To Inspire:

For Christians, this weekend is the most significant of the year. We enter into the Easter Triduum, the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is a time where we reflect deeply on the love God shows in sending His Son to suffer and die for our sins that we might have eternal life with Him.

In my time of prayer and reflection this week, I’ve been drawn to deeper meditation on suffering – both why it exists and how to move through it. I am clearly not a theologian but I have come to understand that in a fallen world, suffering is part of the human condition. When we consider several billion people, all with our individual brokenness and proclivities to sin, the combined result of that will be division and suffering – at all levels of relationship  (between spouses, families, ethnic and religious groups and nations). War, violence and terrorism become the extreme outgrowth of that brokenness and division – leading to great suffering. Combine that with disease, and our eventual decline and death – is there really any surprise that we suffer.

Understanding why it exists is helpful but how we can best experience and move through suffering is the more important question. Jesus shows us that path – allow love to fill our suffering. Love can then become the balm through which we are able to suffer and help others with their suffering. In the gospel of John, chapter 15, verse 13 we read, “Greater love hath no man – than that he lay down his life for one’s friends.” This kind of love entails suffering and gives that suffering great meaning, great hope and even great gratitude. The magnanimity of our lives is found in a willingness, through love, to serve others and suffer for them. Love always is costly – great love will always include great suffering.

Whether you celebrate Easter or not this weekend, I invite you to consider how opening your heart to love that suffers can enrich your own life and the lives of those around you. When we suffer with love, we suffer with purpose and we find a deep fulfillment and dare I say, even a joy.

Love – at the end of our lives will there really be anything else that matters?

Have a beautiful weekend and for all of you who are Christians, have a Joy-Filled Easter!

Written by Matt Palmer, Partner & Co-Founder