As iron sharpens iron,
one person sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)
“As Christians we know that God’s sovereign hand draws a line that leads from suffering to meaning, from pain to purpose, from grief to good. There is no affliction that leads nowhere, no sorrow that is ultimately futile, senseless, or pointless.” - Challies
“This is a choice you make. This mental choice is rooted in the Christian’s ability to recognize that trials are not meaningless acts of suffering. Instead, they are providential instruments of grace.” - Jack Lee
In April of 2020, as COVID-19 was disrupting all our lives in ways most of us had never experienced before, I wrote about my personal need to revisit my theology of suffering. It’s interesting to look back on the set of uncertainties that was on my mind at the time.
Reposted from Rooted Thinking.
In a recent article, I told my story of struggling with idolizing missions. After that surrender and spiritual blessing, God used my physical problems to redirect my ministry.
“After John 3:16, Philippians 4:13 is one of the most-searched verses in the Bible, and is often linked with athletes seeking to inspire victory and strength. But this common application unfortunately misses its real power.” -TGC
“Six weeks later, one morning I woke up deaf. The ‘bad ear’ was its normal self, but the ‘good ear’ was just gone; it was now by far the ‘bad ear.’” - Olinger
Prior to 2020, there was only one stretch of time in my life when people ceased from their normal routines and showed a profound interest in spiritual things.
That, of course, was in the days following Sept. 11, 2001. The response was palpable. It was overwhelmingly patriotic, unifying and somber. People also turned their minds toward eternity. In fact, their reaction was so robust in those early days and weeks after the terrorist attacks that some even pondered if we were witnessing the beginnings of a genuine revival.
“Leading a local church in a pandemic and coming out of a pandemic has been filled with both pain and beauty. God has done exceedingly more than I could ask or imagine.” - Eric Gieger
“I’ve learned a lot while on my back and I want to share some of those lessons I’ve learned by leading in sickness.” - Treg Spicer
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