he translation for the Hebrew word hessed–will follow you all the days of your life. What a great statement of faith from David! He is saying this during a difficult time in his life, while he is hiding in a cave from his enemies, who are after him. However, David’s focus has changed; he is no longer seeing his enemies pursuing him, but the goodness and loyal love of God.Has there been a time in y...  Read More

BLESSING IN SUFFERING“God will work all things together for good.”It’s the last thing you want to hear in the middle of suffering, but it doesn’t stop it from being true. God really can and does work all things together for good.In Job Chapter 42:12 it says, ‘now the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning.’After losing his servants, his crops, his livestock and even his childr...  Read More

WHAT DO I SAY TO OTHERS IN SUFFERING?It’s hard to know what to say to someone when they are suffering. Sometimes we say things that cause more pain and suffering because we don’t have a solid theology in this area.In Job 2:11 we see 3 of Job’s best friends come to comfort him in his suffering. It says as they looked at him from a distance, they did not recognise him. They wept at what they discove...  Read More

WHAT IS GOD SAYING IN MY SUFFERING?Although it doesn’t feel like it at the time, suffering is an amazing opportunity for revelation to come about the nature of God. There is nothing like suffering to catapult us toward Him. In that process of coming to Him, we discover Him afresh. And often new revelation will come through what He speaks to us.C.S. Lewis said, "God whispers to us in our pleasures,...  Read More

Job 13:13-16 Be silent before me so that I may speak; Then let come on me what may.  Why should I take my flesh in my teeth And put my life in my hands?  Though He slay me, I will hope in Him.  Nevertheless I will argue my ways before Him.  This also will be my salvation, For a godless man may not come before His presence....  Read More

WHERE ARE YOU GOD?Two questions I believe we ask in the middle of suffering are: 1/Who are you God? 2/Where are you God?We ask God, Are you ambivalent? Are you faithful? Do you care? Are you powerless? Are you powerful? Who are you in my suffering?Moments of suffering can bring the fear of divine indifference, rejection, or judgment. Is this suffering a rejection of me or is it punishment? These q...  Read More

THE UNINVITED GUESTSuffering is unwanted because it is not pleasant. It feels wrong and in a sense it is. It was not part of God's plan for us to suffer. However, the catastrophic event, the fall of man means suffering is now a normal part of our life. To avoid suffering would mean to avoid life altogether. So, what do we do when this inevitable suffering comes? How are we supposed to respond? And...  Read More

Final ThoughtsThere are three answers God gives to our prayers: yes, no, and not yet. In Paul’s case, he often asked God to relieve him of the thorn in his side. While we don’t know if this was a literal, physical thorn or a metaphor for a mental affliction, we see clearly that God’s response to Paul was “Not yet.”Maybe you can relate to Paul’s frustration. You’ve asked God time and time again to ...  Read More

Fear - GideonGideon had a lot of reasons to be scared: his nation was under constant attack from the neighboring Midianites. They assaulted his people, destroyed their crops, and stole their livestock. Like many Israelites, Gideon lived in hiding, where we find him in Judges 6.When the Lord appears to Gideon and instructs him to rescue Israel from the Midianites, he counters with a long list of re...  Read More

Job 4:7-8“Remember now, who ever perished being innocent?  Or where were the upright destroyed? According to what I have seen, those who plow iniquity, And those who sow trouble harvest it.Job 4:17-19Can mankind be just before God?  Can a man be pure before his Maker?  He puts no trust even in His servants; And against His angels He charges error.  How much more those who dwell in houses of clay...  Read More

Anger - CainAccording to Ephesians 4:26, anger itself isn’t a sin. How we deal with our anger can lead us to sin. Aggressive displays of anger are sinful and often cause hurt, sadness, and fear in others.God warned Cain not to let his anger consume him. He says, “sin is crouching at the door, eager to control” him (verse 7). We, too, can fall under anger’s control if we aren’t on the lookout.Sever...  Read More

Grief - NaomiNaomi has just suffered a colossal amount of loss. Her husband and her two sons have just died, leaving her without any support. Her grief so consumes Naomi that she becomes bitter and resentful, completely hopeless for her future. She pushes away her daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth, to keep from dragging them both into her misery with her.Ruth, however, pushes back. She knows what N...  Read More