Romans 8:28 is a text we could chew on for a lifetime: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” It’s a part of a wider passage about living faithfully even in the midst of hardship. What Paul … Continue reading Even when you can’t see through the fog
hardship
When you have something good to look forward to
When you have something good to look forward to, it softens the blow of what you’re currently going through. We all know it’s true. If a child doesn’t want to go to school on a Thursday, remind them that the weekend is almost here and it helps. If you’re having a tough week, and if … Continue reading When you have something good to look forward to
Why is there evil and suffering?
Recently someone asked me: Why is there so much evil and suffering if there is a benevolent being? It’s a huge question, perhaps the biggest! And let’s be honest. If there was an easy, silver bullet answer, we’d all know it already. You can link to a video of my full response to the question … Continue reading Why is there evil and suffering?
Pessimism & Optimism vs. Reality
There was a family with two boys. One was an extreme pessimist. The other was an extreme optimist. The parents didn’t like their extreme attitudes, so they tried a gift-giving experiment at Christmas to try and correct them. They thought that if they gave the pessimist a gift that was so over-the-moon awesome, he would … Continue reading Pessimism & Optimism vs. Reality
A FROG in your heart
I was visiting a woman in a nursing home. She has aches and pains. She’s had more than her share of heartache. Through it all she’s had an enduring faith in Jesus. On this particular visit, she told me her outlook on life: F.R.O.G. Um, pardon? Then she explained it: “Through every stage of life … Continue reading A FROG in your heart
Head held high in hope
The. World. As. We. Know. It. Will. End. Did you know that? These days, we mostly hear about end-of-the-world speculation in Hollywood movies. Remember Armageddon starring Bruce Willis? Apparently, a lot of people also ask their smartphones about it. Someone asked Siri, “When will the world end?” Here’s what she said: “Whenever they start building … Continue reading Head held high in hope
Pretending to be perfect
Today I’d like to ask you this: If you’re going through something really tough, have you talked to someone about it? Talking to someone about your situation can be hard. It can be difficult to verbalize your feelings. Or maybe you doubt if it will do any good. But one of the reasons I think … Continue reading Pretending to be perfect
When you cannot direct the winds
When people go through a tough time in life, they sometimes lash out at the people they care about most. After a hard day, in a period of anxious uncertainty, or during a year of gut-wrenching decision-making, we can blame, shame or yell at the people in our own boat—after all, they’re the ones close … Continue reading When you cannot direct the winds
Despite the darkness
When you think of being “like Jesus,” what do you think of? Being more loving, humble or forgiving? What about this: Being faithful despite the darkness. Consider Luke 22:44: “And being in anguish, [Jesus] prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.” And then he was crucified! He gave … Continue reading Despite the darkness
Your reward is great
In Jesus’ day, it was assumed that his followers would face trouble and persecution. Although many of us in North America haven’t yet faced overt persecution because of our faith, I truly think we’re headed in that direction. With this in mind, last week we discussed how we should expect to be different, how we should … Continue reading Your reward is great
