Austin's Blog

There are hard things to understand in the Bible, and the difficulty comes in many forms. Some passages are hard to grasp, such as when Peter acknowledges that Paul’s writings can occasionally be challenging to follow (2 Peter 3:15–16). Other passages are hard to reconcile, like instances where the Gospels appear to be at odds with one another. Still, other teachings in the Bible are hard to accept. Even the disciples once remarked of Jesus’ teaching, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” (John 6:60).

In the midst of grief, there is a strong temptation to avoid or set aside these hard truths. Already enduring one of the toughest experiences imaginable, we might think, “I can only handle so much.” Or perhaps, “I could never believe in a God who does _________.” Some may conclude, “I cannot be convinced that _________ is otherwise.”

Yet, those within the bereaved community must resist the temptation to pick and choose which parts of Scripture to embrace. After all, all Scripture is inspired by God (2 Timothy 3:16–17) and is useful for accomplishing His purposes. We stand under the Word, not over it, because we are not its Author. D.A. Carson wisely observes, “However hard some things are to understand, it is never helpful to start picking and choosing biblical truths we find congenial, as if the Bible is an open-shelved supermarket where we are at perfect liberty to choose only the chocolate bars. For the Christian, it is God’s Word, and it is not negotiable.” We accept what is in Scripture, whether we like it or not, because it is God who placed it there.

Furthermore, if we pick and choose what to believe, we risk cutting ourselves off from the comfort that God provides through His Word. Worse still, we might create a version of God in our own image. Carson further writes: “What answers we find may not be exhaustive, but they give us the God who is there, and who gives us some measure of comfort and assurance. The alternative is a god we manufacture, and who provides no comfort at all. Whatever comfort we feel is self-delusion, and it will be stripped away at the end when we give an account to the God who has spoken to us, not only in Scripture, but supremely in his Son Jesus Christ.”

Though our capacity may be diminished as we walk through the twilight of grief, may we never be accused of denying, disbelieving, or disdaining what the Word teaches—even when it is hard to understand, hard to reconcile, and hard to accept. As the hymn writer pleads:

“Help us trust when we grow weary,

Free us from our anxious thoughts;

Give us grace to see more clearly:

You are God, and we are not.”