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A friend of mine is going through so much pain that she's doubting everything she believes in. She faces a choice that will affect the rest of her life: She can stop believing because God appears silent, even cold, toward her pain. Or she can choose to believe that God continues to love her dearly—even though her difficult circumstances seem to say (or scream) otherwise.

When it comes to my own life, I, too, have had my doubts. And I've also been forced to make a choice. I could let my struggles pull me down or I could, well, look backward. That's right, when I haven't felt close to God, I've chosen to look back to times when I did feel God's closeness. One thing that's helped me do this is my personal journal. Since I write in it almost daily, I can read the past entries that show God at work. And when I read them, I see a loving God—even though he's seemingly silent right now—who is there for me. Then there's the encouragement I found in this month's "Christian Classics"— a challenge to trust in the facts of faith, not in my fickle feelings. (Check it out on page 58.)

I've also discovered a lot of good stuff in the writings of another "classic"—a monk named Francois de Fenelon. This guy wrote around 300 years ago, yet his wisdom remains right on for today. Take these gut-honest words about dealing with difficulties: "When things are difficult in your life, prayer will be harder, love will be less tender, and God's presence will be less easily felt. Just learn to be faithful during these trying times—that is all that God asks."

Such wonderful, down-to-earth advice, don't you think? And to be honest, that's what I hope you'll find in this issue of Campus Life. Good, down-to-earth help for living your faith—and for making right choices that will pull you just a little bit closer to God.

Perhaps you're feeling like my struggling friend right now. If so, I hope you'll discover in these pages a loving God who has your best interest at heart—even when he sometimes seems a million miles away.

Chris and your friends @ Campus Life

Copyright © 2001 by the author or Christianity Today International/Campus Life magazine.
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