Flourishing in Trials

What did Jesus mean when he promised his followers abundant life? We’ve been taught that it means a life of ease and our selected list of creature comforts. But does it? Through the letters of a few of their listeners Wayne and Brad dive into this topic with a daughter disaffected from her family, a lady who found herself becoming more of a Pharisee in the organic church movement than she did within, and the father of a pretty special set of twins! Only in him will we discover true fullness and be able to embrace the glorious adventure of living loved and loving others as each day unfolds.

4 Comments

  1. that was so awesome .. thanks for all you guys do. I appreciate you looking at the hard things and saying “maybe we need to look at this again.”
    God cannot be put in a Box.. Thanks for opening the Box.

  2. Thank you for your discussion on Flourish in Trials. So often Christians think God is only with them when times are good. In fact the modern church is often guilty of making those who go through such times feel that it is all their fault, if they had been better Christians they would only have blessings. Such faulty beliefs come home to haunt you when things do go wrong. You start to wonder, ‘what have I done?’. You think perhaps if only you were a better Christian, had been more consecrated, or more fervent in faith, perhaps the terrible things you are going through wouldn’t have happened. You look at other Christian and think why me? What have done wrong or not done that I should have done, that makes me and my loved ones an object of such trials.

    The past 4 years have been very difficult for me and my family. First I was struck down with a neurological illness which has stopped me from being able to work, then last September my eldest son was killed in a tragic accident. I have written about it here http://www.squidoo.com/losingyourchild
    This has been the most terrible time of my life. I don’t think anyone who hasn’t lost one of their children can even begin to understand the depth of pain such a loss can bring. It is an ache that is nearly impossible to bear.

    This past year has been an emotional roller coaster. Trying to hold on to God in the depths of despair has been impossible at times, I know I have let go of him on a number of occasions. At times I have tried to distract myself sometimes with things I know don’t please God. Often I go to sleep praying I will not wake up. But beneath it all. Even in times of despair and rebellion against God, I have known He is there. He knows what it is like to lose a beloved son, and He loves my son more than I can ever love him. The thing is, even though I cannot hold on to God; he still holds on to me! Truly God’s everlasting arms of love are beneath me, even to catch me and carry me through this darkness.

    The darkness hasn’t ended for me and my family. Hardly a moment goes by when my son David isn’t on my mind. The pain is deep too and my health problems mean I have to spend much of everyday on my own. But deep, deep down I know He loves me. I know he hasn’t abandoned either me and my family. I would rather not walk this road, but I do know he is with me even in the darkest place.

    I am glad my faith doesn’t have to be based on my faithfulness. My faith is based on a God who really, really, loves me no matter what happens or what I do

    Paul

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