But when I got to college I had a huge eye-opening experience. Players were quicker, taller, and much more athletic than I was accustomed to. While I did make the team, to my deep discouragement, I rarely played my first two years. As a result, I nearly gave up. “Why keep working hard,” I reasoned, “if I’m not going to play anyway?” At this stage in my life the cost of playing college basketball, even though it was my dream, was beginning to outweigh the benefits.

Is it worth following Jesus?

If you have been following Jesus for more than twenty minutes, you have probably experienced moments of doubt, uncertainty, and even anger at God. This is normal. Is it really worth being a Christian when the cost is so high? Like my dilemma with college basketball, you may have wondered if it’s really worth the effort to continue believing in Jesus. Maybe you have felt like the Psalmist who said, “But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling, my steps had almost slipped. For I was envious of the arrogant as I saw the prosperity of the wicked…surely in vain I have kept myself pure” (Psalm 73:2-3, 13).

I remember feeling this way as a high school sophomore. Since I grew up in a Christian home I had heard countless messages on “saving sex for marriage.” The consequences of ignoring God’s plan were engrained in me since I was young. I knew the reality of sexually transmitted diseases and other consequences of not waiting. But as much as I knew these things to be true, they didn’t seem to fit my experience. Quite a few of my friends were having sex but none of them (as far as I knew) had an STD, went through painful break-ups, or were particularly miserable. In fact, many seemed quite content with their choices. I honestly wondered, “If my non-Christian friends seem to be getting along just fine without obeying God, is it that important to remain faithful?”

If you have ever honestly wrestled with your faith in God, then the following thoughts are for you.

Embrace the difficulty and cost of faith

For some people believing and trusting in God appears to be quite simple. I am not one of them. Faith is not easy for me. In a world that emphasizes the present rather than the eternal, the powerful over the meek, and the visible rather than the invisible, I find it a struggle to live daily for God. It simply is not natural to die to myself and to live for God. For the longest time in my life I really thought I was alone in this struggle. But when I began to read the Bible more carefully, I realized that many of the godliest people struggled deeply with their faith. Consider a few:

David?David was “a man after God’s own heart.” He was personally chosen by God to be the king of Israel because of his humility, strength, and devotion. Yet even David experienced doubt and desperation in his relationship with God. Even though he had done nothing wrong, David had to flee for his life from King Saul. While hiding for his life in a cave David cried out to God. David’s honesty with God amazes me:

“I cry aloud with my voice to the Lord;?I make supplication with my voice to the Lord.?I pour out my complaint before Him;?I declare my trouble before Him.?When my spirit was overwhelmed within me,?You knew my path.?In the way where I walk?They have hidden a trap for me.?Look to the right and see;?For there is no one who regards me;?There is no escape for me;?No one cares for my soul” (Psalm 142).

Abraham

Out of all the people on earth, God chose Abraham to be the father of the nation of Israel. God promised to make Abraham’s name great, to bless him, to give his descendants land, and to protect them from their enemies (Genesis 12:1-3). Abraham chose to believe God through faith and “God reckoned it to him as righteousness.” But then God asked Abraham to do something that must have been utterly confusing for Abraham—to sacrifice his own son. The power of this command only sunk home to me when I became a father myself. I can hardly imagine being asked to do something more horrific than to take the life of my own son. Can you imagine what went through Abraham’s mind? Did faith make sense to him? Do you think he struggled with God’s command? I’m sure he did.

Almost every character in the Bible struggled with trusting God at some point in his or her life. Joseph wondered why he was sold into slavery. The disciples wondered why Jesus (whom they believed was the Messiah who would free Israel) was betrayed, beaten and ultimately crucified on the cross. Job wondered why as a righteous man he was experiencing such acute suffering. Similarly, you may have wondered why your parents got divorced, why a close friend betrayed you, or any number of other difficult circumstances you find yourself in the midst of. If so, you are in good company.

Even though faith may not always make sense from a human perspective, we can trust that God is good and that He has a plan for everything. God never let go of the steering wheel while David was fleeing for his life from Saul, while Abraham was about to sacrifice his son, or when Joseph was sold into slavery. This is why Joseph says to his brothers after revealing his identity, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result…” (Genesis 50:20).?It’s as if Christ is saying to us, “Trust me. I’m alive and in control of every situation. I will take your struggles and change them into blessings. I will take your suffering and turn it into joy. And how can I do that? I’m the sovereign, almighty Lord of the universe, who can do all things and who causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. So trust in me, no matter what.”

Think long term

Imagine putting a chocolate-chip cookie in front of a 3-year old and asking her not to eat it. Do you think she could resist? Recently some researchers did exactly this to study the human will. Children were given a single cookie with the promise that if they didn’t eat it for five minutes they would be given a second. While some of the children resisted the temptation others simply could not. The researchers found that the children who resisted the cookie at 3-years old were far more likely to succeed in school, relationships, financially, and in their future careers. Why? The simple answer is that success requires delaying present desires for later gratification.

Esau faced such a decision in Genesis 25:29-34. Famished after a full day of hunting, he faced a difficult test: have an instant bowl of a tasty red soup but give up his birthright (which granted him the majority share of his father’s estate in the distant future). Sadly, Esau settled for the temporary pleasure of a tasty meal. He lived for the moment rather than the future.?Ask yourself an honest question: In what ways are your decisions like Esau? How are you giving up long term good for a present thrill? Think about your decisions with money, school, and even sexual purity. Are you sacrificing God’s great plan for you for a temporary pleasure? Many of my friends who were sexually active in high school are now paying a heavy price. Some have been divorced and others have in fact gotten STD’s. Even though I felt like giving in to the pressure, I am so thankful that I had the strength and support to focus on the long term. It wasn’t easy, but it was worth it. You may not feel like continuing to follow Jesus and doing the right thing now, but remember, “No eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9). It will be worth it in the end. Remind yourself that God will bless you in unimaginable ways if you remain faithful now.

Never underestimate the difference you are making?When I was a freshman in high school the senior quarterback, Eric, said something to me I will never forget. One Saturday night I was hanging out with some friends in my hometown, Julian. An older student—in fact a lineman on the football team—came up to me while I was sitting on the back of my truck and tried to pressure me into having a drink of alcohol. And for some reason he wouldn’t take no for an answer. As soon as he noticed, Eric came to my defense. He walked over and got right in his face and said, “Leave him alone. I’ve decided not to drink too. Sean has inspired me not to drink. I’ve never seen anyone stand up so strongly for what he believes. So don’t pressure him.”

To be honest, I was shocked to hear him say that. The reason I wouldn’t drink is because I made a promise to my parents that I would not have even a sip of alcohol throughout my high school career; nor would I let someone who had consumed any alcohol into my car. But I had never thought how my choices could influence someone else, let alone the captain of the football team! While this story worked out for good, I could tell you stories of when I failed to live up to what I believed too. I have made poor decisions at time that I know reflect poorly on me, my family, and my creator. But this experience taught me a profound truth—we can have a powerful impact on people’s lives even when we don’t realize it. Trust me: people are watching your life. If you decide to live for Jesus you will make a difference—even if you don’t realize it.

Never give up

As I look back on my basketball career, I am so thankful that I did not give up. My last two years of college I was part of two different teams that went 28-6 and 30-7, with two visits to the national tournament. And my senior year I was fortunate enough to be a team captain. Had I given up too early I would have missed out on incredible opportunities for growth and fun.

Similarly, as I look back on my spiritual life, I am so thankful that I have continued to follow Jesus. There have certainly been trials and temptations, but there is no doubt in my life that it has been worth it. Keep the faith.

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Living a Christian life in a secular world
When God asks for patience
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These two mental pictures are merely glimpses of Scott Hamilton’s life. There is no doubt that he has faced his own ups and downs; yet, when asked what he prays about, Scott discussed having a grateful heart. Gratitude! Despite being drained physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually, in his heart, all he wanted to do is say: thank you. Even still, a heartfelt conversation with a nurse opened his eyes to the true meaning of being a Father.

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Learning to trust God during through tough moments?
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 How would YOU describe your life?

Contented? Rushed? Exciting? Stressful? Moving forward? Holding back? For many of us it’s all of the above at times. If stress dominates your life, you could be looking to move passed those situations. It’s hard to cope with stress when you can’t put the past behind you. In the Bible, it says that Jesus came to make all things new. What would your life look like if you could start over with a clean slate?

Are you ready to choose a different path?

Jesus came, and died, and rose again to wipe the slate clean. He was scourged, tormented, and finally nailed on the cross for humankind’s sins – this was all part of God’s plan to bring you and I back into relationship with him. God wants to be a part of your life … in fact, not just a part of your life, but wants you to live in full fellowship with Him. Is this the life for you?

God loves you and created you to know Him personally. He longs for you to have the kind of full life you were always meant to have. So why do people not experience this kind of life? People are lost and separated from God, so we cannot know Him personally or experience His love. Because of our sins, we justly deserve judgement. But God provided his Son, Jesus Christ, as the only provision for our sin. He died in our place, then he rose from the dead.

We must individually trust Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord; then we can know God personally, receive forgiveness for our sins, and experience His love: “As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12)

We trust God through faith. You can trust Christ right now by faith through prayer! (Prayer is just talking with God.) God knows your heart and is not so concerned with your words as He is with the attitude of your heart. The following is a suggested prayer:

Lord Jesus, I need you. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of the throne of my life. Make me the kind of person You want me to be.

Does this prayer express the desire of your heart?

If you have a question first, click here.

At some point in his life, Olympic Gold Medalist Scott Hamilton felt satisfied with his career accomplishments. It wasn’t until he faced death twice that he began to wrestle with the true purpose for his life. There is no doubt that he has faced his own ups and downs; yet, when asked about what he prays about, Scott discussed having a grateful heart. Despite being drained physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually, in his heart, all he wanted to do is say: thank you. Even still, a heartfelt conversation with a nurse opened his eyes to the true meaning of being a Father.

Scott’s outlook on his life surpasses human rationality. Despite the storms he has weathered, he still says that “the only true disability in life is a bad attitude.” He had so much to lose; and yet, even more to give.

Take the next step:

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”  (John 16:33)

We have this idea that if God is with us, He’ll protect us from trouble. He’ll work things out for us. When bad things do happen, we conclude that God has left us. He’s abandoned us. But this is not true.

On this broken, sinful planet bad things do happen to all people. Jesus promised us this: “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

Jesus didn’t promise us a carefree life. He didn’t come to explain suffering or to remove it. He came to fill it with His presence. And that makes all the difference. When you know Jesus is with you– walking with you every step of the way– it makes the difference between despair and hope.

There have been times in my life when I felt I was losing everything I value: my marriage, my family, my reputation, my health and my job. Then I would hear Jesus’ voice, not out loud but distinctly in my heart,
“Don’t be afraid. I am here and I can handle it. Trust me.”

Now looking back, I can honestly say it was good for me to experience suffering and loss. It provided an opportunity to experience God in a very real and practical way. I’m a much richer person. Life has a quality it didn’t have before. I can testify that when you have Christ, no matter what you’re going through, you won’t have to do it alone.

Jesus did not come to make us escapists, but overcomers.

Thank you, Jesus, that we can always depend on You to be there for us and to give us what we need to be overcomers. Amen.

Question: Are you struggling through a time of suffering and loss? God wants to be near you during this time. How can you let God meet you in your pain?

I could see the fear and apprehension written so clearly on their faces when I went in the room to introduce myself. I tried to be encouraging as I asked questions concerning the pregnancy and assessed her condition. I too, had felt the same fear when I saw the blood present and began to pray silently that God, if it be his will, let this little one be carried full term.

My heart broke

This was not to be however. Several hours later, my heart broke when I saw the emergency light go off at the desk. Walking into the room, I learned the wife was going into labor and were about to lose their precious baby. I distinctly remember holding the patient tightly, rocking back and forth with her, tears falling down our cheeks. The sobs of her husband could be heard from the adjoining room. She was asked if she wanted to see the baby yet, and she declined.

The husband entered the small room and I knew it was time for me to leave. They needed to grieve alone. I helped the wife with her clothes and helped her back to bed. I cried all the way back to the nurse’s station.

The baby was a perfect little boy. He had everything he was supposed to have: ten tiny fingers and toes, small ears, nose and mouth. To me he appeared as if everything should have been fine. As I continued to look at him, I knew in that moment, that God had a better plan for this little guy than to suffer in this world this journey we call life. He would never have to know the heartache of losing a child, like his parents had. He would never have to suffer from a terminal illness or grow up in a world filled with temptations. He was where God wanted him to be, resting in the love and safety of God’s hand.

My hope holds on

I trust his parents will be reunited with him one day for eternity. That although they may not be with him in the present, that they will be together in the future. I hope that they too know of this perfect love from above. If not, I pray that they will discover it in this sorrowful step in their lives.

This experience, I am certain, changed them in ways they never wanted to be changed. I know this, because it changed me also. I saw the stark reality of losing a child and felt a small part of their loss. All I could do was cry. No words had been necessary and not one was spoken. Even when I returned later to check on them, silence, intermingled with quiet sobs, was all that echoed from the room.

This article is dedicated to all that have ever lost a child – whether it be one that was stillborn, or in life as they grew. God knows the tears you have shed and those that you will continue to shed. He has imprinted your hearts with a love that He too, knows very well; the love of a parent and the loss of losing a child. May He touch and comfort you with that same hand that holds your son or daughter in ways that only He can do.

Take the next step:
Unthinkable Loss: Miscarriage and Stillbirth
Starting over after a loss
Read the story of Ruth, a woman who lost a great deal and had to find the strength to start over.
Are you facing the loss of a child? We are here to talk.

Does your life feel shipwrecked? We have mentors available to talk to you today.

“When the Lord brought back the captives to Zion we were like men who dreamed.” (Psalm 126)

God did the impossible. He returned the captives to Zion. They were so astounded they thought they must be dreaming. Imagine the wrenching parting that they had experienced and then the joy of returning home.

I’ve been considering the story of Ruth and Naomi. A story some of us can clearly relate to; women who suffered gaping losses. The story begins with a famine and goes downhill from there. Wasn’t God supposed to bless his people? Naomi’s kin belonged to Joseph’s line after all, yet Naomi experienced one tragic disappointment after another.

Recently I had the opportunity of being reunited with an old friend who I haven’t seen for many years. She confided that her life had not turned out the way she had dreamed even though she has faithfully served God for many years.

Naomi’s life appeared shipwrecked—washed up on the rocks in tatters. All hope lost. Naomi has no expectations that the tide of life would change now as we see in her own words. “Even if I thought there was still hope for me—even if I had a husband tonight and then gave birth to sons would you wait until they grew up,” Naomi asked her daughters-in-law.

We catch a glimpse of her raw heartache when she returns home. “Don’t call me Naomi,” she told them, her grey head bent in sorrow. “Call me Mara because the Lord Almighty has made my life very bitter.”

Do you hear her brokenness? After all, Naomi wasn’t complaining or questioning God about a bump in the road, but a life pattern of disappointments, and sadness. They had woven themselves into the very core of her being. Does any of this sound familiar to you? Are you burdened by so many heartaches that you wonder where God is?

Unknown to Naomi God wasn’t finished with her. I’m sure if Naomi had been given a million years to sit and think of a solution to her life’s troubles she would have never come up with a plan like the one God had in mind. God still had an astounding seal of confirmation of His eternal love and mercy to place upon her life.

Naomi’s own grandson would become the grandfather of King David and his royal line would usher in the saviour of the world.

Ruth 4:16 “Then Naomi took the child, laid him on her lap and cared for him. The women living there said Naomi has a son.”

I can see Naomi holding that small babe on her frail lap, as all the heartache drains from her old bones and is replaced with inexpressible joy. Nothing is too difficult for God to mend, to heal or restore.

God is still writing your story today and even if it hasn’t turned out the way you’d hoped thus far, he isn’t finished yet.

“For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

Thank you God for the plans that you have for me, thank you that they far exceed anything that I could imagine for my life. When I feel discouraged and my heart if heavy with circumstances that I cannot endure, remind me that you are working all things together for good. Amen.

Question – How can Naomi’s story and the story of the returned captives to Zion relate to your own disappointments that you’ve faced in the past?

It was sixth hour. The dreaded hour. Eighth grade gym class was upon me, and it was dodge ball day. The teacher picked the captains and off they went. “Jimmy.” “Tracy.” “I’ll take Josh.” And on it went until there were two kids left. “Ok, I guess I’ll take Will.” The teacher motioned me to step over to other team as their last resort.

Being picked last didn’t come as a surprise. After all, I had been the “fat girl” in my class of twenty-eight since the age of five. I was used to being last. Still, every gym class, I held on to a silent hope that a classmate might see the real “me” and not judge me according to my appearance or lack of athletic capabilities.

These moments of embarrassment do not define us as individuals, unless we allow them to. Sadly, I did. I allowed other people’s perceptions of my outside ugliness to seep and fester inside of me to the point that I believed if I weren’t outwardly pretty like the rest of them, my inner self was full of ugliness, too. This ugliness reared a fifteen year struggle with bulimia, along with a whole host of other emotional and physical sufferings.

You may not be able to directly relate to the suffering of an eating disorder, but you don’t have to. You have your own “fill in the blank” life experience that has bred similar emotions. So, what does our Lord, the one who created us in His image, have to say about our human sufferings?

Surely, his intention was for us to be perfect, yet He knew the temptations would be too great for his first creations to resist. His word, in Romans 5 reads, “And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character, and character, hope.”

He uses our human sufferings for His greater good. Without experiencing pain, heartache, failure, how would we learn to lean on him in faith, to press on, to develop the character of a Godly woman or man that He so desires us to be? Through my years of dealing with an eating disorder, depression and anxiety, I held fast to these verses in Romans, but with a deluded focus. “Recovery is my hope. Only then will I be happy. Only then will others see the real me,” I foolishly told myself. While recovery has brought relief and restored health in a most amazing way, true lasting happiness can only be rooted in the hope of the Lord. He sees the real you, and he unconditionally loves you.

What kind of suffering is in your life today? Are you persevering or faltering? No matter your struggle, you can be certain the Lord will sustain you and build your character in His sure and unchanging hope. Ask the Lord to reveal his hope to you in the face of your suffering today.

Lord, in the face of suffering, we thank you. We thank you because we know that the trials you have placed in our lives are for your purpose. Continue to strengthen our perseverance, build our character, and hold fast in the hope of the glory of God.
In your name, Amen. 

Question: What kind of suffering is in your life today?

We will always experience suffering during our lives here on our fallen Earth. When we experience pain, especially the death of a loved one, our natural response is to question, to ask why, and perhaps even to doubt God. Because it hurts.

Some people will respond to evil they see by denying that evil exists. But what is perhaps easy to say is quite difficult to live, or as C S Lewis put it: “Whenever you find a man who says he does not believe in a real Right and Wrong, you will find the same man going back on this a moment later.” There is a name for the person who denies good and evil: a sociopath. Clearly the proper response to evil is not denial.

Other people will respond to evil by removing God from the equation. But removing God does not make evil less evil, nor pain less painful. In fact, removing God also removes ultimate hope. Without God, our world seems permanently and irredeemably evil. Without God, there is no ultimate relief from pain, only pain.

With God we cry out to a loving Father who remains with us and comforts us as we hurt and Himself came to Earth as a human being to suffer and die for us. But without God we cry out into the empty void of nothingness that neither hears our cry nor cares for our pain. Removing God results in no gain and much loss.

When we have God in our lives and hearts, we have hope during difficult times and comfort in the midst of tragedy. We have hope grounded in the fact of God’s mighty power, His limitless mercy, and everlasting love. No matter what happens, God loves us because God is love. And nothing can separate us from Him.

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39

Question: What do you need to say to God today in prayer? What questions do you have to ask God?

Originally written by Charles H. Spurgeon, published in “Mornings & Evenings,” entry for May 2nd, AM.
Updated to modern English by Darren Hewer, 2011.

“I pray not that Thou shouldst take them out of the world.” John 17:15

It is a sweet and blessed event which will occur to all believers in God’s own time: Going home to be with Jesus. In a few more years the Lord’s soldiers, who are now fighting “the good fight of faith” (1 Timothy 6:12) will be done with conflict, and will enter into the joy of their Lord.

But although Christ prays that His people will eventually be with Him where He is, He does not ask that they may be taken at once away from this world to heaven. He wishes them to stay here. Yet how frequently does the wearied pilgrim put up the prayer, “Oh that I had wings like a dove! For then would I fly away and be at rest.” But Christ does not pray like that. He leaves us in His Father’s hands until, like corn fully ripe, we shall each be gathered into our Master’s presence.

Jesus does not plead for our instant removal by death. Our abiding in the flesh is needed for others if not profitable for ourselves. He asks that we be kept from evil, but He never asks for us to be admitted to the inheritance in glory until we are of full readiness.

Christians often want to die when they have any trouble. Ask them why, and they tell you, “Because we would be with the Lord.” I fear it is not so much because they are longing to be with the Lord, as because they desire to get rid of their troubles. If it were so, they would feel the same wish to die at other times when not under the pressure of trial. They want to go home, not so much for the Savior’s company, as to be at rest. Now it is quite right to desire to depart if we can do it in the same spirit that Paul did, because to be with Christ is far better, but the wish to escape from trouble is a selfish one. (Philippians 1:21-26)

Let your desire be to glorify God by your life here as long as He pleases, even though it is in the midst of toil, conflict, and suffering, leave Him to say when “it is enough.”

Question: How do you pray in times of toil, conflict, and suffering?

Do you want to go back to the basics of your faith? Try our study Knowing Jesus Personally.

“Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).

Suffering is something we all experience at some point in our lives. We can suffer in many different ways. Our pain can be primarily physical, or we can suffer in mental or emotional ways. Suffering can be temporary, but it may still be very painful. We always feel very relieved when it comes to an end. Then there’s the severe, constant, unending physical suffering that goes on day after day, year after year. There may not be any hope that our circumstances will improve while on this earth. At times like this we might ask, “Does God care that I’m suffering?” “Are all His decisions loving and fair?” “Is God in control?” “Do I trust Him?” If we believe the Bible which says, God is in control of all things, He is loving and wise, perfect and just, then the answer to these questions is a definite “Yes!” We may not understand why we are suffering, but we can trust God, confident in knowing He will work all things out for our good. We may wonder, “Is anything being accomplished by this suffering?” “Why is God allowing it to happen?” There is purpose in suffering. Circumstances in our lives can be consequences of our own sin and the poor choices we make. But, sometimes we suffer when we haven’t done anything wrong. God wants us to use these adversities to refine, mature, complete and perfect us. If we’re wise, we will not waste this opportunity. The Bible says when suffering comes “count it all joy.”

I know that in my suffering, it gives me great joy and hope to know that because my sins are forgiven, not only will I see Jesus in Heaven, but I have Him with me now to comfort, encourage and guide me. Have you ever confessed your sins to God and committed your life to Him? Would you like to know you are forgiven and going to Heaven some day? If so, you can say a prayer like the one below:

Dear Jesus, I know I have sinned. Thank you for dying on the cross to take the punishment for my sins. I ask for your forgiveness, and I surrender my life to you Amen.

Questions: Does God care that you are suffering? Why is God allowing the suffering to happen?