Losses and disgraces are the wheels of Christ’s triumphant chariot.

Samuel Rutherford

If God truly works all things together for our good (Rom 8:28) then trouble must be included in all those things. I’ve been reading Rutherford’s letters and have been occupied with the ones he wrote during his own time of trouble while under house arrest for his non-conformity. (You can read more about that here if you’re not familiar.) This morning I read one of the five letters he wrote in one day, June 16, 1637. They are full of sweet submission to the Lord’s purposes and a struggle to express sufficient praise for his glorious and most fair Savior.

Trouble is never something we aim at in this life. No one drives toward the ditches and potholes on the road. But when we find ourselves in the ditch, possibly one of our own making, possibly not, we are impatient to get out. But what if there’s a lesson in that ditch that the Lord wants us to learn? In the next life we will experience eternal rest, but in this life we are promised the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings. (See Romans 8:14-17 and Philippians 3:10-11) Rutherford learned to enjoy the ironic, upside down beauty and joy of that fellowship. He didn’t despise the losses or disgraces because he knew his Lord had experienced the same on his behalf. And he was confident that because the Lord had triumphed over death and lives forevermore, he had the authority and power to turn all his losses into joyful gain.

Christ and His cross together are sweet company, and a blessed couple. My prison is my palace, my sorrow is with child of joy, my losses are rich losses, my pain easy pain, my heavy days are holy and happy days.

It’s hard for me to process this when others around me are suffering trouble and loss. What can I do? How can I help? I have experienced a tiny bit of the truth Rutherford is expressing but I can’t make others learn that lesson. And we all know that Romans 8:28, offered without sufficient wisdom and care, can come across as trite and unwelcome for those in deep trial and sorrow. So what to do? How to pray? We may not be able to do anything, and we may not have any eloquent words to pray. But what we can do is come alongside our friends, get in the ditch with them, and not merely offer platitudes from the outside. We may not say anything while in that ditch but our fellowship with them will speak more than words. Didn’t Christ do the same for us?

Lord, help us to love as you do.