In John 15, Jesus provides a metaphor: He is the true vine, his heavenly Father is the gardener, and we are the branches. As the branches we are to “bear fruit.” This means that our lives are to show evidence of our faithfulness and discipleship. In verse 2 he says this: “Every branch in me … Continue reading Pruning
refining
Thinking constructively about hardship
“Through history,” writes Mark Clark, “virtually every society has sought to teach people how to deal with pain and suffering. Sadly, our current culture has largely neglected this task. Why? Because for generations we’ve embraced a secular worldview that assumes that the material world is all there is, and that, thus, pain has no meaningful … Continue reading Thinking constructively about hardship
They refine you
In James 1:2-3 we read: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” Wow, that’s heavy. But what is a “trial,” anyway? A trial is a difficulty we face on the path of life which, in how … Continue reading They refine you
