Saturday September 5, 2020
Christine Hudson
Bear Good News
I love to be the bearer of good news, the one who gets to share with my kids that we are having their favorite meal or doing something they really love. The sound of their cheer and being able to bring a smile to their face is pure joy. Lately, it seems harder to find good news to share. How do we continue to bear good news in a world that is so full of suffering and injustice?
I attended a church where a common call and response was:
God is Good
All the Time,
All the time,
God is Good
When I was younger I struggled with this because everything isn’t good all the time. As I matured I learned to rely on my faith to get through life’s challenges. I do not like the phrase, “God won’t give you more than you can handle.” A lot can be asked of us, God did ask Jesus to die on the cross. God created a world that suffering does exist and when we create space for God, that suffering can be used to transform us. Through God, we can bear any load that is before us. As people of faith, we rely on God to find light in times of darkness.
Sometimes though, we are called to be that light for others. We are called to act, to provide relief, to illuminate unjust situations, to sit with others, and witness their suffering and be a physical presence so they know they are not alone. When we respond to suffering and act with compassion we are living the faith that Jesus taught, we are bearing his Good News, that suffering is not the end, God is present and God’s love can change us all.