We do not like to suffer, usually we do not like to hear about other people’s suffering;
yet it is in suffering that we grow spiritually and it is through shared suffering that we grow community.
Out of Ur blog features these contradictory responses to suffering in an article that also promotes a “Fail Epic Pastor Conference.”
Our visceral response to the idea that someone would consider inviting pastors to a conference about and for failed pastors highlights how suffering/failure adverse we are.
Paul said God’s work was perfected through the apostle’s weakness. James said we should rejoice at the imminent growth when we suffer. Yet our pro-comfort society pushes us to flee suffering and to deny the presence of what pain we can’t avoid.
Elton Trueblood once wrote a book on Christian community called The Company of the Committed.” The above article and truth it exposes makes me interested in finding a “Fellowship of the Failed.”