This blog will stay here for the resources. You can  make use of the categories on the right column if you’d like. I’ve kept them very strictly for each post right from the beginning.

I’m kind of sad because this blog has been going for a long time and I didn’t have to be concerned if the subject matter got to be a little much or a little personal but that shouldn’t keep me from posting there where I think more people may benefit and I may benefit more from comments.

A review by Eric Carpenter

Please see Justin Taylor’s post for more information.

I encourage you to read biographies of missionaries and reformers, of people such as Martin Luther, William Carey, John Wesley, Charles Spurgeon, Harriet Tubman and countless others. You’ll find the pages riddled with suffering, all of which God used to build their characters and expand their ministries. These stories inspire and challenge us to say no to time-wasting trivia, seize the day and invest in what matters.

If you’ve read any that encouraged you please let me know. I’ve read very few.

Before difficult times come your way, develop habits of studying God’s Word, listening to Christ-centered teaching and music, and reading soul-nourishing literature, both nonfiction and fiction. Daily fill the reservoir from which you can draw when facing difficult times—and helping others face theirs. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly” (Colossians 3:16).

–Randy Alcorn, via Facebook

Colossians 1:11-12 NRSV
May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light.

Pain-Blog Carnival, March 2010

The Almighty God revealed himself to Job. How simple that encounter seemed to be, and yet, how profound were the implications of that revelation. In a moment, Job’s attitude changed. His life was flooded with purpose, with hope, and with the expectation of healing. God healed Job by bringing him out of his anxiety into acceptance of his situation, an acceptance that brought peace to Job’s life.

God’s purpose was not only to heal Job, but also to instruct him. God asked Job several rhetorical questions which were beyond human capability of answering.

God wanted Job to catch a glimpse of his work in creation so that Job could realize that his suffering was insignificant when placed next to God’s work in the world. At the end of God’s questioning, Job recognized the vast gulf between God’s wisdom and power and his own ignorance of the many mysteries of life. The greatest lesson Job learned was that God was sovereign over his creation and that divine sovereignty governs all reality, including Job’s own life.

From:
The Suffering of Job and Divine Justice – Part 2
(link to Part 1 is at the top of that post)

HT: ve’al timkor

Psalm 103:1-5 TNIV
1 Praise the Lord, my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
2 Praise the Lord, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits–
3 who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
5 who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Photo by mm767cap

I do believe that focusing on “Why?” questions can lead to confusion and despair if we demand answers from God that He has not promised to give us.

–David Sunday (pastor of Grace Community Bible Church)

You can read the end of the book of Job to see that God doesn’t answer why in that situation and often doesn’t.

See the context at Between Two Worlds

As David Sunday says, we should ask, ‘“Who is God?” “What does He want to teach us?” and “How can we glorify him in this?”’

(I’m not so sure God always tells us what He wants to teach us either.)

This reminds me of a quote I’ve posted before:

“But what kept me going more than anything else was my confidence in the character of God.”

–Ravi Zacharias quoting Charles Cooper

From there you can read sample pages.

He also wrote Running Scared which is a well regarded book that I have but haven’t read yet.