牧者心聲
苦難中仍堅信
蕭壽華牧師
2024 年 6 月 1 日 / 2 日
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我們是否只可透過苦難，才能成為別人得恩的管道？物質豐富、身體健康、無風無浪，是否神所喜悅的生活？
有一位患癌姊妹，病後到了一間關顧癌症病人的機構工作，她沒想過自己的艱難竟成了幫助人、建立人的管道。但我們不要認為，一定要受苦，才能叫人得福，我們要運用自己的狀況、以及神讓我們擁有的一切。最重要的，我們要有一個信念：我們所承受的，並不是偶然，我們要留意神給自己的資源、甚或困難，使其成為祝福別人的管道，而不要抗拒任何遭遇。
拿俄米在失去一切後，對神還會有信心嗎？
我們觀察拿俄米的信仰歷程時，會看到她的信心確曾搖動過，她說：「耶和華伸手攻擊我。」「耶和華降禍與我；全能者使我受苦。」在困難中，我們的信心必然會有起伏，我們不要驚訝，也不要擔心自己是否沒信心，重點卻在於要轉向神，將自己的擔心、不信告訴祂，然後留意祂的工作。拿俄米的信心重燃，是因為她見到神的手在工作——神施恩讓她們有食物；神帶領路得到波阿斯的田裡，讓她認識他。你要留心神的手如何工作，從而重燃你的信心。曾有這類經歷的人都會說：「我能夠繼續跟從神，不是因為我有信心，或有甚麼可誇；不是因為我堅強，有能力面對困難。而是因為神一直幫助，重建我的信心。」
我知道應對神有信心，但有一次神故意要我經歷苦難，之後我便失去信心，甚至不敢乘坐飛機，害怕神又故意令我感染新冠肺炎。
你兩次提及的「故意」，似乎包含神要令你為難的意思，但假若將「故意」解作神背後有一個計劃，相信那會更真實。我深信我們所經歷的一切，背後都有神的目的，倘若你憑信心面對神的「故意」，那些經歷會成為你生命中的祝福。但假如過程中你去埋怨、去排斥，那些事情就會失去祝福你的作用。John Piper 曾寫過一篇題為 Don't Waste Your Cancer 的文章，他相信一切事情都有神自己的帶領，倘若他不留意神在當中給他的磨練、成長，就會浪費這個患難。所以，假如神給你第二次「故意」，而你又用一切違背神的方式去避開，那你便會失去祂給你的恩典。你大可坦白告訴神，你很害怕，怕會再出事，然後繼續做應做的預防，並在過程中對神說：「一切在你手中，你若要我再試，我就放膽面對。」
（本文為蕭牧師於2021年冬令營答問環節中的部分回應，節錄自2022年5月《北宣家訊》之「蕭牧師與你一席話（一）」。）
Is suffering the only way by which we can become a channel of grace for others? Do material wealth, good health and plain sailing make a God-pleasing life?
There is a sister who, having recovered from cancer, joined an organization for the care of cancer patients. Hardly had she imagined how her adversity would become a channel for helping and building up other people. However, we should not think that we must suffer before we can become a blessing for others. We need to make the most of our situations and all that God allows us to own. Above all, we need to have faith in this: that we do not suffer for no reason. We need to keep in view our God-given resources, including adversities, and turn them into channels of blessings for others. We should not reject what befalls us.
Did Naomi still cherish faith in God after all was lost?
When we examine Naomi's spiritual journey, we can see that her faith had indeed been shaken. She said: "…the LORD's hand has turned against me!" (Ruth 1:13) and "The LORD has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me" (1:21b). There are bound to be ups and downs in our faith in adversity. Do not be surprised. Do not worry over whether we lack faith. Turning to God should be our focus. Tell God about our worries and disbelief and pay attention to His works. Naomi's faith was rekindled because she saw the hand of God at work. By God's grace, they got food. God led Ruth to the field of Boaz and let her meet him. You have to watch how the hand of God works so your faith can be rekindled. Anybody who has gone through such experience would say: "I can continue to follow God not because I have faith or have anything to boast about. It is not because I am strong and have the ability to tackle adversities. It is because God has all along been helping me and rebuilding my faith."
I know I should have faith in God. But one time God deliberately put me in adversity, and I lost faith after that. I even dared not take the plane for fear that God would deliberately make me catch COVID-19.
You mentioned "deliberately" two times. It seems that you think God wants to make things difficult for you. If we interpret "deliberately" as God has a plan behind, that would be closer to reality. It is my firm belief that all that befalls us have the purpose of God behind. If you face by faith what God "deliberately" allows, those experiences will become blessings in your life. But if you grumble along the way, rejecting what happens, then those things will no longer bless you. John Piper wrote an article entitled "Don't Waste Your Cancer." He believes that everything is led by God Himself. If he ignores the forging and growth in there from God, he will have wasted the adversity. So, if God gives you a second "deliberately," and you avert it with all the ways you use to disobey God, you will lose the grace He wants you to have. Why not frankly tell God you are scared that the disaster will happen again. Then you continue to take the necessary preventive measures. In doing so, say to God: "Everything is in Your hands. If You want me to go through that again, I will do so, boldly."
(This is an excerpt from Rev. Siu's response in the Q&A Session of Winter Camp 2021 published in "A Dialogue between Rev. Siu and You (1)," NPAC Newsletter, May 2022.)
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