Friday, April 8, 2011

Groanings Of An Angry Mom

Anger.  I wouldn't say that anger makes an appearance very often in my heart.  In regards to Marcus, it's usually sadness, grief, anxiousness, and worry.  But this week, I was angry.

Several more kids with Joubert Syndrome have passed away recently.  Several others have been hospitalized due to various reasons.  Not only that, but many "healthy" ones are struggling with extreme behavior and emotional issues, leaving their families grieving for them all over again.

I thought about these precious ones, their heartbroken families, and looked at Marcus and I got angry.  Angry that JS has to be in our lives, angry that my son faces challenges in virtually everything he does, angry that we have to check his organ function every year, angry that we have to teach him Braille because he could be blind one day, angry that he can't say what he wants to say, angry that he'll be teased, angry that he can't walk, angry that we have to fear losing him.  Marcus gets frustrated because he can't do simple things the way he wants to.  Sometimes he'll throw a book if  he can't turn a page fast enough.  And as much as we want to teach him to be patient and ask for help calmly, inside, I can't blame him.  In fact, I want to throw the book across the room for him, sweep him up in my arms, and cry with him for hours because I'm angry along with him, for him.

When Marcus was diagnosed, Mike & I died.  Our son died too, or at least the life that we thought our son would live.  Don't misunderstand.  We over-joyously celebrate Marcus' life today.  In fact, we probably celebrate MORE so, in light of his diagnosis.  But it doesn't change the fact that the life we thought we would have with him died.  And we mourn over it still.  This death has forever changed our lives and the way we see this world.  It's like a child realizing that Disneyland is a marketing sham and that behind the walls of Small World are rats and cobwebs, and that Mickey Mouse is actually a guy who, after taking off his suit at the end of the day, deals drugs and beats his wife.  We can never again be frivolous.  Life for us will never again be all butterflies, balloons, and lollipops.

People say that death and suffering are just a natural part of life.  But to me, there is nothing "natural" about suffering.  You can't tell a woman that it is "natural" for her to be born with ovaries and yet not be able to bear children that she longs to call her own.  It is not "natural" to raise children with lifelong physical and emotional disabilities because their biological mothers used drugs and alcohol while pregnant.  There is nothing "natural" about giving birth to a healthy, bright, sweet son whose body starts to deteriorate and then dies before he turns 3.  There is nothing "natural" about seeing your husband or your father painstakingly take each breath, lose his ability to speak or eat, become blind, and have brain aneurysms before dying.  This is just not how God created things to be!

I was surprised to find that this week, it wasn't God's kindness, His mercy, and His promises to love us that comforted my heart.  Facing my anger, I was drawn to a different aspect of His character... His wrath.   It dawned on me, through the Holy Spirit, that God is angry too.  And my anger is a teardrop compared to the raging torrents of the ocean that is God's.  Anger is as much a part of God's character as are His love and grace and it was good for me to remember that.  To me, it was my Disneyland that crumbled down.  But for the Lord, it was His Eden, His creation that once was "good".  What He had created to be beautiful has become horrifying ugly.  Of course, He is angry.  He is angry at Joubert Syndrome too.

Some people have a hard time believing that God can be simultaneously angry, good, and in control of all things.  But for some reason, He's given me faith to believe that He indeed can.  He's allowed me to believe that He didn't direct His anger at all of us who deserved it.  He loved us while still sinners and instead, unleashed the ocean of His wrath onto His perfect Son.  Jesus bore the guilt of all of our sins, and even the most horrifying ones we've heard of that I can't even dare to write on this blog, were put on Him.

Jesus bore my shame so I wouldn't have to.  He felt the full force of God's anger so I wouldn't have to.  And yet, for now, we still live in this fallen world.  I think I've finally understood the "groaning" of creation that Romans 8:20-23 talks about.  My heart used to and still longs for all I've wanted for myself in this life.  But now, I've moved a little beyond that to longing for God to restore all things from the "bondage of corruption" to "glorious liberty."  I yearn for Him to make all things new and for Him to take the seat of honor in ruling over all of creation with His glorious beauty, where there will be no more disease, no more death, no more tears, no more Joubert Syndrome, no more any syndrome.  I know that even the sweetest things of life are only tainted knock-offs of the true joys of what is to come...how things should be.

Am I still angry?  Yes.  There is a refreshing release in being angry.  Am I hopeful?  You bet.

"...we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.  For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees?  But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance."


Romans 8:23-25


 

16 comments:

tara said...

Insightful and lovely. Thank you.

Amanda said...

Thanks so much for sharing Sue, you are continually an encouragement to me

susiepyo said...

Sue, I'll never fully understand the trials you have endured and are enduring but I do see the beauty of the precious truths God is revealing to you through them. Thanks for sharing. You're such a blessing to me.

cathie hong said...

thanks for sharing, sue! so thankful for your openness. love you!!

Joan said...

Love that the Lord met you and lifted you up in such a rich way, and that I can learn from what He's teaching you. Thanks, mama!

xmlx said...

what an encouraging post! so thankful for all of u guys and God's unfailing faithfulness towards u!

Pam said...

Thanks so much for the reminder of this oft-forgotten character of God and how much hope we have in Christ and God's promises.

Monica said...

Sue! You are so beautiful and thank you for sharing so truthfully and honestly ... I can't tell you what a blessing and encouragement your family is ... Thank you for always pointing to Christ!

Jane said...

This post is such a humbling reminder that this world has nothing that will satisfy us. How awesome that one day life will be exactly as God intended. Love you dearly and praying for you!!!!

Minna said...

I think this post may be my favorite, which is saying a lot as I love many of your posts. There is something whole-bodied, full about it- when we see both the light and the dark of this life and can still hope in the Lord.

I've been reading 1 Peter lately, and I've been seeing a lot of this contrast- rejoicing and suffering, present and future. For the first time I see that this is life. We experience both side by side, sometimes alternating, sometimes at the same time. I love how this post is your testimony of hope amidst it all. I hope that God can produce this same hope in me, too.

James said...

One day, our faith shall be sight. Dear sister, we are waiting and groaning with you. Love you guys!

bee said...

sue, that was so beautifully and eloquently written. i'm always so amazed and thankful for how God is revealing Himself to you in such a real way, that many of us could never understand personally, except by you sharing your heart. love you and praying for you - so thankful for you and your family, sue!

Bonnie said...

Very well said, Sue. I love your honesty. Thank you for sharing. :)

Sharon said...

ooh, I can so relate to this post and your feelings! While our son, who has Down Syndrome is now much more independent (7yrs), these feelings and thoughts are so very close to what we have/still experience. I love this post and am nearly in tears having read it. Beautiful, so very true and a reminder to look to Christ. Thanks.

Daisy said...

Hi Sue,
We don't know each other, and I happened to stumble across ur blog while blog-surfing from friend to friend a while back. I've been following ur updates for a while, but was too shy to leave a comment! But this post just so accurately and furiously rang in my heart, I had to comment :) I am actually currently in grad school for occupational therapy and my desire to work with children/adults with disabilities is ever-growing! I seriously respect and admire ur christian insight and own struggles/joys/challenged you've faced raising a child with a disability and how it's shaped your view of our Great God! I can't say that i understand every detail of your heart and your heart for ur precious boy, but i can say that God's heart is so great for his children! And I too have been strongly convicted that it breaks His heart to the point of anger to see his children suffer. BUT I am reminded of the day when his children will no longer be bound to this world! I'm so excited to see the kid's i've worked with in the past, in heaven, praising, running, shouting, dancing, and jumping for Jesus in complete freedom... i can't wait!

God bless you and ur precious family sue! Thanks again for all your encouraging posts :)

Thomas Do said...

Thank you for your sharing. Will continue to pray & lift up your family to Our Heavenly Father.

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