Life is so much easier when we allow God to work in our lives. The world is filled with so much more joy when we are not blinded by petty resentment. It is a lesson our world never learns. Resentment causes families to break apart, communities to be torn in violence, nations to remain at war for generations. It injects its teeth into countless souls of those who walk among us, so that lives that might have been productive, lives that might have been a blessing, become consumed by self-destructive hatred. This hatred keeps us from knowing the goodness of God, and it keeps us from being faithful parents, children, and neighbors. We do not have to live this way, all we need to do is ask God to free us from the chains of the ledger books of our lives. How many ledgers are you carrying around with you? Won’t you allow Christ to cut them away for good? Throw away the books, walk free and lighthearted, and you will live in an atmosphere of grace and joy you never thought possible. Resist your resentment. Banish every trace of bitterness. Live by the liberating law of grace – and … READ MORE

One of the hardest things we have to work through is that bad things happen to good people. When this happens our view of God is critical to our answer and each of us will have to decide what place the Bible should have in this process of evaluation. Genesis 50:20 is a passage where Joseph (cf. the historical account of his life in Genesis 37-50) shares with his brothers that he knows that they meant evil when they sold him into slavery, but God meant if for good. God has plans for our lives, and while we may not understand His plans, it is our responsibility to trust Him in them. We must recognize that pain and suffering are an inescapable part of this life, and deal with them accordingly. In doing so The Bible identifies some things we can do.

1. remember God’s Word encourages us to be prepared for suffering because trials are inevitable (James 1:1-5)

2. Understand that there is not always a direct link between suffering and individual sin (book of Job)

3. Let suffering deepen our walk with God (Matthew 11:28-30)

4. Remember God promises that He will not give us more than we … READ MORE