Paul had a gospel-centered perspective on personal suffering. In 2 Corinthians 12, we learn that the Lord gave Paul a thorn in the flesh. Though we are unsure what his “thorn” was, Christians generally agree that it was a physical debilitation. I have written on… Continue Reading …

Connecting the gospel to physical suffering is one of the most essential things you will ever do. The “good news” is always perfect when there is bad news, but how to make those gospel connections are not quickly apparent, especially when your pain is acute… Continue Reading …

Knowing God through personal study and experiencing Him in the crucible of suffering are two radically different things. This autobiographical short story briefly walks you through the worst day of my life, the day I met the Lord in the crucible of suffering. Everything changed… Continue Reading …

When the weight of your sin weighs you down, you must make sure that you understand which sin you have in view. I’m speaking of the most significant problem. Typically, people struggle more with what they can see but don’t discern how the hidden motives… Continue Reading …

Some relationships can become so painful that you must retreat while implementing self-protective measures to keep from being hurt again. The unintended consequence is that the strategies for protection can imprison you, which is what happened to Mable. Listen to the podcast Our podcasts are… Continue Reading …

The things they did not tell me when the Lord regenerated me would have affected my decision to become a Christian—humanly speaking, of course. Looking back on it now, I’m glad the Lord did not give me a peek into my future because I probably… Continue Reading …

Let me go ahead and say what many of you are thinking: trusting the Lord does not mean everything will go okay for you. There is a thing called “disappointment with God,” and if you do not know how to navigate this truth when your… Continue Reading …

The progression from pain to purpose begins with God-centered thinking that elevates God over the suffering, which is the opposite of a problem-centered worldview. This perspective is the sufferers greatest challenge. Listen to the podcast Our podcasts are on iTunes, Google Play, SoundCloud, TuneIn, or… Continue Reading …

Because of God’s mercy to us, He puts us in places where we cannot fix our problems. From this position of weakness, He perfects His strength. Marriage is the perfect place for the Lord to accomplish this kindness. Listen to the podcast Our podcasts are… Continue Reading …

God operates with purpose. There is always a plan behind the madness that is in our lives. Our initial and most important job is to adjust our attitudes to theocentric ways so we can discern and respond appropriately to Him and others. Listen to the… Continue Reading …