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No Decoder Necessary
Nicole was devastated. Having just been broken up with, she was hurt and angry yet trying to behave in the way she thought was right.
“I know God is trying to teach me something,” she told her friend Liz Hall. “I just can’t figure out what.”
In a recent article at CT and a forthcoming book, Hall, along with Kelly M. Kapic and Jason McMartin, say that Christians don’t “need a decoder ring” in moments of suffering like these. Instead, they say, refocusing ourselves on how God is showing up for us in times of pain can provide much greater comfort than asking why God would allow suffering, or what it is he’s trying to teach us.
“If you’re in Nicole’s position, suffering and searching for the lesson, give yourself permission not to know,” they write. “God’s purposes may be larger than you can see, longer than your lifetime, or simply not yet revealed. Trust that not knowing the purpose doesn’t mean there isn’t one.”
As we encounter suffering in our own lives and those of others, may we turn our thoughts toward the presence of a loving God, receiving his comfort even when our questions remain unanswered.
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in the magazine
When Jesus taught, he used parables. The kingdom of God is like yeast, a net, a pearl. Then and today, to grasp wisdom and spiritual insight, we need the concrete. We need stories. In this issue of Christianity Today, we focus on testimony—the stories we tell, hear, and proclaim about God’s redemptive work in the world. Testimony is a personal application of the Good News. You’ll read Marvin Olasky’s testimony from Communism to Christ, Jen Wilkin’s call to biblical literacy, and a profile on the friendship between theologian Miroslav Volf and poet Christian Wiman. In an essay on pickleball, David Zahl reminds us that play is also a testament to God’s grace. As you read, we hope you’ll apply the truths of the gospel in your own life, church, and neighborhood. May your life be a testimony to the reality of God’s kingdom.
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