Paul Tripp writes about the mid-life crisis in his book, Lost in the Middle. Walking us through the challenges and conflicts of heart that can erupt at these times, he makes this excellent point:
The presence, power, practicality, and glory of God’s grace in Christ Jesus are most evident and effective when we have hit the wall of our own weakness, inability, and sin (176).
No question: it isn’t fun to hit the wall. Having the “weakness, inability, and sin” of our hearts exposed can be crushing, humiliating, infuriating. It can feel like someone has suddenly removed all of the oxygen from the world. But, like the devastating process that turns coal into diamonds, when find “the presence, power, practicality, and glory of God’s grace in Christ Jesus” our hardships, trials, and emotions find their peace. We have received what we could never earn or deserve, that treasure hidden in the field, the pearl of great price. We have found grace because we have found Christ. And that makes it all worth it–not easy or pleasant, but worth it.
-Daniel Baker
“And that makes it all worth it–not easy or pleasant, but worth it.”
Ain’t that the truth. It never feels good going through, but yet you’re always grateful to God for it.