“Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.”- Psalm 42:5 Toward the end of Chapter 14 of Walking with God through Pain and Suffering, Timothy Keller states that them most basic way to […]
Timothy Keller begins Chapter 14 (“Praying”) of Walking with God through Pain and Suffering with the statement that we must come to grips with the Old Testament book of Job in order to understand what the Bible tells us about suffering. Pastor Keller points out that the dialogue between Satan and God that opens the […]
“You fearful saints, fresh courage take; The clouds you so much dread Are big with mercy and will break In blessings on your head.”- God Moves in a Mysterious Way, v. 5 (LSB, 765) As Timothy Keller concludes Chapter 13 of Walking with God through Pain and Suffering, he states that the Old Testament story […]
“If God were small enough to be understood, he wouldn’t be big enough to be worshipped.”- Evelyn Underhill In Chapter 13 (“Trusting”) of Walking with God through Pain and Suffering, Timothy Keller states that it is a very difficult assignment to trust the Lord in all things. Pastor Keller notes that God seemed to be absent in […]
“In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith . . . may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”- 1 Peter 1:6-7 (ESV) As Timothy Keller concludes […]
In Chapter 12 of Walking with God through Pain and Suffering, Timothy Keller takes special note of two lamentation psalms famous for ending without any positive expressions of hope- Psalm 88 and Psalm 39. Specifically, the closing words of Psalm 88 are “darkness is my closest friend”. Pastor Keller adds that the psalmist is bluntly […]
“A bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice.”- Isaiah 42:3 In Chapter 12 (“Weeping”) of Walking with God through Pain and Suffering, Timothy Keller begins with a reminder that none of the individual strategies the Bible lays out for walking through […]
Earlier in Chapter 11 of Walking with God through Pain and Suffering, Timothy Keller introduced the Biblical metaphor of walking as a means of facing affliction. As the chapter concludes, the author expands that topic. Pastor Keller explains that walking consists of repeated actions kept up in a sustained way for a long period of […]
Near the end of Chapter 11 of Walking with God through Pain and Suffering, Timothy Keller lists seven lessons we can learn in the furnace of suffering: 1. Finding out who we are, our strengths and weaknesses. We must be tested in order to truly understand ourselves. 2. Becoming a compassionate person who reaches out […]
In Chapter 11 of Walking with God through Pain and Suffering, Timothy Keller references the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Daniel 3). Pastor Keller takes particular note of the three men’s response to King Nebuchadnezzar, stating that their words are a paradoxical balance of confidence and humility (v. 18). Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego express […]
“When through fiery trials your pathway will lie, My grace, all sufficient, will be your supply. The flames will not hurt you; I only design Your dross to consume and your gold to refine.”- How Firm a Foundation, v. 4 Timothy Keller opens Chapter 11 (“Walking”) of Walking with God through Pain and Suffering with […]
As Timothy Keller concludes Chapter 10 of Walking with God through Pain and Suffering, he emphasizes that just as every affliction is virtually unique, so too are the pathways through that affliction. These aspects of affliction are not always properly understood by those seeking to offer a Biblical perspective to our loss. For example, Job […]