thoughts on suffering and loss

i got a text last night that a former student from the community lost his dad last night to cancer. it did not hit me as bad as the ralphy text i got earlier this year. but i have been kind of down with other stuff and trying to see some clearing of the storm, but heart dropped for sean and his mom. this has been part of my current journey in thinking a lot about suffering. it started when i re listened to the talk that chris heuertz gave at the national conference. if you did not hear it... you should jump over to itunes and check it out for free on the uywi08 podcast. it will take you about 30 minutes to listen to but than will jack you up in the head. or for me confuse me more.

i have not really blogged about anything like this for awhile, but my mind has been busy thinking and this is what kept challenging me. chris shared that we are so in love with the divinity of jesus that we forget to remember his humanity and the suffering that existed and the struggle of his life here on earth. we do as people of faith think that if we do all of the right things or try our best to walk a life of faith and to love our neighbor that life will be ok. i have been trying to wrestle with the word suffering and thoughts behind it. i think if i was more to think about the jesus that walked this earth in the human form and experienced the pain and loss that we all feel i may be able to accept my own loss better and help those that loose loved ones.