suffering - Gentle Reformation

The Unfinished Story

December 29, 2023

For a plethora of reasons, the Book of Ruth has a special place in my heart: it was one of my first expository series that I preached; read by a death bed, it

Suffering and God's purposes

From Suffering to Simplicity

April 25, 2023

Hosea 6:1 says "Come, let us return to the LORD; for he has torn us, that he may heal us". Here a wife and mother speaks of the Lord's purposes in her suffering.

prayer

Book Recommendations

September 14, 2022

Prayer and grief are two things that every Christian will encounter in their lives, many on a daily basis. I typically read at least one book a week throughout the year, and wanted

suffering

My Only Friend Is Darkness

July 13, 2022

When the pain is unceasing and the waves keep engulfing you, turn to Psalm 88. It will remind you how Christ turns your death into resurrection and newness of life.

suffering

Persevering to the Point of Bloodshed

March 16, 2022

How do we respond when we believe "we can't take it any more", or "enough is enough"? How do we find comfort in the sufferings of Christ, who "resisted to the point of bloodshed"?

suffering

Giving Thanks for Prosperity and Adversity

November 27, 2021

God sustains us through prosperity and refines us through adversity.

2 Corinthians

A Book for the Overwhelmed

April 27, 2021

2 Corinthians offers clarity and hope for when the believer and the church find themselves overwhelmed.

suffering

The Uniqueness of Christian Suffering

October 08, 2020

We often hear that Christians do not suffer any more than non-Christians—that suffering is no respecter of persons. But if we think about this notion a bit more critically, we can easily see that there are additional sufferings afforded to the believer.

Lament

Formed by Lament

September 02, 2020

(This is a guest post from our friend Laura Cerbus.) “Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord; Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.

suffering

Never let a "good" affliction go to waste!

March 29, 2019

In 2006, John Piper wrote a helpful piece entitled "Don't Waste Your Cancer". The same spiritual truths undergirding his point ought to be applied to every affliction believers face. If we fail to pursue and receive spiritual good in our trials, we waste our affliction.

suffering

Breeding Familiarity: The Righteous Suffer

October 12, 2018

Job is a difficult book. There's many riddles and complexities that seem, in my mind, to mirror the complexities and riddles of suffering itself.

suffering

Don't waste your suffering #5

September 17, 2016

A Promise to Cling to A series of four articles on suffering is all very well, but when you’re in the thick of it sometimes all you can do is cling to

suffering

Don’t waste your Suffering #4

September 03, 2016

So far we have seen two things that will exacerbate our suffering. First of all there is a deficient trust—when we are not looking enough at God. Second is a misplaced trust—

suffering

Don't Waste Your Suffering #2

August 06, 2016

Last time [https://gentlereformation.com/2016/07/16/dont-waste-your-suffering-1/] we started looking at the things which waste our suffering. Top of the list is a deficient trust in God. If our faith is

Grace

Bearing The Cross of Silence

November 06, 2015

Attention is often given to the words of Jesus. Rightly so! He is wisdom incarnate and his words are a wellspring of truth and life. But I wonder if you've ever

Church

Optimistic Thoughts from a Pessimist

April 11, 2015

In 284 AD_ _Diocletian, then the cavalry commander of the Roman army, was proclaimed emperor of Rome. In 302 he consulted the oracle of Apollo at Didyma and there became persuaded that those

Christ

My Eyes Flow With Tears

November 28, 2014

A few years ago a little book caught my attention. Though I had read it before I noticed, for the first time, that it was unlike most books I had ever read. It

Johnny Farese

The Shortest Yet Most Powerful Sermon You'll Hear Today

March 13, 2014

On Tim Challies' website [http://www.challies.com/a-la-carte/a-la-carte-march-11]I learned of the story of Johnny Farese, who went to be with the Lord this week. Take less than eight minutes

Christ

Whatever, part ... whatever...

November 04, 2013

In the previous entry, we considered Paul’s willingness to give up “whatever” in order to gain a right standing before God, a standing only attainable by faith in the risen Christ (Philippians

Discipleship

"But what about him?!"

September 13, 2013

Have you ever had a burden so heavy on your heart, a duty you knew you had to perform, that its weight altered your view of the rest of life and of those