Severe Mercy

I am currently taking a class on cultural grieving and at the same time happened to be reading a book called A Severe Mercy, which deals with an essentially christian way of grieving. I am finding out how natural and beautiful and even desirable (at least for me) grieving and loss experiences can be. I'm not sure the author of A Severe Mercy would say that he desired his wife's death from cancer. In fact, if you read the book, it was the last thing he wanted, but I do believe he would say it was necessary. The final chapters of his book deal with this concept: the idea that what hurts us most is and can be for our good. Hence, the title.

If there is any idea that compells me more, that motivatives me in my christian walk, it is this. The paradox of sorrow and joy. A mercy that is so severe that only Love Himself could give it. Somehow this idea makes all of life worth living.