It was waiting for me in my inbox this morning. An email from my friend who is battling for her physical health from a hospital room that’s been her home for over a month now. Her life has changed dramatically in that time. She went into surgery with high hopes of gaining some relief from a tumor that was growing on her upper spine. What she received, instead, was partial paralysis in addition to her continuing fight against cancer.
Her hopes have changed over the past month. Today she lingers with the prospect of a wheelchair and a return home very soon. I imagine it to be enough for her in this moment—to get home to her family and to bask in the warmth of some normal, if only for a season.
She’s journeying down a long and uncertain road right now. A “through and through” kind of work in her own heart and life that doesn’t seem fair. That hardly seems necessary. That rarely feels right and good and pure as it pertains to the life of a saint.
And while I would never want to “explain away her pain” as some part of her purification process … as if there is something in her that “needs” the lesson of a difficult suffering … I do know this, as it pertains to the life of a saint. To the lives of all of us who know Jesus and are walking ever closer to seeing Him face to face.
Our process of becoming like Jesus is a “through and through” process. A word in the Greek language (holotelous) meaning “All, or the whole, completely or entirely.”[i]
The opposite of holotelous is monos meaning “only, alone, without others.”[ii]
Thus, our sanctification is a collective work, not a partial or solitary experience. It is an entire work. A completed work that can only be accomplished through the faithful hands of a peaceful God who seeds our lives, as we go and all along, with the flames of holy fire with a holy end in mind. He is a God who is after far more in us and through us than we are willing to concede at the time of our salvation.
Surrendering our hearts to the way of the cross—to the road of a crucified life—is a costly decision. It means that we willingly submit our flesh to the purifying flames of a holier notion … a better becoming that would otherwise be left undone should we have chosen otherwise—to stay as we are rather than who we are meant to be.
When we say “yes” to Jesus and his cross, we say “yes” to our Father’s “through and through.” Rarely do we understand on the front side of our “yes” what that will look like in the seasons to come. A good “ignorance” I suppose. God grows us in our sanctification. To receive it all in a first moment with Jesus would be too much. Perhaps, would be too hard. Too difficult of a cloaking at the point when our tender hearts cross the line from flesh to faith.
A “through and through” kind of work is a gift from a gracious God who understands that the more we come to know him … that the more we grow in our understanding of just exactly how long and wide and high and deep his blood was shed … the more willing we become to surrender our flesh for the same. When we finally come to the place of a deeper knowing of Christ’s love for us, then we are willing, like the Apostle Paul, to surrender it all—our flesh and our now—for the sake of our completed end.
It’s not easy. It’s not always fun. It’s never predictable, and rarely does it ever make sense. But in God’s hands and through God’s love, of this one truth we can be sure.
It’s always good. It’s always right, and his work in us is always for us. For Him. And for a kingdom’s sake that exceeds our momentary grasp at understanding.
There is coming a day, when our “through and through” will make it through to the other side. God will push our flesh through an invisible barrier, and in a moment’s pause, our faith will be made sight. We will have the glorious truth of our difficult now laid out before us in a way that makes perfect sense and that will leave us panting a breathless “hallelujah” for the process that we walked to get there.
Hold onto the good, weary pilgrims. Hold onto the promise. His name is Jesus, and he is faithful to complete in us that which he began in us over 2000 years ago—perfection. A “faultless to stand before the throne” kind of finish because of his willingness to bow before the throne on a cross.
Oh, what wondrous love is this? It’s a love that calls us to a “through and through” kind of faith. May we all have the good sense and the willing “yes” in our hearts to take up our cross and follow faith through to the threshold of our finish that will birth the truth of our beginning again.
A beginning that lands us at home, at rest, and face to face with the One who created us with such sacred splendor in mind. Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus. As always,
Copyright © March 2009 – Elaine Olsen
[i] Spiros Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study Dictionary NT (AMG Publishers: Chattanooga, 1992), 1039.
[ii] Spiros Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study Dictionary NT (AMG Publishers: Chattanooga, 1992), 996.
“Hold onto the good, weary pilgrims. Hold onto the promise. His name is Jesus, and he is faithful to complete in us that which he began in us over 2000 years ago—perfection. A “faultless to stand before the throne” kind of finish because of his willingness to bow before the throne on a cross.”
Some days I am very weary of the struggle. But I’m holding on…I will never lose hold of His outstretched hand.
Thanks for a great post, Elaine.
Blessings…
Beth
Oh, yes. Through and through. I love this, and have been through so much of it. Thank you again, Elaine!
I'm not sure why, but this choked me up. Perhaps it's because of the pain of my own "through & through" processes, or perhaps it's because of the hidden beauty in them.
One thing's for sure. We are safe in Him, through & through.
Hugs,
Kathleen
God continues to shape me with this “through and through” process. You are so right. It involves suffering. Without it, without carrying our cross, the one he specifically designs for us, there can be no completion. Oh, for the faithfulness to honor him and glorify him without complaint or reserve! I am not there yet, but I’m striving. Thank you for these passionate words.
Andrea
At our missions conference last Sunday, the theme for the message was Romans 11:36…
“36For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. [For all things originate with Him and come from Him; all things live through Him, and all things center in and tend to consummate and to end in Him.] To Him be glory forever! Amen (so be it).” (Amplified version)…
It is HARD to understand the ‘glory’ in our loved ones suffering when to my eyes, it simply makes no sense…but like one person commented on Job–it is not for us to understand God’s role in suffering like Job’s friends tried to do…but like Job, express our grief, our lament to Him..let Him do the rest…
I lament for your friend, Elaine..her very real losses..I lament for you, suffering with her and her family…
It is a comfort to know that in Him, she is still being held together and I still ask Him to tarry please in power in her body right now..
To You, O God, Who is able to do so much more than we can ever imagine…to You, O Lord be the glory forever and ever, Amen.
This was just what I need to hear. I just got back from a mission trip to Nicaragua. God taught me so much. Now that I’m back Satan is ready to steal everything I learned and keep me from moving forward. The great thing is on this trip I learned to die to self. So it’s a little harder than he thought to bring me down. However, I am still facing heavy spiritual battles and physical pains from either a bacteria or parasite I picked up in Nicaragua. Please keep me in your prayers. And thanks again for your post!!
I remember the post a few weeks ago about your friend when she had the surgery. I’m so sorry that things have not gone as well as expected. As I was going over my Week 5 homework again in the Esther study so that I could teach it to my ladies Sunday school class this week, I saw something that I had just skimmed over before I guess. But it stuck out this morning. In the context she used this it was about Esther feeling so alone as she went to face the King and how she was a needed part of a much greater plan. Here is what she said: “Esther had never felt more alone. More forsaken. Ironically, a person is never less aware of divine intervention than when he or she has been chosen to render it. SOMETIMES GOD’S HAND IS SO CLOSE THAT IT COVERS THE EYES.” (caps mine)
Your friend may feel more alone and more forsaken than ever in her life. Yet she may be the necessary piece to a much larger puzzle….a puzzle which may have great impact on many people!
Elaine…you are so very inspired and inspiring!
God bless you!
Marilyn
His long arm of providence, reaching back to us from His eternity that has already begun!
I started to read this post earlier and I had to stop. So much was going through me as I read it and like Kathleen, I was “choked up”.
As you said, if I had known what life would bring my way at the moment I surrendered – would I have had the strength to follow through? A good ignorance indeed because with each day that passes the strength in grace grows. With that strength I am able to survive the seasons of disappointment, hurt, illness, pain. Through that grace I am able to imagine the wholeness that awaits my final passing through, whenever that may be.
Thank you for this sacred pause in my day.
Blessings,
Denise
I’ve never heard it expressed this weay–through and through–but what a picture!
It’s comforting to know that we can stand on His promises. I love the phrase “through and through we’ll make it through to the other side.”
‘He is a God who is after far more in us and through us than we are willing to concede at the time of our salvation.’ How true this is. I think if we knew what was in store, we might decide not to take the walk with Christ.
Thankfully, He walks beside us every step of the way. It truly is pilgrimage and we are not going to be in this place forever, as Beth Moore said in Stepping Up.
Leah
This was beautifully written. 🙂
“Through and through”…completeness. I hate the process, but embrace the outcome.
“Rarely do we understand on the front side of our “yes” what that will look like in the seasons to come. A good “ignorance” I suppose.”
Praying for your friend. A hard ‘through and through’.
Being strengthened with power through His Spirit in my inner being, so Christ is dwelling in my heart, through and through,
Joy
Oh Elaine… how beautiful you pen your words! I, too, am sorry to hear of your friends prognosis. I pray that she will see through the lens of eternity. Please keep us posted on her.
There is a lot of freedom in understanding “through and through.” I have to continually tell myself.. it’s a process.. it’s a process… often times with roadblocks, detours and ditches. I celebrate that God is patient with me and that he will never leave me on my own. The process, though not predictable, will come to completion… when I will see my Jesus face to face. Blessings to you my blogging buddy! Jo Ellen
Did you have any idea, how much I needed to hear/see/read this today? I JUST got an email (about an hr ago) about a lady from my church who is battling cancer, and it’s just not a good report. A lot of us are praying for healing. But I think a lot more of the group members are demanding the healing. I no longer think it’s my place to do that. I know God is able to heal, but I don’t think I should be doing a ” ‘This is what You’re going to do’ in Jesus’ Name” type of prayer. Maybe I’m wrong…Idk. At any rate, thank you so much for posting this!! You have no idea how much it means to me!
Andreea
Hi Elaine.
This is the first time I am stopping by. I Love your your blog, your writing very touching and inspiring. Keep on fire in the Holy Spirit.
Blessing..
Christian blogger, jakarta.
Oh, how I long for the day when our faith will be made sight! I long for it but don’t want to rush it — I want any who will to come to Jesus in faith to believe before that day!
Elaine, as I read “Through and Through”, my mind kept landing on 2 Timothy 3:16-17:
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
I pray that we would all be thoroughly equipped–in Spirit and in Truth–regardless of our temporal circumstances.
I think also of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego as they faced the fiery furnace in the third chapter of Daniel. ” ‘If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and He will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if He does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.‘ “
I pray that we all would hold to such faith in the fire!
Amen and Amen! Getting through to get to HIM! What comfort, happiness, joy and peace we will all have once we go “through and through”. Needed this today.
Praying for your dear friend.
i came by from outnumbered 3 to 1…and you are an encourager, just like she said!!! well, first, i have to shout out a little amen to this post. i love it…holding on…serving and coming closer and closer to sanctification. great post.
2 Corinthians 4:16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward [man] is renewed day by day.
He sees us strong and growing while we see the perishing…. Looking through His eyes sometime is painful, be we can rejoice that as this body grows weary , our inner man is growing ever closer to him…
Elaine I'm quoting you here:
"He is a God who is after far more in us and through us than we are willing to concede at the time of our salvation."
This couldn't be a truer statement. We cling to our human things. God wants us in the spiritual and to cling to HIM.
Lord Jesus, I reach out to YOU and take Your grasp and I cling to YOU. I pray that everyone would do the same. Let their earthly things go, pick up their cross daily & follow You & cling to You. I pray for Elaine's friend going through physical illness. I pray Lord that You would be glorified in it. I praise You Father God, in Jesus' name, amen.
Thank you Elaine through our Lord Jesus.
This was a hard post for me to read. It reminds me of the long journey [struggle] with cancer that my husband fought. God took over his last 124 days and gave us miracle after miracle.
But the one WORD that I remember Jesus placing in my heart was the word: THROUGH
This post was special to me. Even at this moment I am suffering myself with some of the same symptoms that your friend has because of some spinal issues – though mine are not from cancer [that I know of]. My heart just aches for her because I can feel that pain right now – right side of my body all numb and tingly. BUT GOD [don’t we just love those words?}… has all of it under control and in His precious Right Hand! I am resting there and I pray your friend is too!
THROUGH it all… He will take us safely THROUGH!!
Looking UPward and Choosing JOY,
Stephanie
[Time to FLY]
When you can barely walk – or not at all – the next best thing to do is FLY!
I like that phrase “through and through”. And it implies a return, a rewalking, a forever back and forth, on our way to his final rest.
Beautiful Elaine,
Just what my ears and heart needed to hear. This paragraph alone made me want to get up and jump..
” There is coming a day, when our “through and through” will make it through to the other side. God will push our flesh through an invisible barrier, and in a moment’s pause, our faith will be made sight. We will have the glorious truth of our difficult now laid out before us in a way that makes perfect sense and that will leave us panting a breathless “hallelujah” for the process that we walked to get there.”
Thanks so much for sharing this.
Lynn
Oh… so you’re saying that His thoughts are not our thoughts? and His ways are not our ways? Because in the flesh that is soooo true!
Hi Elaine,
Thanks for stopping by my blog. I love your use of words.
About five years ago, I had an enormous fibroid tumor that almost took my life. In my blackest moments when I struggled to make it through each hour, I felt utterly alone. Time and again, I cried out, “God, why have you abandon me?”
Months later after a dramatic recovery, I read about others experiencing the “dark night of the soul” or the “back side of the desert.” And I realized I wasn’t alone. Others have travelled that lonely path before me.
Amazingly, following my illness, I now know a new sweetness in Christ beyond all I could ever think or imagine. Although I could have never said this in the midst of my illness–it’s one of the best things that has ever happened to me.
Grateful for life,
Pamela
Elaine, I needed this today. I am tempted to dabble a bit in something I have no business dabbling in. Surrender IS costly and sometimes I just want some dabble time. But I am not free to go there and this was a timely reminder for me; not only that, but I really DON’T want to go there, not when I think about it. Thanks, friend.
I’m thankful for Sisters and Siesta’s that encourage me and I feel like when I’m weary from doing the thang, I come away encouraged to DO The THANG.
Lovingly,
Yolanda
Ohhhh…how blessed I always am when I come here. Through and through…yes, and eventually we will get through. What a beautiful way to express His promise to us.
I was so hoping I was going to be able to get the internet when I was at the cabin to catch up on your writings. I need them.
I will continue to pray for your friend. I miss you too.
In His Graces~Pamela
Wow! Beautiful post! I came from Beth E’s blog that she posted about you. She was so right! I thoroughly enjoyed my visit and will come back again! Thanks for being an inspiration to us!
wifeforthejourney:
The fellowship of the Spirit of God is so evident to me this morning as I reflect on the challenges faced by our friend. She is a strong woman, but it is the “through and through” of Christ that has kept and sustained her.
For her to be in the middle of loss of mobility, loss of health, and all the trials that accompany her suffering RIGHT NOW is when she needs the Lord on a lot of different levels. Thank you for continuing to encourage us all in our prayers for those who are close to our hearts.
Love you,
Billy