Topic > When Life Hurts
God Amid Tragedies in My Life
Written By Charlotte Diana, Indonesia It was sometime in the middle of 2010, just after I welcomed my father back home. He had just arrived from Borneo in Indonesia, where he had been working as a broadcast consultant and technician at a radio station. Giving me a big hug, Papa came into the house and […]
How did Paul overcome feelings of hurt and abandonment?
Have you ever felt abandoned by someone you cared about? It can be difficult recovering from that type of pain and disappointment. Join us today for an encouraging conversation on “Discover the Word.”
How to relate to people as individuals
No two people are exactly alike. And yet, we often deal with people as though everyone is the same. Listen in today as we continue studying Paul’s final letter and his instructions on relating to people as individuals.
The School Of Pain
In his book The Problem of Pain, C. S. Lewis observes that “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” Suffering often helps us to redirect our focus. It shifts our thinking from immediate circumstances so we can listen to God concerning His work in our lives. Life as usual is replaced by a spiritual schoolroom.
Paradise Lost
Gary Inrig takes us to Genesis 3 so we can be reminded of the purpose for which we were created and enjoy His good gifts as He intended.
Why I’m so Affected by the Nepal Quake
Just three days ago, the world recoiled in horror as images of devastation and disaster unfolded on the news—Nepal had been hit by a 7.9 magnitude earthquake, the worst to hit the nation in more than 80 years. Having been to Kathmandu numerous times and forged some good relationships with the locals there, I was […]
Hope Lives
When unspeakable tragedy shatters people’s lives, they search for answers. Recently, a mother who had lost a teenager said to me, “I can’t figure it out. I don’t know if I can believe anymore. I try, but God doesn’t make sense to me. What does it all mean?” There are no easy answers to such big concerns. But for those who have trusted Christ, there is hope—whether we are basking in blessings or grinding through grief.
Discover where God is when bad things happen
Where is God when life falls apart? It’s an honest question we all ask in times of suffering. Join us as we study the Old Testament story of Ruth and Naomi to discover the answer to this question.
Too Much For Me
“God never gives us more than we can handle,” someone said to a father whose 5-year-old son had just lost his battle with cancer. These words, which were intended to encourage him, instead depressed him and caused him to wonder why he wasn’t “handling” the loss of his boy at all. The pain was so much to bear that he could hardly even breathe. He knew his grief was too much for him and that he desperately needed God to hold him tight.
Don’t Worry!
George Burns, American actor and humorist, said, “If you ask, ‘What is the single most important key to longevity?’ I would have to say it is avoiding worry, stress, and tension. And if you didn’t ask me, I’d still have to say it.” Burns, who lived to be 100, enjoyed making people laugh, and apparently followed his own advice.
Pain With A Purpose
I asked several friends what their most difficult, painful experience in life had been. Their answers included war, divorce, surgery, and the loss of a loved one. My wife’s reply was, “The birth of our first child.” It was a long and difficult labor in a lonely army hospital. But looking back, she said she considers it joyful “because the pain had a big purpose.”
When Anxiety Gets the Better of Me
Written by Christie Frieg, USA “The map says it’ll take me 15 minutes to get there? Challenge accepted. I can do it in five.” (Oh wait, I forgot about stuff like traffic lights and speed limits. Now I’m late.) Living my life on the edge has brought me a lot of anxiety. I’m usually late, […]
Why Me?
Written By Jason Chen, Taiwan (Originally in Traditional Chinese) Why Me? That was the grabbing title of a book I read recently; a question which triggered a lot of memories. Implied in those two words is the larger question: Why does God allow people to suffer unbearable pains? There was once I asked God that […]
Unwelcome Visitors
Recently my wife, Marlene, and I received a panicky phone call from our son and his wife. The night before, they had found two bats in their house. I know bats are an important part of the ecosystem, but they are not my favorite among God’s creatures, especially when they are flying around inside.
