Category: Christian Living

The Gift of Empathy

Stepping into line, I clutched my son’s tiny hand and kept my head down as we inched toward his classroom door. The preschool check-in process took a while, but usually created a welcome opportunity to chat with other moms. On that day, however, just walking into the building required excruciating effort. Participating in such a “normal” activity seemed surreal when I felt so raw, exposed, and vulnerable.

Just a few days earlier, I’d sat at my dad’s bedside as he exhaled his final breath. For the two weeks prior to that I’d been consumed with trekking back and forth to see him as he’d received hospice care. I’d been so removed from regular life that it felt overwhelming just dropping off my son at school. 

I assumed most of the moms in line knew I was grieving since I’d received flowers from the class. My sagging shoulders and red-rimmed eyes hinted at my fragile state, yet not one of them acknowledged my loss. I didn’t fault them for it—most of my peers hadn’t yet experienced the death of a parent and didn’t know what to say.

After a few awkward minutes, I felt a hand rest gently on my shoulder. Looking up, a mom I barely knew pulled me in close and said, “I’m so sorry for your loss. My dad died a few years ago– I totally get what you’re going through.” She described the range of emotions she’d experienced, mirroring mine exactly. What a relief to encounter someone who understood my pain.  

In the years since then, I’ve been blessed by other compassionate people who have reached out to empathize with me through different struggles. None of them tried to fix my problems, but they all showed me compassion and understanding. They made me feel seen, heard, and loved. These kind acts beautifully illustrate Paul’s words in the New Testament:

 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4, NIV)

Painful experiences are fertile ground for receiving God’s comfort. They also enable us to grow in our compassion for people. When we’re going through hardships, we can find hope knowing God will use them to bless others in the future.

Once you’ve experienced true empathy, you’re able to recognize how it differs from sympathy. Empathizing with others means we identify with their pain and connect with them in it. It’s when we say, “I get it, I know how you feel.” Sympathy, however, is like saying “I feel bad for you.” Instead of being a participant in the pain, a person offering sympathy remains a passive observer feeling pity for the hardships of another. While the intentions are kind, it can make a struggling person feel emotionally isolated. If you’ve ever gone through a hard time, you probably know that receiving a person’s empathy comforts so much more than the clichéd words of sympathy.

Sometimes we encounter people in pain and we have no frame of reference to empathize with them. It’s tempting to hold back and say nothing for fear of getting it wrong. However, there are simple tools we can use to respond in caring and sensitive ways that promote connection and understanding. Here are a few I’ve learned:

-Listen to understand, not to respond. Don’t get distracted thinking about what you’ll say next– you’ll miss what the person is telling you.

-Listen for feelings, not facts. Validate their emotions and don’t judge them as bad or good. Focus on the person, not on the details of their situation.

-Be present and patient. Let the struggling person have room to share the tangle of emotions they’re feeling. Get comfortable sitting in silence too. Remember your presence will communicate your support more than any helpful suggestions you might be tempted to offer. People may forget what you say, but they remember the way you made them feel.

-Avoid sharing stories about yourself. This may seem like empathy, but it’s really turning the attention to yourself. Saying “I’ve been there” or “I feel you” is enough. If they want to know more, they’ll ask.

-Don’t offer advice, quick assurances, or comparisons that minimize what they’re going through (ie: “At least….” Or “It could be worse…”). Don’t offer the “bright side” of the situation they aren’t ready to hear.

-Remember it’s not your job to speak for God or to make conjectures about why He’s letting a hard thing happen. Don’t over-spiritualize, preach, or quote a verse attempting to make them feel better. Instead, offer to pray with and for the person.

-Circle back later and see how they’re doing. Ask if there are any specific ways you can be praying. Sometimes after the initial conversation, we check off the “reach out to my struggling friend” box and move on. Difficult seasons can last a long time and most people appreciate ongoing support (to whatever degree you have the bandwidth to offer it.)

Want to learn more about the difference between sympathy and empathy? Watch this two minute video by Dr. Brené Brown.

Singer/ songwriter Toby Mac gives us an intimate glimpse into the pain of losing his son, Truett, in his song “21 Years.” Let it remind you to look at others with empathy and to invite God to use you to comfort them.

Suffering Isn’t Punishment

We have lots of names for it: payback, karma, retribution. We use clichés like “you get what you deserve” or “you had it coming to you.” Often, we examine a person’s life to make sense of why they’re enduring hardships. And, like Job’s friends, we make faulty assumptions like this: “(1) All suffering is the result of sin. (2) God punishes each act of sin with a penalty that corresponds to the gravity of the sin. (3) Suffering is proof of personal guilt.”1

It’s clear in Scripture that God punishes evil and sin. A few notable examples are the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 18 & 19 and the deaths of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5 (you can read them later if you need a reminder).  

That said, any punishment we deserve for sin has already been dealt with on the cross: “This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.” (Romans 3:22-26, NIV)

Anyone who puts faith in Jesus as Savior is no longer subject to the penalty that sinners deserve because restitution has already been made. So, if we’re not being punished, what other reasons might there be for our suffering? Here are a few:

Discipline: Sometimes hard things happen to us because we need to be disciplined. When we receive correction from God and let it refine us, we prove that we are His children and that we trust Him: “Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?” The passage continues, “God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” (Hebrews 12:7, 10b-11, NIV)

If you’re enduring hardship right now, ask the Lord to make it clear if He’s disciplining you for some reason. Invite a godly friend to give you some perspective. Maybe you need accountability on some sinful behaviors or attitudes that you’re overlooking.

Spiritual Maturity: Sometimes God allows hardships because they develop spiritual maturity in us and prove our faith is genuine. Suffering can foster character qualities we need to grow in our relationship with the Lord: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-4, NIV)

“In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” (1 Peter 1:6-7, NIV)

Perhaps there’s a latent quality in you that God is uncovering through what you’re enduring. Or maybe there’s an aspect of your character that God is refining through your hardship.

To Display God’s Glory: As Bible teacher Lisa Harper says, sometimes our suffering is a conduit for God’s glory. When we lean into Him and trust Him, we grow closer to the Lord. We also impact others with the hope we find in Him, whether we get a favorable outcome or not.

When Jesus and His disciples encountered a man blind from birth, they asked, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus replied, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned…but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.” Later, the man shared his story with the Pharisees, saying “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” (John 9:1-3, 25, NIV)

Paul also explained that suffering displays God’s glory, even while we’re experiencing it: “Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.” (Philippians 1:12-14, NIV)

Are you willing to pray and ask God to show His glory through your suffering? 

To Experience God’s Power: Suffering strips away anything else we’ve relied on for strength and drives us to God. Paul explains: “Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.  Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:7-10, NIV)

Have you tapped into the sufficiency of God’s grace to strengthen you through your hardships?

Encouragement for Others: Walking faithfully with God through suffering opens us to His blessings and gives hope to others enduring hardship: “As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.” (James 5:11, NIV)

Have you considered the way your response to suffering could be like Job’s? Like him, we have the opportunity to inspire others and lead them to the God of hope.

If you’re suffering right now, let the words of “King of My Heart” by Bethel Music encourage you today.

  1. J. Mark Terry, “Job’s Friends: Models of Compassion?” quoted from Job: A Story of Unlikely Joy by Lisa Harper, Lifeway Press 2018, p. 56

Sunshine and Shadows

In one day, Job lost his ten children, numerous servants, and all the livestock he owned, obliterating his family and livelihood. Consumed by grief, he tore his robe, shaved his head, and fell to the ground to worship God saying, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.” (Job 1:21, NIV)

Scripture tells us, “In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.” (Job 1:22, NIV)

While Job’s grief was still fresh “Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head. Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes. His wife said to him, ‘Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!’ He replied, ‘You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?’ In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.” (Job 2:7-10, NIV)

What strikes me most isn’t the tragedy of Job’s losses, but his response to them. In his grief, he worshiped the Lord and accepted the harsh turn of events. Does this surprise you like it does me? Praising God through difficult times feels foreign to us. Maybe it’s because our culture seems obsessed with comfort and ease and labels anything that’s hard or painful as bad or wrong. 

Even among Christians, there is a sense that God is good… as long as He does things the way we want. We thank Him when He answers prayers according to our desires and question Him when He implements a different plan. We’ve developed a quiet sense of entitlement, believing we have a right to certain things. We think we deserve a smooth path devoid of obstacles and are injured and indignant when God allows hardship instead. We take the good things in our lives for granted instead of seeing them as blessings. And we question whether God really is good or loving when something hard happens that disrupts what we consider “normal.” We rarely embrace that life is a balance of sunshine and shadows. Instead, we become doubtful, cynical, or self-pitying when dark clouds obscure our bright skies.

Sometimes we forget that the Lord deserves praise regardless of our circumstances. We focus on what He does or doesn’t do instead of who He is. I remember being struck by this realization many years ago when I witnessed parallel tragedies with opposite outcomes. In the span of two years, two little girls I loved faced dire situations: one was diagnosed with a brain tumor and the other almost drowned. Both spent time in the hospital ICU with grim diagnoses. One ended up losing her life; the other made a full recovery. Both came from families of faith who had prayed for miracles and trusted God to do what was best.

I don’t know why the Lord chose to heal one while allowing the other to die. It remains a mystery why one family got to resume their “normal” life, while the other was altered forever. Despite the opposite outcomes, both families accepted the pain God had allowed and grew deeper in their relationships with Him. Their trust in the Lord was inspiring and had a ripple effect on everyone who knew them, and many who didn’t.

These incidents gave me a fuller understanding of the Psalmist who says: “My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him.  He alone is my rock and my salvation, he is my fortress, I will never be shaken” (Psalm 62:1-2, NIV ‘84) As followers of Jesus, we understand that salvation and security lie outside the realm of circumstances. Whether earthly events turn out well or not, our true hope has an eternal perspective because death cannot separate us from God. 

There is a temptation to spend so much time questioning the Lord in hard times that we miss the opportunity to trust Him and let Him comfort us.  We wrestle with doubt and ask, “Why is God letting this happen?” Meanwhile, we overlook the places where He is showing up; where He is giving us tangible answers. Being consumed by self-pity also causes us to miss the ways He wants to teach and refine us through painful times. Additionally, it means we bypass chances to show others His goodness. In God’s economy, pain shouldn’t be wasted like this.

We can’t forget that no matter what hardships we encounter in this life, God wins in the end.  The Psalmist states it so clearly: “Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands… On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night.  Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.  My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.” (Psalm 63:3-4,6-8, NIV ‘84) Ultimate hope doesn’t come from expecting God to turn circumstances in our favor; it comes from knowing His love is better than even life itself. Trusting His hand to hold us up and remembering that He walks with us through the darkness gives us the comfort we need. Because of His presence, we can find joy in the darkness– not a happy, smiling, giddy kind of joy, but a deep, peaceful assurance that He is in control and always has been.

Beloved author and preacher Oswald Chambers wrote: “We imagine we would be all right if a big crisis arose; but the big crisis will only reveal the stuff we are made of, it will not put anything into us… Crises always reveal character.” When we put our trust in God and walk with Him daily, when we seek His face, study His word, and obey Him in humble reliance, we will see Him molding and shaping our characters little by little.  At the same time, He will be revealing His character and His goodness to us. And when trouble comes, we’ll continue to trust Him and give Him the praise He deserves.

“Yes I Will” by Vertical Worship is a song of defiant praise during hardship. Let it fill you with renewed hope today.

Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, Discovery House Publishers, 1935, 1963, Sept. 10 entry.  

Why Studying Suffering is Good

Checking the weather app on my phone, a frown spread across my face as I packed. I was preparing for a mission trip to Mexico where I’d be outside for an entire week. Between working at the build site all day and spending the evenings back at our team’s rustic camp ground, the forecast of rain wasn’t a welcome sight. With limited space in my bag, I wondered if I should bother stuffing in a bulky parka. For a fleeting moment, I considered ignoring the weather prediction, thinking if I didn’t pack the coat, it wouldn’t rain. Realizing my flawed logic, I wedged it into my duffel.

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A few days later, I slogged through camp under stormy skies on a chilly afternoon. Intermittent rain showers made for a soggy evening, but I stayed warm and dry sheltered in my enormous coat. Turns out it was worth making room for it in my bag after all. 

Strangely enough, I thought of that parka as I brainstormed ways to introduce the next book of the Bible we’ll be studying in the coming weeks.  Job isn’t one most of us would clamor to read, but I think we’ll be glad we did. In case you need a refresher, it’s the story of a man who endures unfathomable suffering and loss. On the surface, it’s doesn’t appear to be especially uplifting subject matter.

Life is hard enough, so why would we want to wade into someone else’s tragic story? Watching a man of integrity face the challenge of losing his children, his riches, and his health is a bit of a downer, after all. Isn’t it easier to believe those kinds of things can’t happen to us? Like leaving my coat home in hopes the weather prediction would be wrong, we’d rather avoid the reality of suffering. 

Unfortunately, skirting around hardship is impossible in this life. Jesus said it plainly, “In this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33b). Nothing exempts us from life’s hardships—not wealth, power, prestige, resources, or a good family (Job had all of them).  Studying this book will equip us with knowledge we’ll be thankful to have when our own times of suffering come.

Job’s story deals with the familiar question we all ask at some point: “Why do bad things happen to good people?” This study may not give us the clear-cut answers we crave, but it will re-frame how we approach suffering. God allows pain for good reasons, even if He doesn’t always reveal them to us. Halley’s Bible Handbook explains, “In reading through the book of Job, we must remember that Job never knew why he was suffering—nor what the final outcome would be. The first two chapters of Job explain to us why it happened and make it clear that the reason for his suffering was not punishment for sin, but rather a test of Job’s faith that God was confident Job would pass. But while we as readers of Job know this, Job himself did not.”1

Some scholars believe Job may have been the first book of the Bible to be written. It’s likely the title character lived in the time of the Patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob) or shortly thereafter. He lived in the land of Uz, which scholars believe was outside the land of Canaan, possibly along the border between Palestine and Arabia. Job may have been a descendant of Esau; some scholars think he may have been Jobab, the second king of Edom mentioned in Genesis 36:33.

The Israelites considered Job part of their wisdom literature, along with Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs. Apart from the introduction (chapters 1 & 2) and the conclusion (chapter 42:7-17), the book consists of speeches by Job, his friends, and God. “The book delves into issues near to the heart of every human who experiences suffering. The prologue provides a fascinating peek into the back story—why God allowed Satan to afflict Job with such pain and turmoil. Then, through a series of dialogues and monologues arranged in a pattern of threes, human wisdom attempts to explain the unexplainable, until finally God Himself speaks.

The final chapters of Job record God’s masterful defense of His majesty and unique ‘otherness’—of God’s eternal transcendence above creation—in contrast with Job’s humble and ignorant mortality. ‘Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? / Tell Me, if you have understanding.’ (Job 38:4)”2

I hope learning from Job and understanding the role of suffering in life will equip us for the times of difficulty we’re facing now or may confront in the future. This won’t be just for our benefit, but for the good of those around us: “What a powerful witness it is to the world for Christians to not be full of anger and resentment toward God when suffering! We know that He is a God who loves us and does only what is is right.”3

I hope you’ll join me as we spend the next several weeks diving into Job: A Story of Unlikely Joy by Lisa Harper. Until then, listen to “Scars” by I Am They for a refreshing perspective on suffering.

Resources cited:

  1. Halley’s Bible Handbook, Zondervan 2000, p.311-312 
  2. Insight.org/resources/bible/the-wisdombooks/job
  3. Halley’s Bible Handbook, Zondervan 2000, p. 311

Forging a New Path

Rolling my bike to a stop, I surveyed the trail. Just ahead of me, a large tree had fallen across it, blocking my way forward. The thick trunk and spiny branches would have been awkward to scramble over with my bike. The best option seemed to be going around it, which meant trudging through knee-high weeds and over rocky ground to forge a new path. 

A few weeks later, the tree was still stretched across the main trail, but the long weeds I’d pushed through were now trodden down. Clearly, others had made the same choice to navigate around the obstacle in the road. Each time I took the trail in subsequent months, I noticed how the new route began replacing the old one. Matted grass gave way to bare patches of dirt, rocks were kicked aside and, over time, the rough trail was smoothed by a multitude of feet and bikes. Within months, the path around the fallen tree had become the main route. It had just taken repeated and consistent use over time.

I imagined this trail as I began thinking of my hopes for the new year: I want to build some new paths—not on dirt trails, but in my mind. I’ve been learning there is science to support this goal, it’s not just wishful thinking on my part. In her book Get Out of Your Head, Jennie Allen explains the work of Dr. Dan Siegel, a professor of clinical psychiatry. “’Where attention goes,’ he wrote, ‘neural firing flows and neural connection grows…Patterns you thought were fixed are actually things that with mental effort can indeed be changed…We are not passive in all this activity of mind and awareness.’ What we think about, our brains become. What we fixate on is neurologically who we will be.” (p.42) So, the more we think certain thoughts, the wider those paths become and the more we’re inclined to travel on them mentally.  

Allen goes on to explain, “Good things happen when we train our attention on that which is beautiful, on that which is authentic and compelling and good. What’s more, beyond the obvious emotional experience, those good things from the hand of God can point us to the One who creates beauty, who is beautiful. Cynicism puts our minds on things of this earth, and we lose hope. Beauty points our gaze toward the heavens and reminds us of hope.” (p.135)

I’m not proud to admit that many of my neural pathways take me to negative places. It requires intentional effort for me to look on the positive side, to assume the best, and to be confident there will be a favorable outcome. My default modes of thinking tend to be critical, negative, and cynical. But I hope to change that this year.

Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians fuel my desire for a new web of trails in my mind: “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:5, NIV) I want to re-route my thoughts onto more positive paths that honor Jesus and bring life to myself and others. And when I venture back down negative roads, I want the Holy Spirit to stop me before I’ve traveled too far. That way, I’ll develop a reflex of asking for God’s help to renew my mind so I can continue establishing new routes. Paul’s words to the Romans describe the process of shifting from old and unhealthy thought patterns to new ones: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”(Romans 12:2, NIV)

This year, I’m focusing on developing mental paths that are positive and hopeful. I want to assume the best and see the good from the start rather than having to talk myself into it. This can only be done through the power of the Holy Spirit and the consistency of prayer.

Maybe, like me, you’re ready to step into a new day and forge a fresh path in the year ahead. The band For King and Country has an inspiring song called “Burn the Ships” that invites us to walk away from the negative things of our pasts and start new. Singer/songwriter Luke Smallbone explains, “The analogy of burning the ships came to me: the story of the sailors not wanting to explore the new world, wanting the comforts of their boats. Their leader calls them out and says, ‘We’ve got to burn the ships. This is a new world.’”

As you listen, ask God what ships you need to burn today so you can travel down new paths He has planned for you.

Jennie Allen, Get Out of Your Head: Stopping the Spiral of Toxic Thoughts, Waterbrook, 2020.

Luke Smallbone quoted from: ccmmagazine.com

A Recipe for Peace in a Season of Stress

Last week a friend from Bible study shared a story I’ve been pondering ever since. She was on a walk with her close friend who is Jewish. As they were talking about the stress and busyness of the holiday season, her friend made an unsettling observation: “It seems like all of my Christian friends are so stressed in the weeks leading up to Christmas.” Being Jewish, she seemed relieved she didn’t have to participate in all the activities surrounding the celebration of Christ’s birth. The joy and peace we sing about in carols wasn’t evident among the believers she knew. Instead, she saw endless to-do lists and overwhelming obligations.

We could blame this on a lot of things in our culture—commercialism, materialism, capitalism or even the paganizing of a once holy holiday. And while these things might be partly to blame, the truth is that all of us have the tendency to float with the current of our culture if we don’t intentionally swim against it, even when we’re celebrating the birth of our Savior.

We would be wise to listen more carefully to messages in the music of the season. Handel’s Messiah, for example, is taken straight from Old Testament prophecies from Isaiah. It tells us about the coming of our Savior, Jesus. Take a look at this portion:

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6, NIV)

That last name for Jesus, Prince of Peace, holds the key to moving from a chaotic Christmas season to a peaceful one. Studying a few passages, I discovered a recipe for peace laid out in Scripture and thought I’d share a few essential ingredients:

Disciplining Our Focus: Peace doesn’t happen automatically. One of my favorite verses says: “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.” (Isaiah 26:3, NIV). To be steadfast means to be resolute, committed, firm, and unwavering. We find peace when we fix our minds on God’s trustworthiness, knowing that He is good and faithful. A quick scan of my concordance revealed three different passages where we are urged “to seek peace and pursue it.” (Psalm 34:14b, 2 Tim 2:22, 1 Peter 3:11). To seek and pursue something requires discipline and ongoing effort. We must relentlessly eliminate distractions of lesser things that cloud our thinking and lead us toward stress and anxiety. Reading the Bible and praying daily helps us focus on the truth we need to remain peaceful throughout the day.

Following God’s Ways: The Christmas story recorded in Luke’s gospel includes angels rejoicing over the birth of Jesus singing, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:14, NIV) Psalm 119 helps us to understand that God’s favor rests on people who follow His ways: “Great peace have those who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.” (Psalm 119:165, NIV). Although it often means moving in the opposite direction of our culture, living God’s way leads to the peace we all crave.

Relying on the Holy Spirit: We aren’t going to find peace by trying harder. We’re not going to experience it by pretending to be calm when we’re freaking out on the inside. The only way to find true peace is with God’s help. Jesus explained this to His disciples, “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:26-7, NIV)

The Holy Spirit reminds us of God’s truth through Scripture. We engage Him by asking for His help and letting Him show us how to apply it to our daily lives. The peace He gives isn’t based on circumstances going the way we want—that’s worldly peace. His peace goes so much deeper and encompasses so much more.

Leaning into God changes our thoughts, which changes our lives: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4:8-9, NIV)

If you’re struggling with stress and anxiety, here’s my prayer for you: “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.” (2 Thessalonians 3:16, NIV)

Handel’s Messiah that I mentioned earlier includes 53 movements divided in three parts. It usually takes 2 ½- 3 hours to perform. I remember sitting through it at Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco a few times as a fidgety child. (I liked getting dressed up and going to the city but my parents failed to mention how long the performance would last!) Below are two different portions. The first video includes the lyrics that call Jesus Prince of Peace. 

This second video includes the part I always liked best, the Hallelujah Chorus. It shows the power of letting God’s peace invade your Christmas busyness. If you’re like me, it may bring a few tears to your eyes (in a good way). Enjoy!

Tying a Bow on Genesis

The book of Hebrews tells us that God’s Word is alive and active. Having just finished studying Genesis for the third time, I can attest to the truth of this statement. I’ve delved into the stories of Abraham & Sarah, Isaac & Rebekah, Jacob, Leah, Rachel, Joseph, Judah, and Tamar at different seasons in my life; although the tales remain the same, the truth I glean from them continues to expand.

Here are a few of the things that stood out to me in my most recent journey through Genesis:

  1. God is sovereign.  He possesses supreme and ultimate power. He gives us free will and doesn’t force us to follow His ways, but He is still the One who is ultimately in control. Because of this, I’m better off trusting Him than trying to do things my own way.
  2. God keeps His promises. It may take a long time, but He does come through in the end. (Think of Sarah, who waited 25 years to get pregnant with the child promised by God.) This means He’s trustworthy and I can rest in that knowledge even when I don’t see how He’s working in the moment.
  3. God is faithful. He remains true to us even when we doubt Him, make poor choices, or disobey. Seeing the Lord’s faithfulness to Abraham and his descendants despite their many blunders encourages me. Even when we fail, God’s plans prevail. We are fickle, but He is faithful.
  4. God is worthy. He deserves our honor, praise, and obedience. Seeing how He accomplishes His plans despite the ways people try thwart them (intentionally or unintentionally) inspires me to yield to Him as Lord of my life.

Knowing these truths, I’d be wiser to exert my energy trusting God than trying to control things using my own strength and wisdom. I’m striving to be less anxious when I don’t see or understand what the Lord is doing. My goal is to trust Him as I wait for answers, clarity, or direction. Rather than concerning myself with how events unfold, I want to focus more on what God is teaching me and how He wants to use me with the people and circumstances I encounter. I want to be less focused on why He’s allowed certain things in my life and more attuned to how He can use them to deepen my faith and impact others.

Reading the stories of Sarah and Rebekah has convicted me of my tendency to take matters into my own hands instead of trusting God. I overthink many things and try to play out scenarios multiple steps ahead of where I am. Rather than trusting God with how a situation will unfold, I try to anticipate each option and make contingency plans for it. My knack for being capable and productive doesn’t always leave room for God to work in His way and His timing. Realizing this is humbling and convicting.

The story of Joseph provides powerful examples for training me in righteousness. Seeing his faithfulness to God in difficult times while surrounded by unbelievers inspires me to be true to God and His ways. Like Joseph, I want to be honest and authentic about the Lord’s presence in my life instead of downplaying it in certain company. I’m also inspired to follow Joseph’s example by using my gifts to bless others in every setting, not just ones where people already love and honor God. I don’t want to be timid about pointing others to the solid foundation He provides.

Studying Genesis also bolsters my faith in the consistency of God’s Word from Old Testament to New. It always delights me to recognize the many elements that point us toward Christ. The lives of Joseph and Judah include many examples that I’ve discussed in other posts. During this season of studying Genesis, I was also struck by Jacob’s dream in Genesis 28:

“He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. There above it stood the Lord, and he said: ‘I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.  I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.’” (Genesis 28:12-15, NIV)

Until Jen Wilkin’s teaching in God of Covenant, I’d never understood that the stairway between heaven and earth is Christ Himself. When we reach toward Jesus to intercede for us, we stand at the gate of heaven. He is the mediator between God and humans—the One who makes it possible for us to access the Almighty.

The ten weeks of studying the book of beginnings have come to an end. The “seed plot of the Bible” has provided rich soil for digging into relevant topics for our lives today. The stories and people in Genesis are messy and complicated, but God used them for His redemptive purposes, just as He does with us. Some situations make us scratch our heads in confusion or blush at sordid details; we wonder how a sacred book could be filled with such broken and sinful people. And yet, it’s these unsanitized stories and flawed characters that show Scripture’s authenticity. They give us hope that no one is disqualified from being accepted by God or used to advance His kingdom.

Understanding these truths prompts me to pause for a moment of worship. “King of Kings” by Hillsong Worship beautifully shares the story of the gospel. Listen now and be in awe of our sovereign, faithful God who keeps His promises and is worthy of our praise.

Jen Wilkin, God of Covenant: A Study of Genesis 12-50, Lifeway Press 2018.

The phrase “seed plot of the Bible” was originally coined by Arthur W. Pink in Gleanings in Genesis.

The Lion of Judah

Reading the Chronicles of Narnia as a child, I became captivated by Lucy, Edmund, Susan, Peter and their many adventures in the magical land of Narnia. As an adult, I re-read the books to my kids and reveled in them again. C.S. Lewis portrays the central character, Aslan, as a Christ figure. His choice to use a lion for this role is no coincidence; he knew the deep biblical symbolism associated with this majestic animal.

Near the end of Jacob’s life, he pronounced a blessing on each of his sons. His words for Judah relate directly to the symbolism C.S. Lewis borrowed to create the character of Aslan:

“Judah, your brothers will praise you; your hand will be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons will bow down to you. You are a lion’s cub, Judah; you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like a lioness—who dares to rouse him? The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongs shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be his.” (Genesis 49:8-10, NIV)

Despite being Jacob’s fourth son, Judah received the distinct honor of being the one through whom God’s blessing would continue. Jacob prophesied that the mantle of lordship and power, symbolized by the scepter, would remain in Judah’s family line until “he to whom it belongs” came (the Messiah). And ultimately, He would command the obedience of the nations.

The promise of the Messiah began in Genesis, first with Adam and Eve when God said that Eve’s offspring would one day crush the head of the serpent, Satan (see Genesis 3:14). The promise continued with Abraham, whose offspring would bless all people on earth (see Genesis 12:3). With Abraham’s great-grandson, Judah, we see the Messiah symbolized as a strong lion that would one day command the obedience of the nations. (We are still waiting for this part of the promise to be fulfilled).

The next time we see this term used is in Revelation, the last book of the Bible. In this yet-to-be fulfilled prophesy, the writer, John, describes the Messiah as both a lion and a lamb. The scene he describes is a vision of the heavenly throne room. In it, John sees that there is a scroll in the “right hand of him who was seated on the throne.” He begins to despair because there is no one found worthy to approach the hand of God to take and open the scroll. But John’s fears are unfounded:

“Then one of the elders said to me, ‘Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals… He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. And they sang a new song, saying: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.’” (Revelation 5:5, 7-9, NIV)

This connection between the first and last book of the Bible amazes me. John describes how Jesus, the Messiah, fulfills the prophetic statements made thousands of years earlier. As the sacrificial lamb, He washes away the stain of sin through His death on the cross, making it possible for all who follow Him to share in His ultimate victory over death. As the lion, He represents the conquering King who will return to slay the enemies of God.

Remember the last sentence of Jacob’s blessing to Judah? He talked about Judah’s family line ruling until One came who would command the obedience of the nations. Now, read this verse from Revelation:

“Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: ‘To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!’” (Revelation 5:13, NIV)

John’s prophesy mirrors Jacob’s—both show that one day the whole earth will have no choice but to bow down and worship at the feet of the Lion of Judah who the New Testament reveals as Jesus.

The seamlessness of the Bible leaves me in awe. Jesus is woven throughout the pages, from Genesis to Revelation. Taking a step back to view the bigger picture every now and then gives us an even deeper understanding of God’s greatness and the way His perfect plan unfolds in His impeccable timing.

So what’s the appropriate response to this amazing news? Scripture urges us to join with the many witnesses of God’s faithfulness who have gone before us—people we’ve been studying in Genesis like Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph also mentioned in the “Hall of Faith” in Hebrews 11. As we remember their stories displaying God’s faithfulness we, “strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up” and “run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.” (Hebrews 12:1-2, NLT)

As Christ’s followers, we can marvel at the finished work of the cross and celebrate the riches we have in Him. Every day is a new opportunity to run with our gaze fixed on Jesus and to honor Him through the way we live.

Revel in the consistency of Scripture from Genesis to Revelation by enjoying “The Lion and the Lamb” by Big Daddy Weave.

*Some material for this blog came from an article on gotquestions.org. To read it, click here.

The Blessing of the Broken Road

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I tossed the essay on my son’s bed and congratulated him. Across the top of the page, his teacher had written “This is AMAZING!” in bold blue print. He’d been assigned to write about an event that sparked a period of personal growth for him. His descriptive language impressed me, but it was the recognition of how a difficult season in his life had changed him for the better that made me weepy. What a joy it was to see him choosing to learn and grow through hardships instead of letting them make him bitter and cynical.

It’s hard work to re-frame the way we view difficult times. We’re quick to label them as bad and to rail against the unfairness of having to endure them. Most of us view setbacks as interruptions from the way life is “supposed” to unfold, betraying a sense of entitlement we may not realize we have. But when we pause to examine hard circumstances further, there is much we can learn. The opportunities for personal and spiritual growth are only limited by our willingness to shift our perspectives. When we begin to view hard circumstances through a biblical lens, we start seeing that what looks bad on the surface is brimming with good.

Perhaps one of the best examples of this comes from the life of Joseph recorded in Genesis. After being sold by his jealous brothers to slave traders, he finds himself in a series of unfortunate circumstances. Despite being a person of honor and integrity, he’s falsely accused of rape, thrown in prison, and left there for two years. Eventually his character and faithfulness to God lead to a stunning reversal. After interpreting a prophetic dream for Pharaoh, he’s made second in command of Egypt. In this position, he’s tasked with ensuring the crops produced during seven years of plenty are stored to prepare for seven subsequent years of famine, in keeping with Pharaoh’s dream.

Meanwhile, Joseph’s family in Canaan experiences the ravages of the famine and heads to Egypt to buy food. His ten older brothers appear before him to buy grain and, “Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him.” (Genesis 42:8, NIV)

After several interactions with them over time, Joseph can’t restrain himself any longer and proclaims, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.’” (Genesis 45:4b-7, NIV)

Rather than spewing anger at them for selling him into slavery and inflicting years of misery upon him, he reassures them. Joseph sees the big picture and realizes that God, in His sovereignty, used him to save his family and many others from starving to death during the famine. Later, he reiterates this to his brothers, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” (Genesis 50:20, NIV)

Reading that leads me to think of someone else who endured hardship for the good of many: Jesus. Just as Joseph tumbled downward from his privileged position as Jacob’s favorite son to a lowly slave, Jesus left the glory of heaven to become a lowly man: “[Jesus] made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.” (Philippians 2:7, NIV)

Joseph endured the humiliation of being falsely accused and punished for a crime he didn’t commit.  In the same way, Jesus was falsely accused and received punishment for the sins of all humankind: “he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:8, NIV)

Scripture explains the purpose behind this: “For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” (Romans 8:3-4, NIV)

Joseph traveled a broken road, but he saw how his painful circumstances led to ultimate good—the saving of many lives. Like him, Jesus’ suffering led to an even greater good–the saving of humankind. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:16-17, NIV)

God allowed His son to walk a painful path for the sake of ultimate good, triumphing over evil, death, and sin. Could it be possible that the lesser hardships we endure can also be used for His glory and our good? 

Beloved author and theologian C.S. Lewis describes pain as “God’s megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” Are you willing to listen? How about refocusing your perspective on hardships using the lens of God’s goodness? This can move you past the pain and discomfort to discover the greater significance, as Joseph did.

Keep his story in mind and consider how your hurts and hardships might be pointing you toward the Lord as you listen to “Bless the Broken Road” by Selah.

To learn about other parallels between Joseph and Jesus, click here.

Joseph After the Dream Coat

Whether you read the Bible or not you probably know Joseph’s story from the book of Genesis. Thanks to Andrew Lloyd Weber, Tim Rice, and an episode of Seinfeld, you’ve likely heard of the musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat. The show is fun and dramatic, but light on spiritual significance. The biblical version spotlights the Lord’s faithfulness and Joseph’s character. Let’s look at a few of the many themes in this inspiring story and see how we can apply them to our lives.

The Lord was with Joseph

As a proud father, Jacob wasn’t shy about showing preferential treatment to the firstborn son of his favorite wife. In fact, he gave Joseph the coat of many colors as an outward symbol of his fondness. Naturally, this caused intense jealousy among his ten older brothers. Joseph only compounded their resentment by recounting dreams of his brothers and parents bowing down to him. (We’ll cut him some slack here for his stunning lack of self-awareness since he was only 17). You probably remember that his charmed life made an abrupt shift when his brothers sold him to slave traders who carried him off to Egypt. 

Despite his dire circumstances, Scripture reminds us four times in one chapter that “The Lord was with Joseph.” (39:2, 3, 21 & 23) Because of this, God’s favor rested upon him and those he served, “the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had, in house and field.” (Genesis 39:5, ESV)

Note that the blessing upon Joseph and the anguish of being enslaved were happening simultaneously. It’s not unusual for good and hard situations to coexist in our lives. In fact, Jesus promises us, “In this world you will have trouble.” (John 16:33b, NIV) Thankfully, He finishes that statement with a word of encouragement, “But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33c, NIV) Like Joseph, we can rest in the knowledge that God is with us: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God with us’).” (Matthew 1:23, NIV) What a comfort this should be to us!

Unfortunately, we often struggle living in the tension of knowing that life is hard, but God is with us. Is it difficult for you to trust the Lord and serve Him faithfully in challenging times? Are you tempted to get bitter or to wallow in self-pity when everything isn’t going your way? Perhaps it’s time to re-focus your attention on the truth that God is with you all the time. Can you believe Jesus and take heart knowing He has overcome the world, even when you can’t see how He’s working things out? These are convicting questions, but they might help to re-align your perspective if you’re in a difficult season.

Joseph’s Character Shines Through

No matter where Joseph found himself, his character remained consistent. His leadership skills and integrity always seemed to rise to the top like cream in a pail of milk. Consider these instances:

-Serving as a slave: “The blessing of the Lord was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field. So Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph’s care; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate.” (Genesis 39:5-6, NIV)

-Behind bars: “So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.” (Genesis 39:22-23, NIV)

-In Pharaoh’s court: “So Pharaoh asked [his officials], ‘Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?’…Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.’” (Genesis 41:38, 40-41, NIV)

Despite receiving unfair treatment, being punished for false accusations, and living as a slave for 13 years, Joseph’s consistency of character continued to be recognized and respected. He used his gifts to bless others and in every situation, he proved his trustworthiness.

I’m inspired when I consider this. So often it’s natural to compartmentalize our lives and to show certain parts of our characters to select people.  We might be kind and friendly at church, but pull into our garages without acknowledging our neighbors. Or maybe we gladly sign up for service projects, but feel annoyed when someone who needs help interrupts our schedules. Perhaps we’re good at being like Jesus when people behave the way we want and don’t  inconvenience us too much. Maybe we could learn a thing or two from Joseph and let the gifts God’s given us bless others wherever we find ourselves, whether it’s a place we’ve chosen or a place we’re forced to be.

Joseph Honors God Boldly

One of the most striking aspects of Joseph’s story is the reverence he showed to the Lord. He honored God with his behavior and pointed others back to Him. Joseph chose not to fall to the temptation of Potiphar’s wife saying, “How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:9, NIV). Each time he interpreted a dream, he gave God the credit “‘I cannot [interpret your dream],’ Joseph replied to Pharaoh, ‘but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.’” (Genesis 41:15-16, NIV) Later, when the Lord blessed him with children, Joseph chose names that honored Him and pointed to His faithfulness. His older son’s name meant, “God has made me forget all my trouble” and his younger son’s meant “God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.” (Genesis 41:51-52, NIV)

Joseph was the only follower of the one true God while he was in Egypt, yet he spoke about the Lord and gave Him the credit for everything. His boldness and humility are convicting, but also inspiring. How apt am I to speak of God’s goodness to unbelievers? How often do I admit that it’s Him working through me when I have a positive impact on others?  It seems that Joseph’s quickness to acknowledge the Lord drew respect from everyone. Perhaps it’s time to pray for more confidence in this area. Do you need to do the same?

Feeling like you can’t measure up to Joseph’s example? Don’t forget, God is with you, just as He was with Joseph. Let Matthew West’s song “The God Who Stays” encourage you today. 

*Image of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat logo from dellspalace.com