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trials

Joy, even after watching his house burn down

January 28, 2022January 27, 2022 / MatthewRuttan / Leave a comment

I recently had the privilege of interviewing Dan Scott, the national Moderator of The Presbyterian Church in Canada. [Link below.] When he was a boy, he watched his house burn to the ground in an act of arson. The next morning his father read James 1:2-3 to him and his siblings: “Consider it pure joy, … Continue reading Joy, even after watching his house burn down

Why some people can endure intense distress

November 25, 2021November 23, 2021 / MatthewRuttan / Leave a comment

Tom Long says that “People can endure intense distress and pain if they know it is not meaningless.”* Very true. Consider this illustration from William Gurnall: “If you should get up in the morning and hear men on your house tearing off the tiles and taking down the roof with hammers and axes, you might … Continue reading Why some people can endure intense distress

Trials can be trainers and teachers

November 24, 2021November 23, 2021 / MatthewRuttan / Leave a comment

Trials. Hardships. You have them. I have them. They’re not fun. But what if there was some greater purpose behind some of them? In Hebrews 12: 7, 10 we read: “Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children… God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his … Continue reading Trials can be trainers and teachers

They refine you

September 22, 2020September 21, 2020 / MatthewRuttan / Leave a comment

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

Moments to tone the muscle of your character

May 8, 2020May 7, 2020 / MatthewRuttan / Leave a comment

Jonathan Haidt is a psychologist who did a hypothetical experiment. People were given a summary of the life story of a girl named Jillian. Here are some of the details: At a young age, Jillian developed a learning disability which would delay her ability to read, and which impacted her grades and work throughout life. … Continue reading Moments to tone the muscle of your character

The right attitude

May 6, 2020May 5, 2020 / MatthewRuttan / Leave a comment

I once heard about a man who had a heart attack. His life flashed before his eyes which scared him. As a result, he started to take better care of himself, pay more attention to the people he cared about, and live by better priorities. A friend noticed the change and came to visit. “How’d … Continue reading The right attitude

Everything good in life multiplied times God

January 15, 2019January 14, 2019 / MatthewRuttan / Leave a comment

I’ve been talking about heaven; it will be anything but boring. It will be far better than anything we can experience on this earth. That can give us great hope through whatever we’re dealing with because the best is always yet to come. Here’s something else about heaven. Psalm 16:11 (ESV) says that in God’s … Continue reading Everything good in life multiplied times God

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