Our God has given us the ability to feel a broad spectrum of feelings. This is keenly revealed when you read the Psalms. We read there about joy, sadness, anger, fear, anxiety, depression, regret, love, peace, elation, etc. What we discover is encouraging. God does not rebuke us for our feelings. Yet, they typically reveal
Are You Happy or Smart?
When our daughter with Down syndrome, Bekah, was much younger, she would ask, “Are you happy or smart?” It was funny. Sometimes I asked her the same question, and she would always answer, “Yes!” At which her three brothers, my wife, and I would all laugh. However, there is some truth to her question that
Are We Righteous Now or Only in Heaven?
Several years ago, I was counseling a distraught young wife whose husband demanded that she do everything his way. Being a newlywed, she tried hard to please him, but it seemed like it was never enough. By the time she came in to see me, she was exhausted and felt very rejected. I asked her
Why There Is Never Condemnation in Our Struggles
We all struggle at times, don’t we? I feel the Lord’s compassion for those who shared your stories with me last year. Over the holidays, I was also thinking of some of my staff and what that time was like for them. One spent Christmas alone while her husband was in the hospital. Two
From the Awesome Throne to the Awful Trough
Have you ever paused to think about the one word in our vocabulary that describes what happened when God the Son left heaven for earth? The scenes in the Bible unfold this for us, shouting it loudly if we are paying attention. God the Father chose an obscure Jewish peasant teenager’s womb to be the
How to Stop Hoping for a Better Past
My wife, 90-year-old mom, and I were in a four-car accident a few months ago. As a black Lexus raced through a red light and was “T-boned,” it was sent veering towards us in the opposite turn lane. As this unfolded, it all seemed to be happening in slow motion. Ultimately, it hit the front
There Is Always Hope for Struggling Marriages
Many Christian marriages struggle so much that they often pray and pray for God to help them. Yet, nothing seems to change, and the marriage may increasingly spiral downward. Is there hope for lasting change? We all want to be loved, accepted, and respected in our marriages. Yet, we bring fleshly patterns into the
Did You Know that God Is Not Religious?
Would it surprise you if I told you that God is not religious? Do you think he is? Would you describe God as someone who is mostly interested in giving people rules to live by? Would you define a relationship with God as being blessed when you obey and punished when you disobey? In other
The God You Really Believe Is the One You View on Your Worst Days
When your life is going well, it’s easy to believe God loves you. It’s great to proclaim he’s good when you ask him to give you something, and he does. But life doesn’t always go well, does it? What do you feel God is like when he doesn’t seem to answer your prayer? How do
Are You Ready to Stop Trying Harder?
One night, I shared this with my wife as we settled into bed. I blurted that I felt burned out trying to live the Christian life and that I couldn’t continue. After waiting patiently for me to share my heart, she responded very compassionately. She assured me that she truly believed God had an answer
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