Pain and Suffering
Like any good parent, there are times when God brings difficulty, pain and loss to the lives of his children. The biblical reasons vary, but the hurt is always real. And when those times come it is good to remember
Suffering
Motivated by the Martyrs
No matter how much pressure and opposition we get from our culture to be quiet about our Christianity, we must resolve to continue telling the truth about Christ and his gospel.
Suffering and God’s Plan
So often we are surprised that God “would allow” suffering, pain and death. But actually, these unpleasant realities are the promised outworking of God’s response to sin in Genesis 3. Our Creator has clearly and consistently maintained that the wages of sin is death – and all the painful
And Our Suffering
Being faithful and obedient to Christ in a fallen culture will always come with painful consequences for which we should be prepared and be willing to gladly endure for Christ’s sake.
Expecting Opposition
We must keep the prize of Christ’s growing and victorious church in view as we courageously incur any of the adverse consequences of engaging in the good fight of promoting the gospel in our generation.
Proclaiming Christ’s Power
We must be more attuned to the effects of sin in our world and boldly proclaim the power of a Savior who will not only instantaneously forgive our transgressions, but will one day reverse all the systemic consequences of sin.
When Our Light Shines in the Darkness
We must always remember that the biblical Jesus is an offense to the world so that we can remain joyful and resolute when our alliance and loyalty to him cause conflicts with non-Christians.
Evil in the World Cont’d
If God is a good and loving God, why is there evil, pain and suffering in the world?
Evil in the World
If God is a good and loving God, why is there evil, pain and suffering in the world?
Purpose Fulfilled
We should boldly, confidently, and prayerfully trust God is working out a good plan in utilizing our lives in a specific way for his glory regardless of how daunting the opposition might be.
Betrayed
When we experience the inevitable betrayal from those we trusted, we must give ourselves to prayer as we trust our loving and attentive God will eventually make things right.
When the Lord Seems Far Off
The present world will be filled with injustice that will often touch close to home and should rightly make us indignant, but we should not despair, but rather pray, knowing God’s coming justice is certain.
When In Doubt
Though painful circumstances and personal opposition may tempt us to doubt God’s care, we must recall his promises and his faithfulness and choose to live confidently as we rest in his good plan for his kids.
Sacrificing Like the Wise Men
The wise men, who sacrificially left their country to worship the Christ child, provide us with an exemplary motivation to sacrifice the world’s pleasures and comforts to follow and serve Christ.
Salvation in Perspective
We would do well to keep this sinful world and our eternal salvation in perspective, pitying the lost and joyfully anticipating the return of our glorified and exalted Savior.
God’s Good Plan
We must remember and wholeheartedly affirm God’s good management of all things in history, in life, and the future, confident that all things work together for good.
The Turbulent Intermission
We ought to expect a turbulent and hostile experience as we seek to stand with Christ and advance his cause in this world, remaining resolute, unafraid, and confident in God’s promise of ultimate deliverance.
Loving God’s Invisible Kingdom
Though the arrival of Christ’s visible kingdom is yet future, his kingly reign has begun over his people now, and so we must endure the present age with anticipation, devotion, and an evangelistic drive.
Encountering Unjust Criticism
Because following Christ and living for him will inevitably give rise to criticism and slander, we must prayerfully discern when to respond and how to answer with wisdom and integrity.
Suffering in a Broken World
Even as regenerate children of God we should not be surprised at the pain and suffering in our lives because we live in a fallen world, which thankfully will one day be made perfect by the exercise of Christ’s power.
The Fear of Broken Relationships
While one day all pain and problems will be behind us, for now we must draw strength from God’s family as we endure the sting of strained and fractured relationships that are inevitable because of our alliance with Christ.
The Fear of Violence
Though in our fallen world we are not exempt from violent crimes and deadly persecution that will perennially threaten our well-being, the reliability of God’s good promises can enable us to renounce our fears.
I Can’t Lord, It Would be Too Painful
It is easy to fool ourselves (and others) with the words we use to express our loyalty to Christ, what matters is possessing a faith that expresses itself by a willingness to follow him despite the costs.
When You’ve Been Rejected
We must be prepared to incur the kind of rejection Christ and the Apostles regularly encountered, knowing that it is not our job to retaliate but to seek peace and entrust ourselves to a just God.
When Our Expectations Aren’t Met
God is sovereign, always working out his good plans, in, through, and around our lives – our call is to trust him even when those plans surprise us with unexpected turns and painful experiences.
Deafening Trials
We need a wholehearted reliance on all the promises of Christ, knowing that past experiences won’t be enough when trials come to test our faith.
God’s Presence and Help When You Hurt
When times get tough Christians need to rely on the unchangeable realities that are guaranteed to us because of the grace provided to us in Christ.
Making Sure We Don’t Miss the King
Difficulties in life can tempt us to doubt Christ’s power, concern and sovereignty, but we must trust him, remembering the proof of his credentials which reassure us of his coming kingdom.
Dealing with Mean & Demanding People
We need to consider the relative unimportance of our pain and loss associated with standing for Christ, and focus instead on the conversion of our opponents.
When You’re Ridiculed for Christ
We must allow the benefits of standing with Christ and his people to overshadow the painful relational consequences that will inevitably come from doing so.