Topic
Suffering and Problem of Pain
Why do bad things happen to good people? Why does God allow suffering and evil? These are questions central to the Christian faith, and questions that have not gone unexplored in the cannon of Christian philosophy. Job, Augustine, C.S. Lewis, and others have contributed to the ongoing dialogue surrounding this issue. For some, stories of personal suffering, persecution, and martyrdom provide a rallying point and reminder of the pain Christ faced at the cross and the price of our sin; others suggest suffering is a character-building endeavor. One thing is sure: suffering is an important element of the Christian faith. As the apostle Paul wrote: “ I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things” (Philippians 3:8, NIV).
To Serve Is to Suffer
If the apostle Paul knew fatigue, anger, and anxiety in his ministry, what makes us think we can avoid them in ours?
July 20, 2010
Yancey Reflects at V Tech
A sermon given on the Virginia Tech campus two weeks after the shootings.
June 6, 2007
More on Suffering and Problem of Pain
Grieving with the Good Friday God
Shannon Polson sought healing from her father's death by retracing his fatal journey into the Alaskan wilderness.
May 22, 2013
You Only Die Once 
N. D. Wilson paints a portrait of living joyfully underneath the horizon of mortality.
May 1, 2013
Suffering Servants
Chronic pain and depression taught Joni Eareckson and Ken Tada to put each other's needs first.
April 25, 2013
God Behind the Veil
His ways are hidden from ordinary eyes, but not from the eyes of faith.
April 1, 2013
National Tragedy and the Empty Tomb
Not even senseless murder can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.
March 28, 2013
Asking Why to Chronic Pain at Age 22
As troubling as the pain itself was how meaningless it seemed.
January 9, 2013
On the Death—and Life—of Innocent Children
The 20 slain in Connecticut are not alone, nor without hope.
December 14, 2012
How We Hide Our Suffering
An excerpt from 'Glorious Ruin: How Suffering Sets You Free.'
November 5, 2012
What Jesus Might Say About Sandy
The problem with many storm theologies is that they assume Jesus never happened.
October 30, 2012
Ajith Fernando: On the Anvil of Suffering
Offered his dream job in the United States, Fernando opted to stay in war-torn Sri Lanka, a decision that has made all the difference for the cause of Christ
October 12, 2012
In the Wake of Suicide's Silence: Why Blame Is Never the Answer
After my own brother's suicide 15 years ago, I should know that locating blame is so often futile.
August 29, 2012
Packing Heat and Trusting Providence: Why I Own a Handgun
Being a pro-life woman means protecting my life, too.
July 26, 2012
How to Help Someone after a House Fire, Really
Whether they lost their home to a wildfire or arson (like we did), people need more than an encouraging word.
July 17, 2012
God's Wrath and Natural Disasters: Whom Do We Blame?
Social media and the sovereignty of God as Colorado's most destructive fire raged.
July 2, 2012
Could God Have Created a World Without Suffering?
Dinesh D'Souza's latest volume of apologetics updates a natural law argument.
March 28, 2012
When the State Took Away My Life: North Carolina Grapples with Sterilization Practice
It all began just a mile down the road from my house.
January 18, 2012
Sitting in the Dark, Waiting for Emmanuel
Instead of fixing people's pain, maybe the most Christian act of love is to sit beside them, and wait.
December 22, 2011
A Word to Michelle Duggar's Critics: What it Means to Publicly Grieve a Miscarriage
In a culture that doesn't have rituals for mourning a miscarriage, the Duggars' memorial service may become a helpful model.
December 15, 2011
Should Christians Take Antidepressants?: A Response
I've never heard Christians protest relieving the pain of childbirth. So why would they protest relieving major depression?
December 6, 2011
Profiling Christians Who Have Suffered Under Chinese Communism
A non-Christian reporter profiles martyrs of the Middle Kingdom. A review of 'God Is Red.'
September 28, 2011
The Gospel at Ground Zero
The horrors of 9/11 were not unlike those of Good Friday.
September 9, 2011
PETA to Launch Porn Site
The group's newest and wholly misguided campaign overshadows a kernel of truth about animal suffering.
August 31, 2011
Why Gratitude Is Not Enough
Ann Voskamp's book 'One Thousand Gifts' threatens to turn thanksgiving into the key to our salvation.
August 8, 2011
Being Loved through Breast Cancer
God became 'the God who sees' when I faced a bilateral mastectomy, chemotherapy, and radiation at age 27.
July 27, 2011
A Daughter's Grief Observed
Meghan O'Rourke's luminous 'The Long Goodbye' traces the final months as her mother succumbs to cancer.
July 7, 2011
What Faith Is: Accepting Conditions
Eternity is inevitable, one way or another. We may want to get used to it.
June 9, 2011
For Those Grieving on Mother's Day
How Christ meets women during a holiday that's often marked by unmet desires.
May 6, 2011
Tough Calling in Africa
Two doctors who would rather serve where surgical equipment is dated and wards are overflowing.
April 6, 2011
Suffering and Rejoicing in a Haitian Tent Camp
What I learned in this church surpasses anything I've seen at a stunning cathedral.
January 12, 2011
The Leavers: Young Doubters Exit the Church
More than in previous generations, 20- and 30- somethings are abandoning the faith. Why?
November 19, 2010
Doctrine in Diapers
In teaching my children about God, I'm not sure who's receiving the greater lesson.
November 9, 2010
With 9/11 anniversary on a Sunday, pastors prepare their sermons
As people across the country head to churches, temples and mosques this weekend, they will once again wonder why. They will look to the pulpit and listen for an answer. (CNN Belief Blog)
Opinion: Haiti One Year Later: The Quake and Haitian Spirituality
The earthquake has changed forever the history of Haiti. Has it also changed the relationship between Haitians and Bondye? (Gerald Murray, Q)
Anger at God common, even among atheists
Atheists and agnostics reported more anger at God during their lifetimes than believers (CNN)
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