It Really Is That Simple, That Complex....

Rick Warren was on The View today.  In the past, I cannot honestly say that I was impressed with the man.  To me, he came across as being rather arrogant.  And so, I often found myself ignoring him whenever I saw him on anything.

But that was then.

Today, I felt compassion for the man.  Bless his heart. He and his wife lost a son to suicide about a year ago.  He sat with the ladies, Whoopi-Jenny McCarthy-Jenny Garth-Sherri-Barbara, explaining what he feels he's experienced, six stages of grief. I'm not quite sure why, but his whole speech resonated with me.

Basically, he says there are six stages of grief, with no specific time frame set aside for any of the individual stages, the last as long as they last:

• Shock 
• Sorrow
• Struggle
• Surrender
• Sanctification
• Service

Here he is, Pastor Rick Warren, explaining the six stages of grief:
http://djchuang.wordpress.com/2013/09/21/6-stages-of-grief-according-to-pastor-rick-warren/.

Anyway, so here's what I'm thinking.... His learning or experience basically validated what I've thought, what I believe to be true.  I'm sure I learned it from someone else, so I cannot take credit for some great epiphany.  But I am glad he learned it, too.  No, not the method by which he's learned it.  I would not wish such pain on anyone.  But that he learned it at all, yes.  I hope we all do.

Why?

Well, it all boils down to this ...

We ... are here ... to serve.  

No matter what we go through, God can and does use it.  

It really is that simple,

that complex.