Especially in charismatic circles, we love teaching about grace. We love teaching about the Father's love. We love hearing that God loves us no matter what, and that he will forgive us no matter what. We often hear that there is nothing we can do to make God love us less, and nothing we can do to make him love us more.
All of this is true. But it is impossible to truly behold God, and to remain the same. As we gaze at his beautiful face, we are transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, by the Lord who is the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:18).
When we see God, we no longer want sin. When we look upon his beauty, we no longer desire anything else. It is impossible to truly see him, and still want to hold onto sin and the world.
Our God is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29). He is both more loving and more holy than we can possibly imagine. It is impossible for him to tolerate sin. Even in his beloved children, his purpose is to purge it away with the fire of his holiness until we begin to resemble his likeness.
He does this so we can live in his presence. Nothing sinful or evil can live with him. We are purified so that we can be ready to hold more of his presence inside us, to carry that presence to the world around us, and eventually, to see him face to face. In heaven there will be no sin. In this life, we are on a journey toward that destination. As we grow closer and closer to him, he will cleanse away everything that does not resemble his holiness and righteousness.
This process is sometimes more difficult and painful than we can imagine. But once we have drunk of the waters of bitterness, he will give us the waters of his peace and his joy. We will rejoice in what the trials accomplish, for even when we cannot see his purpose, he is guiding us with his loving hand into and through them. When we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, he is with us. His hand holds ours the entire way.
I have known more of his presence, more of his joy, and heard his voice most often and most clearly, when I have gone through the deepest suffering.
Coincidence? I think not. And truly, in the end, it makes it all worth it. I wouldn't trade what I have gone through with God, what I have learned of him, and the closeness I've gained to him, for freedom from the suffering and pain. Even if sometimes in the middle of it, I've prayed for it to be taken away. He knows better, and he sees the end from the beginning.
This paradox is captured perfectly by Peter:
"In this [salvation] you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." (1 Peter 1:6-7)