The hardest sermon I've ever written

This week I'm working on the last in our series which resulted from asking our family and friends this question; If you could ask God one question and knew he would answer it what would it be?  Unsurprisingly the most popular question was about why God allows suffering and pain in his world.  That in itself is a difficult question, but I've answered it a number of times in church and CU mission contexts.  But this week I'm finding it to be the hardest sermon I've ever written.  Even now when normally I have a first draft already to go I'm not sure about what's there, what I've left out and what I ought to edit and change.

That's not because I'm being indecisive or haven't prepared.  It's simply because the question feels very raw for us as a church.  Everywhere you look there is suffering, from the long term sick, to the terminally ill, to the broken marriages and families, from the teen with mental health issues to the elderly contemplating the gradual suffering that comes with old age.  Some of that suffering is acute some is more bearable but heralds a long slow decline.  All of it is a heartbreaking privilege to be part of pastoring people through.  But given that context, given the very raw emotions that this question touches upon for our church family it is really no surprise that this is proving a difficult sermon to write.

I'm aware that so much will be left unsaid that needs to be said.  I'm aware that so much will be touched upon and long to apply the healing balm of the gospel to those tender nerve endings and emotions.  It's a reminder again - as if we need it - that God needs to take and use his word in his way by his Spirit, because I simply can't.