Category Archives: Suffering

How God works suffering for our good

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Most Christians know Paul’s reassuring words from Romans 8:28 – ‘We know that all things work together for good for those who love God.’

But how does this actually work?

Based on the writing of Thomas Watson (The Divine Cordial) Tim Challies outlines 10 ways in which God works suffering for the good of his people.

Here is my own precis.

1. Suffering is our teacher.  It reminds us of our sin, immaturity and dependence.  It is in the crucible of suffering that many parts of God’s written word – especially the Psalms, come alive and apply themselves to our souls.…

The pattern of miracles today

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A third section of Tim Chester’s Do Miracles Happen Today? that I would like to consider is the part of chapter 4 where he outlines the circumstances in which miracles are more likely to happen today.

1. On the frontline of mission.  John Stott writes: ‘Especially on the frontiers of mission, where a power-encounter may be needed to demonstrate the lordship of Christ, miracles have been and are being reported.’

As Chester says: ‘There are a number of things that make people more inclined to pay attention to the Christian message: the lives of Christians (Titus 2 v 9-10); our response to persecution (1 Peter 2 v 11-12); the community life of the church (John 13 v 35; 1 Peter 3 v 8-15); the worship of the gathered congregation (1 Corinthians 14 v 23-25).…

What is a miracle?

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Introducing a short series based on sections of Tim Chester’s book, Do Miracles Happen Today? And other questions about signs, wonders and mighty works.  The Good Book Company.

In chapter two, Chester discusses the definition of ‘miracle’.

An unusual feat?  The success of Leicester City football team in winning the Premier League in 2016 was an extraordinary achievement (they had odds of 5,000 to 1 against them at the start of the season).  But it was not a miracle.…

Where is God in a messed-up world?

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The following forms the substance of a talk given in October, 2020 as part of a webinar from Holy Trinity Church, Norwich.

I am giving it some prominence now (February, 2023) because of its relevance to the challenging situation documented in the series of bulletins entitled “I’ll Walk Beside You”.

The video of the talk may be found here.

Intro

We were being shown round the charming spa town of Great Malvern, in Worcestershire.  Our friendly guide pointed out the statue of Sir Edward Elgar, the famous composer. …

Joni’s story

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Popular, intelligent, and athletic, 17-year-old Joni Earekson had her whole life before her.

Then, one fateful day in 1967, she dived into water that was too shallow, smashed her head on a rock, and broke her neck.

Her sister pulled her out of the water, and she was rushed to hospital.  A doctor with a metal pin kept asking her, “Can you feel this?” But she felt nothing from the neck down.  She was paralysed.

At first, doctors held out the hope that the damaged nerves might heal themselves. …

Ten benefits of suffering

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A Catholic nun named Monica Hellwig proposed a list of ‘advantages’ of being poor.  These have been adapted by Philip Yancey, who has broadened the list to include all who suffer:

1. Suffering, the great equalizer, brings us to a point where we may realize our urgent need for redemption.

2. Those who suffer know not only their dependence on God and on healthy people but also their interdependence with one another.

3. Those who suffer rest their security not on things, which often cannot be enjoyed and may soon be taken away, but rather on people.…

God: all-loving but not all-powerful?

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Shall we argue that God, although perfectly loving, lacks the power to prevent or relieve human suffering?  If we are to take the conclusion of the book of Job seriously, the answer must be, ‘No’.

Philip Yancey writes:

Much has been made about God’s magnificent speech in Job 38– 41. In a passage that could be addressed to the Sierra Club or Audubon Society, God took Job on a verbal tour of all the wonders of nature.…

Claudia’s visitors

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Philip Yancey writes of some of visits that a seriously ill young woman – Claudia – received while in hospital:

The teacher

A deacon from her church solemnly advised her to reflect on what God was trying to teach her. “Surely something in your life must displease God,” he said. “Somewhere, you must have stepped out of his will. These things don’t just happen. God uses circumstances to warn us, and to punish us. What is he telling you?”…

Where is God in a messed-up world?

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Some excerpts from this book of the same name, by Roger Carswell (2nd edition, 2020)

How can God be all-loving and all-powerful?

The Greek philosopher, Epicurus, outlined the dilemma facing the thinking mind: God either wishes to take away evils and is unable; or He is able and is unwilling; or He is neither willing nor able; or He is both willing and able. If He is willing but unable, He is feeble, which is not in accordance with the character of God.…

Coronavirus and Christ

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John Piper’s recent book, Coronavirus and Christ (Crossway, 2020) has quite a lot on common with John Lennox’s Where is God in a Coronavirus World?

Both are written from an evangelical perspective by men with long experience in Christian ministry, and who have experienced significant ill-health in the past.  Both books are quite short, appeal to the same kinds of biblical teaching, and extend an invitation to accept the Good News of Jesus, crucified, risen and returning.…