Most tourists to Rome will visit St. Peter’s Basilica and find their way to the Chapel of the Pietá. There resides the striking statue carved by Michelangelo when he was only twenty-four years old.
For the viewer, the subject matter evokes sad commiseration with the grieving mother, and yet the artistry of the statue manifests incomparable beauty in Mary’s tranquil expression, the luxurious folds of her robe, and the peaceful repose of Jesus’ face.
Perhaps Michelangelo wished to convey Mary’s relief that the anguish of her Son was over. Jesus’ expression might indicate his satisfaction in perfectly executing the Father’s mission.
The Pietá gives evidence: beauty may be its most captivating when viewed in juxtaposition against suffering. And Michelangelo superbly represented the two entities in this one statue.
Yet there is One who surpasses even the great Renaissance sculptor in the compelling intertwining of beauty and suffering: our heavenly Father. His medium? The lives of his children.
He can make all things beautiful—even suffering.
Perhaps you’ve known people who’ve endured much—physically, mentally, and/or emotionally. And among them are those who’ve manifested the beauty of strong faith.
We’ve seen heavenly joy in their eyes, even amidst the tears.
We’ve heard the winsome affirmations of God’s palpable, sustaining presence and even of God’s blessings during their season of trouble.
We’ve witnessed their striking maturity in the way they react to their circumstances.
These saints have embraced the truth that:
How do people find the wherewithal to radiate such loveliness of spirit even as they suffer?
Beauty-in-Suffering Begins with Trust
Of course, it begins with strong trust in God—in his sovereignty over all things, his grace to uphold, and in his power to accomplish purpose through hardship. Such people can say:
Just look at what the Lord can do! Here I am in dire straits, and see how good and how great God is!
–Dr. Charles Stanley, Advancing through Adversity, 78.
Can you also see the beauty of joy on the face of such a witness? How do we grow a strong trust like that?
Beauty-in-Suffering Grows with Intimacy
There’s no shortcut to intimacy and trust. We cannot trust whom we do not know.
–Melissa Kruger and Kristen Wetherell, Twelve Faithful Women, 2020.
The formula for growing intimacy with God is quite simple: Prayer + the Word + Time [1].
The closer we walk with God, the less room there is for any other thing to come between us, including trouble, hardship, or pain. In addition, we begin to reflect the glory of his beautiful character [2]!
Beauty-in-Suffering Impacts Others
The question is, will the impact be characterized by the ugliness of complaining, negativity, and self-pity? Or will it be the beauty of vibrant faith, contagious joy, and a settled peace?
Meet Anik, a young African father who was suffering through illness and finding it difficult to provide for his family. Nearby another household also dealt with hardship, and yet their quick smiles and frequent laughter indicated a happiness Anik craved.
He could hear them worship God and pray. They even prayed for him! Anik finally asked them about this God they praised. They told him about Christ, and the family shared their Bible with him.
Upon reading the stories about Jesus, Anik prayed to receive him into his life. So did his family, and they found their hearts transformed.
Their circumstances didn’t change immediately, but they did [3].
May the beauty-in-suffering illustrated by the Pietá and reflected in those like Anik’s neighbor, be evidenced in us also.
* * * * * * * * * *
We praise you, O God, for gifting us with extra measures of your peace and presence—even joy—when difficulty invades our lives. Only you can bring beauty out of suffering! Help us to lean upon you in ever-deepening faith, to carry us through until the final day of triumph.
(Psalm 34:18; Philippians 4:5-7; Romans 5:3-5;
2 Corinthians 2:14)
[1] Joanna Weaver, Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World, 77.
[2] 2 Corinthians 3:18
[3] www.wycliffe.org/blog/posts/the-light-of-hope-scripture-passages-for-hard-times-.
Image credits: http://www.flickr.com; http://www.canva.com (2); http://www.en.wikipedia.org; http://www.heartlight.org.
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