Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.
—2 Corinthians 12:10

Within Christian life, there are three essential claims that ground our courage to face our traumas.

First, we are God's beloved children. Nothing can change that essential identity. There is nothing that you can do that will cause God to disown you. Nothing. You can turn your back on God, but God will never turn away from you. We are God's beloved children, and that identity is indelible, no matter what failure or trauma we may have experienced.

Second, Christ is especially present with us in every moment of trauma or suffering. The cross is God's expression of solidarity with us in our misery, failure and embarrassment. Jesus is our wounded healer, intimately with us in our most vulnerable moments. We can never suffer alone.

Third, what God does best is resurrection. If God can bring salvation for the world out of something as horrible as the unjust torture and execution of an innocent young man from Nazareth, imagine what God can do with your own traumas.

In my pain and in my fear let me turn to you O God and know the comfort of Christ's loving presence, your arms upholding me as a loving parent, and the power of resurrection bringing goodness out of whatever suffering or injustice I may face. Amen.

These Signposts originally appeared on explorefaith in 2007.