Finding the Courage to Seek God in Sorrow: When Suffering Points to Christ's Splendor

By Shawndra Lucas

God's Brave Women - Shawndra's Story

When it comes to being a Christian, I’ve done all the things. I’m a credentialed minister. I’ve worked in full-time vocational ministry for the past 15 years. My faith has taken me around the world to serve communities, preach the gospel, conduct research, and reach the lost.

My point here is not to toot my own horn. It’s just to set up my confession that for most of my Christian life, my horn—though well-polished—was not fully in-tune.

Though I was serving and preaching and jet-setting in Jesus’ name, I was carrying a disturbing secret with me. That is: though I loved God, I barely knew him.

---

"Though I was serving and preaching and jet-setting in Jesus’ name, I was carrying a disturbing secret with me. That is: though I loved God, I barely knew him."

---

This was just a nebulous feeling, a notion for many years until a friend shared this quote with me:

"It is said of God that no one can behold his face and live. I always thought this meant that no one could see his splendor and live. A friend said perhaps it meant that no one could see his sorrow and live. Or perhaps his sorrow is his splendor." -Nicholas Wolterstorff