Here’s how Don Carson recently replied to a question about suffering during a Q&A. (This is a lightly edited transcript from 13:37 to 14:40 in the audio file.)
- We grew up in some of the suffering of French Canada.
- I’ve had typhoid because I went to Africa and came within death’s door.
- I’ve had two or three other diseases that have almost taken me out.
- My wife’s had cancer that has almost taken her out. She didn’t expect to live to 50; she just turned 59.
- But that’s part of the stuff of life, isn’t it? And if you’re a Christian leader, then sooner or later you go through situations in churches and relationships that are really tough.The most painful things I’ve ever borne are betrayals by Christian friends.
- Some of you will know the name Roy Clements. On the Tuesday of this particular week, we got the diagnosis of my wife’s cancer, and it was bad. On the Thursday of that week, I and five others got the letter from Roy Clemens telling us that he was leaving his wife and going to proclaim himself a homosexual. My wife and I cried much, much more over Roy than we ever did over the cancer.
(HT: Andy Naselli)
SUFFERING
If you are even thinking
Of preaching or teaching
About undeserved suffering,
Talk to a saint who is still believing
After the heat of the testing.
You will avoid empty theorising
If you have a smell of singeing,
The blisters of burning,
But, still keep on praising!
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