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What to Do When Struggling with Doubts in the Midst of Challenges

June 18, 2015 by

My faith can be so leaky at times. I mean when I’m in the midst of challenges I can suddenly start questioning everything.

“Is God real? Was Jesus really who he said he was? Is this whole relationship thing true? Will God really help me?”

How can I have so much faith one minute then get blindsided and suddenly struggle so much doubt the next? You’d think I’d learn after all these years. But then you would be wrong.

 

Photo Credit: Hartwig HKD

Photo Credit: Hartwig HKD

 

Now I’m guessing you can probably relate. I just bet you feel the same way on a rare occasion. If not I want to talk to you and find out your secret sauce.

 

Yet, what often happens when we’re struggling with doubt and dare to share it with a Christian friend?

 

Well, some are understanding and helpful.

But way too often we get sweet little platitudes. You know like greeting card snippets. And they sit about as well as a giant ice cream cone with two toppings and lots of whipped cream eaten on an empty stomach. Not that I’d know personally about that.

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How to Know for Sure You’ll Live in Heaven

June 15, 2015 by

I’ve been going to way too many funerals lately. And terrifyingly the friends who’ve passed away are getting closer and closer to my age. I know, strange.

So I think about that subject more now than when I was say 20. Maybe has something to do with feeling like I’m on runaway skis heading for the trees and I can’t slow down.  And yes there is a story there but not today.

 

Photo Credit: Tony Fischer

Photo Credit: Tony Fischer

 

Anyway, I think most of us, when we’re quiet enough, think sometimes about what happens beyond this life. I mean I think you’d be crazy if you didn’t.

And I think we’d all like some sense of assurance about Heaven and if we’re going to live there.

Yet, we all deal with that issue in different ways don’t we?

Sometimes it’s easier to just fill life up so we never stop long enough to think about it. First thing in the morning check emails. Listen to the radio or podcasts while commuting. Busy at work all day. Immerse in TV at home. Non-stop weekends.

Yikes, no wonder we have more time saving devices today yet feel more stressed than any previous generation.
But I don’t think the gnawing ever completely goes away.

 

So what if we really could feel assured of Heaven? What difference would it make?

 

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Filed Under: Happiness, Heaven Tagged With: ,

Finding Peace When You Feel Rejected by a Loved One

May 26, 2015 by

One of the hardest issues when we enter into a relationship with God is the rejection we’ll be surprised by. Especially sometimes from people we feel closest to.

 

Photo Credit: Edd Sowden

Photo Credit: Edd Sowden

 

I’ve seen it and experienced it several times. Of course it might be my personality that’s less than stellar on occasion also.

Yet, often it comes from ones we think will rejoice in the change that’s taken place.

But think about a wife who suddenly changes and her husband feels excluded.

Or a son and his parents feel somehow like they weren’t good enough.

Or a friend who now doesn’t enjoy some of the previous partying so she feels excluded.

What’s frustrating is when we’re trapped in that position we can’t go back because, well, we’ve changed. And we feel hurt going forward.

Now I’ll be the first to say some Christians can be really obnoxious. I’ve met more than a couple. And I don’t like hanging out with them either.

 

But I’m talking here about those who’ve been positively transformed yet find themselves feeling rejected.

 

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Filed Under: Happiness, Love Tagged With: , ,

How to Overcome Doubts to be Sure of Heaven

May 21, 2015 by

When I first entered into a relationship with God my life radically changed. It felt new, positive, uplifting. I looked forward to the adventure of this life and the one to come.

Yet, by the time I’d finished seminary it’d gone south. Sounds strange I know, but I was filled with doubts and worries. My spiritual life had become a nightmare.

 

Photo Credit: Tommy Clark

Photo Credit: Tommy Clark

 

One incident epitomizes this.

While having lunch with another student one afternoon, I asked him, “So do you believe a person can lose his salvation?”

“Absolutely,” he responded. “If he sins and hasn’t asked for forgiveness he would lose it.”

“Really,” I asked. “So let’s say I’m driving home after classes and a hot looking girl is walking down the sidewalk wearing a tight miniskirt and I have just the smallest lustful thought about her.”

I know you’re shocked thinking that could never possibly happen to someone in seminary.

“So I’m distracted, run a red light and get broadsided killing me instantly. Am I going to Heaven?”

“Nope.”

Yikes, no wonder I felt depressed and frankly couldn’t wait to graduate.

 

I felt trapped. I couldn’t go back to my old way of life and I was suffocating in the new.

 

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Filed Under: Happiness, Heaven Tagged With: ,

Finding Courage in the Midst of Fearful Challenges

May 19, 2015 by

Number 55 in the series “God Rocks: 101 Amazing Everyday Gifts!” The miracles and promises of Jesus that show us the awesome blessings we can experience each day. I hope it encourages you!

 

I don’t think a day goes by that we’re not bombarded by things to be afraid of. It’s one of the benefits of being totally connected isn’t it?

 

Photo Credit: Alon

Photo Credit: Alon

 

I mean the stock market tanks and we fret about our financial future.

Some nut job sets off a bomb in a city and we fear for our safety.

An egomaniac with a nuke starts threatening World War 3 and we worry about our future and the future of our kids.

Add on top worrying about cancer, the latest resistant disease, heart attacks, Alzheimer’s.

Or how about just keeping our job in the next recession? Yikes!

I’ve said before, “I’m not surprised by all the people who go crazy. I’m only surprised there aren’t more.”

Then how we deal with it is often perhaps less than helpful? Maybe a little too much TV? Or a wee small dram too much alcohol? Or an extra dessert a little too often?

 

Yet, the fear doesn’t leave does it? Oh, maybe for a moment but it always comes sneaking back.

 

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Filed Under: Happiness, Heaven Tagged With: ,

How to Find Solutions When Your Feel Oppressed

May 12, 2015 by

Number 54 in the series “God Rocks: 101 Amazing Everyday Gifts!” The miracles and promises of Jesus that show us the awesome blessings we can experience each day. I hope it encourages you!

 

In California we’re in our fourth year of a drought. The government is completely unprepared. We’ve increased our population dramatically without increasing water storage. And California periodically has droughts. So surprise, now we’re running out of water.

 

Photo Credit: John Krzesinski

Photo Credit: John Krzesinski

 

So the governor proposed that everyone use 25 percent less water or pay a fine. So like brush my teeth only once a day? Flush the toilet every other time? Let our yard die? Really?

In addition to questioning the sanity of our state government once again it caused me to think about people who live under governments that really are oppressive. Who abuse their liberties continually.

And closer to home, those who work for organizations that are oppressive.

Yet, sometimes we just can’t escape. It’s currently not a reasonable option. So we struggle under the oppression.

 

In the midst we feel trapped. Like we’re suffocating. And we’re afraid.

 

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Filed Under: Happiness, Heaven Tagged With: ,

Be Surprised with Joy As You Allow Your Gifts to Blossom

May 7, 2015 by

Number 53 in the series “God Rocks: 101 Amazing Everyday Gifts!” The miracles and promises of Jesus that show us the awesome blessings we can experience each day. I hope it encourages you!

 

Starting this blog has been a constant challenge that frankly I didn’t need.

I took a two year hiatus after ending my previous blog. Then when some commitments ended I pondered what I wanted to do with the extra time. One option was to write a new blog.

Honestly my first response was, “Ugh. Do I really want to?”

 

Photo Credit: Daniel Foster

Photo Credit: Daniel Foster

 

I mean some days feel like I’ve signed up for an exploratory root canal.

So I pushed it off. Tried to ignore it. Debated with myself.

And no I don’t need psychoanalysis.

Yet something inside compels me to write.

 

When I thought about giving it up I felt like something died.  I felt depressed about it.

 

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Filed Under: Happiness, Significance Tagged With: ,

We Can Gain Insights into Solving Mystifying Problems

May 5, 2015 by

Number 52 in the series “God Rocks: 101 Amazing Everyday Gifts!” The miracles and promises of Jesus that show us the awesome blessings we can experience each day. I hope it encourages you!

 

Let’s face it, life can be pretty mystifying at times.

I mean we get life all wired and it’s running along smoothly when we get hammered with something out of the blue. And we think, “Ugh, not again?”

And often it’s something we haven’t dealt with before so it seems more confusing than ever.

 

Photo Credit: CollegeDegrees360

Photo Credit: CollegeDegrees360

 

I’ve sometimes thought, “Why couldn’t God just have given us a huge binder full of steps to solve all contingencies? I mean today it could be on the internet with Google search. How hard would that be for him?”

But he didn’t consult me before setting up this whole thing called life.

So maybe we read the latest self help book and to get a couple of tips. Yet, somehow it’s just never enough. Or it never works quite as smoothly as written.

 

Frankly, sometimes I find myself more confused than when I started.

 

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Filed Under: Happiness, Success Tagged With: , ,

A Family Transformed

April 14, 2015 by

Number 46 in the series “God Rocks: 101 Amazing Everyday Gifts!” The miracles and promises of Jesus that show us the awesome blessings we can experience each day. I hope it encourages you!

 

When I pastored I saw firsthand the devastation of dysfunctional families.

Instead of love and support too often I saw anger and attack. Instead of being a refuge from the world’s pressures it became a war zone to escape.

 

Family Playing

 

Unfortunately, it wasn’t always the neighbors who didn’t go to church though. Sometimes it was some of those who were the most involved. Going to church wasn’t an inoculation against the disease.

And the destruction it left was devastating. Children abused or rejected. Marriages destroyed. Families torn apart.

 

Lives devastated sometimes in ways that couldn’t be seen yet manifested themselves later.

 

After many years of marriage I can say honestly Jennifer and I have gone through our times of struggle too. I mean, realistically who hasn’t?

Marriage is tricky. There have been times when it would be easier to quit. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Happiness, Love Tagged With: ,

The Life Change of Making a Difference

March 31, 2015 by

Number 42 in the series “God Rocks: 101 Amazing Everyday Gifts!” Stories and promises of Jesus that show us the awesome blessings we can experience each day. I hope it encourages you!

 

I’m convinced we’re all wired wanting to leave our mark in this world. We each want to feel we made a difference.

Whether it’s a gang banger tagging freeway overpasses or a teacher in the inner city of Chicago. A missionary in Africa or an annoying zealot Facebook friend. We all want to feel our life mattered.

Yet, how often do most of us really have that opportunity?

 

Photo Credit: Wonderlane

Photo Credit: Wonderlane

 

Or instead how often do each of us fill up our lives in lieu of it?

Maybe a bigger house, another expensive car, more golf clubs, more shoes in the closet? Personally I don’t get that last one.

Or maybe more TV or bigger trips. Somehow hoping to find something or at least forget.

 

Yet, it doesn’t really work does it? I mean maybe for a while but somehow that yearning sneaks in again.

 

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Filed Under: Happiness, Significance Tagged With:
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