We want to rush past the hard things. We want to skip over the difficulty. We want to get to the other side.
But the Bible does not rush. It lingers. It sits with the difficulty. It does not skip over the hard parts.
This is what we forget. We think we should rush. But the Bible does not.
This is what we need to learn. Not how to rush past. But how to linger.
The Linger of Scripture
Turn with me to Psalm 22. This is a psalm of suffering. Listen to how it begins:
"My God, My God, why have Youforsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, from the words of My groaning? O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear. And in the night season, and am not silent."
Psalm 22:1-2My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?
That is not a quick passing. That is a lingering. A sitting with. A staying in the difficulty.
The Bible does not rush past this. It lets the words linger. It lets the pain stay.
And then there are verses and verses of the suffering. The difficulty. The agony.
This is what we forget. The Bible does not skip over the hard parts. It lingers.
And then look at the end:
"He has done this, and it shall be done. He has spoken, and it shall be done. The Lord does whatever will please Him. He does what He has promised. He will do it. He will fulfill His word. He will be done."
Psalm 115:3But it takes its time. It does not rush. It lingers.
The Stay With Difficulty
And then there is Job. The entire book is about suffering. And it does not rush past the difficulty.
Turn with me to Job. Job has lost everything:
"Then Job arose, tore his robe, shaved his head, fell on the ground, and worshiped. And he said: Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord."
Job 1:20-21The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away.
That is the response. But it takes the entire book to get there.
The Bible does not rush past the difficulty. It sits with it. It lingers in it. It lets the pain stay.
This is what we forget. We think we should rush. But the Bible does not.
And then there is this, from the Gospel of Mark. Jesus is in the garden, and He is suffering:
"And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. And His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground."
Luke 22:44His sweat became like great drops of blood.
The Bible does not rush past this. It lingers. It describes the suffering in detail.
This is what we forget. The Bible does not skip over the hard parts. It stays with them.
The Lesson We Learn
So what does this mean for us? It means we do not have to rush. We do not have to skip. We do not have to get past it quickly.
The Bible stays. It lingers. It sits with the difficulty.
And so can we. We do not have to pretend the difficulty is not there. We do not have to rush past it.
This is what the Bible teaches us. Not how to escape. But how to stay.
I know what it is to want to rush. I know what it is to want to get past the difficulty.
But I also know what it is to stay. To linger. To sit with the difficulty.
That is what the Bible does. That is what we can do.
The Bible does not rush past hard things. And we do not have to either.
Try This Today
Ask yourself honestly: Am I rushing or staying? Bring that to Him in prayer. Ask Him to help you linger with the difficulty. The Bible stays. So can you.
We want to rush past the hard things. We want to skip over the difficulty.
But the Bible does not rush. It lingers. It sits with the difficulty.
This is what we need to learn. Not how to rush past. But how to linger.
The Bible does not skip over the hard parts. It stays with them. It lets them linger.
And so can we.
Father, thank You for not rushing past difficulty. Forgive me for wanting to skip. Teach me to linger. To stay. To sit with the difficulty. The Bible stays. So can I. In Jesus Name, Amen.
With honesty and hope,
Claire