Elisabeth Elliot isn’t using the word “salvation” here in the sense of adoption by Christ, but in terms of the Christian journey.
And so I think a better word might be “sanctification,” as in becoming more like Jesus won’t always be fun.
And in her book, Suffering is Never for Nothing, Elliot has a particularly good passage on this mysterious cup we all must drink from.
Elliot writes:
“Whatever is in the cup that God is offering to me, whether it be pain and sorrow and suffering and grief along with the many more joys, I’m willing to take it because I trust him. Because I know that what God wants for me is the very best. I will receive this one thing in his name.
I need pain sometimes because God has something bigger in mind. It is never for nothing. And so I say Lord, in Jesus’ name, by Your grace I accept it.
…. Paul accepted the thorn even though it wasn’t to his taste and preferences. Jesus accepted the cup and said not My will but Thine be done.
And that same vision and that same principle ought to characterize each of us Christians as we receive, from the hand of God, the cup of salvation with whatever it contains for our ultimate redemption and perfection.
There will be nothing in that cup of salvation except what is necessary.”
Now, a few points on this.
First, this is absolutely NOT me nodding my head and saying, “Friend, just accept your depression or anxiety or ADHD etc.,”
It would be awful for me to tell you to accept stage 1, treatable cancer as your cup, and not treat it.
Mental health conditions are medical. They are treatable.
Yet… they can be very difficult to treat.
And for many of us, it can take a long time or our entire lives, fighting this beast. It’s our thorn in the flesh.
We absolutely should look for professional help and never stop looking.
But to Elliot’s point, none of this is fun. It’s awful. Even looking for help is hard.
Chemo isn’t fun for a cancer patient. It’s a terrible cup. And searching, year after year, for relief from your own mind’s turmoil is also a terrible cup.
God sees all this, he knows what you’re going through, he wants you to continue looking for help, and so keep looking for it, but if you’re discouraged, know that he understands discouragement better than even you or I do.
He understands rejection better than you or I do. Our Father will never reject us, and yet the Father turned his face from Christ on the cross.
I’ve been through a lot, you’ve been through a lot, we all have cups that often seem more filled with the blood of our tears than the joy of the Lord, right?
But do you remember the Psalm where we learn God numbers our tears?
He sees each drop, and we don’t even know he is crying for and with us, and one day, we won’t even have to look for help because you and I will be in Immanuel’s land where the cup of salvation will overflow with such perfect love and wonder that you’ll see all this was worth it.
Keep going, dear friends. And I will too.
Oh, and as always, please, keep looking for help if you’re struggling.
Find a psychiatrist here.
Find a therapist here.
