Religious Violence – Part Three by Ps Michael Podhaczky

Religious Violence – Part Three

In the previous blogs, I pointed out that due to sin anyone can be violent, even the non-religious. Furthermore, I stated that any person could suffer from religious violence. Even Jesus understood the pain of religious and secular violence and abuse. Here, I would like to discuss the idea of suffering and its effects on being equipped for ministry briefly. Could it be said that God allows religious violence to remove pride of the human spirit, in preparation for His service? David Powlison, a psychiatrist and Christ follower, answers this way,

“When you’ve passed through your own fiery trials, and found God to be true to what he says, you have real help to offer. You have firsthand experience of both His sustaining grace and his purposeful design. He has kept you through pain; He has reshaped you more into his image... What you are experiencing from God, you can give away in increasing measure to others. You are learning both the tenderness and the clarity necessary to help sanctify another person’s deepest distress.”[1]

This looks to have happened in the life of Jesus Christ and especially in the final week of his life on earth. Jesus knew the impact of this suffering and its effect on His life.

³⁸ “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me. ³⁹ He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine…” ⁴² Then Jesus left them a second time and prayed, “My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done” (Matt 26:38-39,42 NLT)

On this matter, Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:17–18,

“This light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”

Consequently, when we go through suffering as Christ-followers, as painful as it is, sometimes it is not just about us. If this were the case with Jesus, why wouldn’t it be the same for you and me? It is about God’s work in us, using our lives to reveal His fame and glory; moving us to help those around us who are suffering, through compassion and empathy. A.W. Tozer once said,

“It is doubtful whether God can bless a man greatly until He has hurt him deeply.”[2]

Pause for a moment and think this over. To be continued…

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[1] Powlison, David. “God’s Grace and Your Suffering.” In Suffering and the Sovereignty of God. John Piper & Justin Taylor (Eds). (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2006), 166.

[2] Tozer, A.W. Tozer: Fellowship of the Burning Heart: A Collection of Sermons by A.W. Tozer. (Alachua, FL: Bridge-Logos, 2006), 19