Suffering slows you down. It’s one of the most frustrating things about it! But growth in Christ happens in the slowness, little by little, as God works – so be patient, friend! He is doing something great in you.
Suffering really makes you slow down and go at God’s pace.
Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada and I’m convinced that’s one of the hardest things about suffering. Whether you deal with migraines, the problems that come with older age, battling cancer, recovering from a big surgery, or just landing in bed with the latest version of the COVID virus, right? All these things are God’s way of slowing us down. We don’t like it, we may kick against it, we may try to live life at our old speed, and when we have to slack off, we resent even that, but sooner or later, we’ve got to accept it. We cannot move forward into life at the pace we were used to. I know that for a fact, being a quadriplegic in my 70s. It’s pointless for me to resist it; I just have to embrace my new pace of life. It’s a slow pace. But this is why I’m so blessed by this quote from Frederick Faber in his book Growth in Holiness. He says…
"In the spiritual life God chooses to try our patience by His slowness. He is slow: we are swift. It is because we are but ‘for a time,’ and [God] has been for eternity. Thus grace, for the most part, acts slowly. God works little by little. Sweetly and strongly He compasses His ends, but with a slowness which [tries] our faith because it is so great a mystery… There is something overawing in the extreme slowness of God. Let it overshadow our souls, but not disquiet them. Wait for God, long, meekly, in the wind and wet, in the cold and the dark. Wait, and He will come. He never comes to those who do not wait. He does not go their road. [And in the slowness,] when he comes, [finally,] go with Him, but go slowly, fall a little behind when he quickens His pace. But when He slackens, slacken at once: and do not be slow only, but silent, very silent, for He is God.”
Those words have helped me so much when the challenges of my disability slow me down. Suffering forces us to wait upon God. Suffering is what sets the stage to develop patience and long-suffering and perseverance. Suffering makes us lie down in green pastures, whether we like it or not. Suffering takes us off rabbit speed and puts us on turtle speed. Believe it or not, those are the two actual speed settings on my wheelchair. All my life I’ve lived on rabbit speed, but now, more and more, I’m traveling at the pace of a turtle. But perhaps the best discipline in all this slowness is the discipline of waiting: waiting on the Lord. God comes to those who wait. God comes to those who are still, who allow their slow speed of life to sharpen their spiritual sensibilities, as well as their skill of listening to the Lord. Galatians 5:25 tells us to “keep in step” with the Spirit. And if we find his slow pace maddening, that pinpoints the trouble right there. We are maddened by the slowness of God. And so, it is best to fall a little behind him and if he slackens off more, to slacken at once. And do not only be slow, but be very silent. It’s what you do when you wait on the Lord.
Oh, friend, whatever your hardships may be: battling cancer, dealing with migraines, recovering from surgery, whatever, remember these good words from Frederick Faber. Grace usually works slowly, little by little. And growth in Christ happens the same way, slowly; little by little. I pray these are hopeful words for you today, whatever your hardship. And I pray you learn to enjoy your turtle speed.
© Joni and Friends