I recently learned about a bird in the Australian rainforest called the Cassowary. If you google a picture you’ll see that it is not to be messed with. It can fight off large predators, and even humans! A little known fact is that it plays a part in germinating the seeds of the rare Ryparosa … Continue reading Suffering can produce perseverance
suffering
Remain faithful in affliction
When you read through 1st Thessalonians 1, don’t skip too quickly past verse 6. Here is what Paul says as he pays his readers a compliment: “You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.” There’s … Continue reading Remain faithful in affliction
Even if you have to wait
“LORD, you are the God who saves me; day and night I cry out to you.” So prayed Heman in Psalm 88:1. He then went on to chronicle his lack of strength, feelings of death, despair, isolation, grief, sense of betrayal, rejection and terror! One of the things that strikes me about Heman’s prayer is … Continue reading Even if you have to wait
Experiences of hardship
It’s an unpopular thought: Experiences of hardship can make us wiser and better positioned to help others. Here’s why it’s unpopular. When you’re in the middle of hard times, you just want them to end. You want things to be good again. When enduring incredible stress and strain you probably don’t want to hear about … Continue reading Experiences of hardship
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
What God can do through you is greater
There was a man who was born blind. He was also a beggar. The disciples saw him and asked Jesus: “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus replied: “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in … Continue reading What God can do through you is greater
The power and the glory
“For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen” (Matthew 6:13, KJV). Several years ago I led an online study. During one of the sessions, I invited participants to share a time when they experienced the powerful presence of God in the midst of a difficult situation. Liz Brown subscribes … Continue reading The power and the glory
In your pain
In the first century, one of the reasons many people rejected the idea that Jesus was the Messiah was because he suffered and experienced pain. We humans can often think that the presence of pain means the absence of God—back then or now. Some people continue to think that suffering—whether it be at the hands … Continue reading In your pain
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?
