We were talking in a restaurant on a Thursday afternoon while eating high-calorie French fries. My friend was telling me how down he was feeling about his spiritual progress. He felt he should be further ahead… and that he often struggled with the sin of pride… and that his devotional life always felt like work. … Continue reading God finishes what he starts
christianity
What a flame is to dynamite
After summarizing some research on self-esteem, John Ortberg describes an internal question that a lot of people ask when approaching a challenge: “When you face a difficult situation, do you approach it, take action, and face it head on, or do you avoid it, wimp out, and run and hide?” When you face a difficult … Continue reading What a flame is to dynamite
When your faith becomes a punching bag
“You know that Jesus wasn’t a real person, right? You know he was just based on ancient myths, right?” That’s what a friend said to me in university. And do you want to know how I replied? It was a REALLY profound response that made them stop in their tracks, change their mind, and immediately … Continue reading When your faith becomes a punching bag
Living in the time of God’s patience
Every day a woman I know wakes up, looks out her window, and says, “One more day, Lord, one more day.” She’s referring to the fact that Jesus hasn’t returned yet. As a result, we have—at least—one more day. There’s a lot of speculation about when Jesus will victoriously return to judge the world and make … Continue reading Living in the time of God’s patience
Abstract faith dies
I live close to an amusement park called Canada’s Wonderland. It has roller coasters, rides, and sugary-foods galore. I first learned about it in T.V. commercials when I was small. I could even tell you where it was, what the sign looked like, and the names of some of the big rides. But it wasn’t … Continue reading Abstract faith dies
At the end of your rope
Have you ever felt like you were at the end of your rope? Like you had no energy, patience or resources left? Those are often the times that we call out to God the most. Because we have no energy, patience or resources left, the illusion of our own self-sufficiency is shattered. We realize we … Continue reading At the end of your rope
Generosity you don’t deserve
Aren't all religions the same? I get asked that sometimes. The short answer is no. And here's one of the reasons why (and why it matters... eternally)
Aren’t all religions basically the same?
It’s a good question. After all, we live in a diverse society, and a lot of religions speak about some kind of higher power and have a version of the golden rule. I can’t fully explore this issue in a short devotional. (To hear a longer podcast about it click on the link below.) But it needs … Continue reading Aren’t all religions basically the same?
Don’t be afraid of questions
She was basically told that her faith was naive. But her response is good council for the rest of us. Questions can be a very good thing.
Retaliate
Feel different because of your faith? Marginalized? Maybe even persecuted? Then this is for you.
