“It is frustrating to every sufferer to share their travail with people who don’t have a clue and can’t relate because they have no first-hand knowledge of what you’re talking about. Jesus is not just a student of our suffering; he became a first-hand participant in it.”- Paul David Tripp “For we do not have […]
“So denial is never a biblical response to suffering. If you have to deny your difficult realities to obtain some kind of temporary peace, you may enjoy temporary peace, but it’s important to know that you are not exercising biblical faith.”- Paul David Tripp In Chapter 7 (“The Denial Trap”) of Suffering, Paul David Tripp […]
“What you fear will be directly influenced by where you focus the thoughts of your heart. There is a direct connection between what you meditate on and what you fear.”- Paul David Tripp “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.”- Proverbs 3:23 (ESV) As Paul David Tripp continues […]
“Suffering of whatever kind, with whatever it may bring your way, creates a focused awareness that is part of the burden that every sufferer bears. . . . This new awareness becomes fertile soil for a new set of fears that have the power to shape the way you interpret and live your life.”- Paul […]
“You and I are never passive sufferers, and the pain we experience is never just physical or emotional. Suffering is a deeply theological and profound spiritual experience.”- Paul David Tripp As Paul David Tripp continues Chapter 3 of Suffering, he explains why suffering is spiritual warfare. Because, unlike machines, when something dysfunctions in us, we […]
” . . . every human being thinks and lives theologically. Whether you’re aware of it or not, you carry around a well-developed worldview that shapes the way you interpret and deal with everything that comes your way.”- Paul David Tripp As Paul David Tripp continues Chapter 2 of Suffering, he discusses the first thing […]
“Scripture works to prepare us, not so we would live in fear, but so we will be ready for the things we all will face. God gives us everything we need so that we will live with realistic expectations and so that moments of difficulty will not be full of shock, fear, and panic, but […]
“I wish I could say that my experience of suffering was neutral, but it wasn’t, and it isn’t for anybody else either. . . . our lives are shaped not just by what we suffer, but by what we bring to our suffering. What you think about yourself, life, God, and others will profoundly […]
“Physical suffering exposes the delusion of personal autonomy and self-sufficiency. If you and I had the kind of control that we fall into thinking we have, none of us would ever go through anything difficult. . . . Independence is a delusion that is quickly exposed by suffering.”- Paul David Tripp In Chapter 1 (“The […]
“Because I did not have the power or control to make Mr. Hardship leave, I ran to the place where I have always found wisdom, hope, and rest of heart. I ran to the gospel of Jesus Christ, and in so doing, into the arms of my Savior.”- Paul David Tripp In his Introduction to […]
“How you process [deep sorrow] will determine its effect on your life. If your suffering has become your identity, it’s too close to you. Create a sacred place for suffering in your heart, and it will make you more like Christ.”- Alison Cook and Kimberly Miller Alison Cook and Kimberly Miler continue Chapter 11 of […]
“There are many things that can only be seen through eyes that have cried.”- Archbishop Oscar Romero of San Salvador “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the poor in spirit.”- Psalm 34:18 (ESV) In Chapter 11 (“Boundaries with Sadness”) of Boundaries for Your Soul, Alison Cook and Kimberly Miller assert that you […]