Jesus Christ and God

¶ … suffer is to live. Suffering makes up a large part of a person's life. In Nicholas Wolterstorff's Lament of a Son, a collection of quotes and anecdotes related to the author's experience with the premature loss of Eric, his son, the author provides a way of dealing with loss that is both inspiring and personal. What turned into a tragic mountain climbing accident, a father's journey to accepting a tragic loss turns into a voice for those mourning. Mourning is a common occurrence for the living.

People die every day and Kubler-Ross' five stages of grief outlines the process of mourning as well as helps give a better understanding of Wolterstorff's development after he lost his son. The five stages of grief are denial, anger, bargaining, preparatory grieving or depression, and acceptance. The first stage denial, is seen in how people are supposed to act after learning of Eric's passing. However, when Wolterstorff first hears the news of Eric's passing at 3:30 in the afternoon, that was when he experienced denial.

The man on the phone had to tell him several times before he could grasp that Eric had passed. In remembering Eric, his volunteer work, his loneliness, and his personality, he also came to feel a sort of anger even though he was reminded of his resurrection and being with Eric again one day. It was as though the loss just seemed too much to bear at that time as noted with his continued recollection of his son. "He was a gift to us for twenty-five years.

When the gift was finally snatched away, I realized how great it was. Then I could not tell him" (Wolterstorff, 1987, p. 13). However, there is still some sense of hope left in him amidst the suffering. Later on he recalls objecting to the snuffing of the resurrection candle during his son's funeral. This act can be seen in the sense of bargaining. He wants to keep the hope of being with his son one day so he prevents the candle from being extinguished.

Depression, the fourth stage, can be seen with Wolterstorff having dreams of being in a battlefield, finding mild solace reading books, and grieving alone, knowing his suffering is unique as is all suffering. However, in time he did begin to reach the fifth stage, acceptance, and in doing so began to find joy. It began with Wolterstorff realizing what Jesus meant as described in the New Testament and as he detailed in the story. "Not only is there a new day of peace coming.

To those who mourn the absence of that is disclosed already the heart of God. Upon entering the company of the suffering, they discern the anguish of God" (Wolterstorff, 1987, p. 88). In seeing that God is suffering and eventually he will be able to be with Eric, he finds joy in living again by living with God in the light rather than the darkness.

In this last stage, Wolterstorff sees that although life is painful and one must endure grief and suffering, it is part of life and so there can be a way to move on from it and find joy again. 2. Resurrection plays an important role in how Wolterstorff moves on from Eric's death. Nevertheless, it is not entirely comforting the concept of resurrection because as was mentioned before, Wolterstorff cannot be with his son until much later at an unknown time.

Although he lamented to God, he eventually realized that the most powerful expression of God is suffering because God not only is suffering, but God is also love. Several verses in the Bible mention suffering and God linked together. From Psalm 34:19 to Romans 8:18, and 2 Corinthians 4:17, suffering is a powerful and all too common occurrence even in the eyes of God. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 is the perfect verse to show how Wolterstorff feels about God and suffering towards the end of the book.

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God" (Kohlenberger, 2003, p. 1177). 3. Resurrection provided the means with which Wolterstorff could have hope again. It did not ease the period of grief he endured, but it propelled him to renew his faith once again in God.

This is because through Jesus Christ's death and subsequent resurrection, one-day suffering will end completely as described in Rev 21:1-4. That day is what Wolterstorff uses to provide him with the strength and the energy to continue. "We can be assured that God is involved in our.