Topic > Life Struggles
Let’s tackle some of these tough issues of faith
There are times when it feels like the facts of your faith collide with the facts of your life. Maybe you’re struggling with some tough questions right now, and can’t seem to find the answers. Join us in this faith-building conversation.
The struggle involved when deciding to follow Jesus
Faith doesn’t always come easy. Many people need to see physical proof in order to embrace the Christian faith as their own.
The Campaign
Each year young people in our community participate in a “Be Nice” campaign spearheaded by a mental health organization. In one of the events in 2012, 6,000 students spelled out the words BE NICE with their bodies on their schools’ sports fields. One principal said, “We want students to come to school and learn without the distraction of fear or sadness or uneasiness around their peers. We are working hard to make sure students are lifting each other up, rather than tearing each other down.”
“Gorgeous Inside”
It’s a rather nondescript house that sits on a busy thoroughfare. With no distinctive characteristics, this rather plain home is easy to ignore. But as I drove past it the other day, I noticed a “For Sale” sign in the yard. Attached to the sign was a smaller notice that happily announced: “I’m gorgeous inside.” While I’m not in the market for a new house, that sign intrigued me. What could make this otherwise forgettable house gorgeous inside?
Finding faith for the unpredictability of life
If there’s one thing we can be sure of, it’s that there are no guarantees in this life! So, how do we trust a reliable God in an unreliable world?
Who Am I?
Years ago, world-famous evangelist Billy Graham was scheduled to speak at Cambridge University in England, but he did not feel qualified to address the sophisticated thinkers. He had no advanced degrees and he had never attended seminary. Billy confided in a close friend: “I do not know that I have ever felt more inadequate and totally unprepared for a mission.”
Confidence In Troubled Times
Some kids love to brag about their dads. If you eavesdrop on neighborhood conversations, you’ll hear children saying, “My dad is bigger than your dad!” or “My dad is smarter than your dad!” But the best brag of all is, “My dad is stronger than your dad!” This boast is usually in the context of a warning that if kids are threatening you, they’d better beware, because your dad can come and take them all down, including their dads!
The Power Of Affirmation
During a recent study, 200,000 employees were interviewed to discover the missing ingredient in their productivity. The study concluded that appreciation and affirmation topped the list of what they wanted most from their superiors. This research implies that receiving affirmation is a basic human need.
Almost Content?
As I stepped into the restaurant parking lot after lunch, I saw a pickup truck speeding through the parked vehicles. While observing the driver’s reckless behavior, I noticed the words on the truck’s front license plate. It read, “Almost Content.”
Cupbearer To The King
One of my favorite Bible passages that applies to work is Nehemiah 1–2. King Artaxerxes’ employee Nehemiah had been such an exemplary worker that the king wanted to honor him by helping him when he was sad that Jerusalem was still in ruins. He asked Nehemiah, “Why is your face sad? . . . What do you request?” (2:2,4). He wasn’t just any worker for the king, he was the cupbearer, the man who tasted the king’s drink to protect him from being poisoned. In order to have earned such a position, he apparently worked hard and honored God in everything he did. And the king granted his requests.
On My Side
After diminutive Olympic athlete Gabby Douglas captured two gold medals in the 2012 London Games, she made this proclamation: “God will never fail you. He’s always on your side.”
Image Conscious
When going through old family photos, my cousins and I joke about which physical characteristics we’ve inherited. We notice primarily the negative ones: short legs, crooked teeth, unruly cowlicks. All of us can easily identify in our ancestors our own least favorite body part.
A Self-righteous Mind-set
“Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.’
Snapping, Snarling Thoughts
Many years ago, my father and I hiked through Big Bend in Texas. It’s a national park now, but in those days it was rough country.
More, More, More
Some people love to shop. They have a perpetual desire to buy, buy, buy. The craze to find the latest deal is worldwide. There are huge shopping malls in China, Saudi Arabia, Canada, the Philippines, the United States, and around the world. A rise in store purchases and online buying show that buying is a global phenomenon.
