Blog - Do Not Depart

Through the Fire

May 24, 2016 by Guest Post 2 Comments

We are pleased to welcome Susan Van Volkenburgh, author of Silent Resolve and the God Who Let Me Down, to our series “Where is God?”.

Imagine, if you will, that you are an Israelite in Jerusalem and the army of Assyria is encamped against your walls. All the nations around you have fallen. Jerusalem is the last city standing, your city, Zion, which God had promised to protect.

Isaiah 49:14 speaks of the people’s reaction:

But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me,
And my Lord has forgotten me.”

Forsaken by God. Most of us have felt that way at one time or another. Even Jesus experienced this emotion when upon the cross He cried, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46)

I have felt forsaken.

Tuesday morning, a day like any other. It was a beautiful fall day: the air fresh, the sun warm, and the skies clear. As always the children and I began with Bible study. The day’s subject was Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. In discussing the three being placed into the fiery furnace for their unwavering faith in God, I made the cryptic statement that no matter what happens in our life, even when we go through the fiery furnace, still we must follow the Lord. I did not know that at that very moment my own life would be put through the furnace and my words tested.

The day was September 11, 2001. My life forever changed as my father was ripped from the world by terrorists. In that moment I felt forsaken. All that I had believed in, trusted in, was stripped out from under me. How could a benevolent God, a God who loves me, allow such a tragedy to happen knowing full well how this would wound me?

But hear what God spoke through Isaiah, the prophet:

“Can a woman forget her nursing child,
And not have compassion on the son of her womb?
Surely they may forget,
Yet I will not forget you.
See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands;
Your walls are continually before Me.” (Isaiah 49: 15-16)

He has inscribed you on the palms of His hands…..

This is not just taking a pen and writing your name on His skin. You have been inscribed, that is, engraved. He has taken a blade and carved His palm, wounding His flesh so that forever He will bear the scars of your name upon His hands.

Not only does He know our name, but He bears our scars upon His flesh—forever.

I have journeyed down a dark and empty road: alone, abandoned, and forsaken. But I have found something along this desolate way: a beautiful truth. My foundation is sure…and I am not alone.

I think the key is in the word “through,” for we do go through, we do not stay in the furnace. There is an end to our trouble. For even as the three young men stood within the flames of the furnace, they were not alone, but a fourth stood beside them.

We all face trials. We have difficult times. God never promised us otherwise. In fact, He told us that in this world we will have tribulation (John 16:33). But He did not leave us to travel this world without aid.

Listen what the Lord proclaims:

“I, even I, am He who comforts you.” (Isaiah 51:12)

“For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we may boldly say: ‘The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?’” (Hebrews 13:5-6)

Though God’s protection is not always for our bodies, it is a constant for our souls. And in the end, it is our final home that is most important. This mortal coil, which we cling to so ardently, is not what it is all about. Yet when one that is loved is taken, we cannot help but look back at what has been lost.

“But I am the LORD your God,
Who divided the sea whose waves roared—
The LORD of hosts is His name.
And I have put My words in your mouth;
I have covered you with the shadow of My hand,
That I may plant the heavens,
Lay the foundations of the earth,
And say to Zion, ‘You are My people.’” (Isaiah 51:15-16)

We serve a powerful God. An all-knowing God. So what then can man do to me? For the keeper of my soul watches me. We do not have a God who looks on from the outside as we struggle along the way. But we have a God who enters with us into the midst of the fire. He walks the troubled path with us, taking us through to the other side. He is our God and we are His people, engraved upon his hand: a perpetual covenant between the Lord and His chosen.

So as you travel the journey of this earthly life, remember: you are not forsaken.

Silent Resolve and the God Who Let Me Down by Susan Van Volkenburgh

Oncology Nurse turned homeschool educator, Susan Van Volkenburgh is an award winning author of Christian fiction and non-fiction books. As a musical evangelist, Susan travels with the gospel group, the Van Martins. After the death of her father on September 11, 2001, Susan began speaking of her experience. Her book, SILENT RESOLVE AND THE GOD WHO LET ME DOWN (A 9/11 story), recounts Susan’s loss and subsequent spiritual journey.

Born too late to experience antiquity first hand, Susan spends much of her time studying and teaching ancient history. Therefore, it seemed only natural that she should draw from the experience of grief and trauma to write THE STONE OF EBENEZER, Book 1: Trilogy of Kings Saga, a story of faith and restoration through the medium of Biblical fiction.

Have you felt forsaken by God? @SusanVanVolkenb has walked through the fire. #WhereIsGod

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Losing her father on 9/11 shook the faith of @SusanVanVolkenb #WhereIsGod #hope

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Enough Grace for Today – Memorizing Matthew 6:33-34

May 23, 2016 by Lisa Burgess 1 Comment

Our time together in Matthew 6 is coming to an end. Thanks to all who participated, who prayed, who read Jesus’s words with us each week.

This final week of memorization concludes with an important and beautiful message from Jesus:

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
34 Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Matthew 6:33-34 (ESV)

As we strive to put God’s will above all else, isn’t it good to know we can trust Him to take care of our needs? He promises to place alongside us every necessity to accomplish His purpose in our lives.

So today let’s thank Him for enough grace for this day. And let’s wait without anxiety to uncover tomorrow’s grace when tomorrow gets here.

One day at a time.

We pray you’ve been blessed through our months together in Matthew 6. May these words from the Word continue to resonate in you and through you in the months and years to come!

Trust God for today’s supply of grace. Memorize #Matthew6 v33-34 #HideHisWord

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Please share your final thoughts on Matthew 6 in the comments.

God and Special Needs

May 20, 2016 by Caroline 3 Comments

Note: I’ll speak in this post from the perspective of a mother of a child with multiple medical and developmental special needs. This perspective is not meant to be all-encompassing. You may feel the same way about some aspects and very different about others. My hope is that we can find common, encouraging ground together within faith and special needs, or that this post may help increase empathy and understanding and hope through a look into a world that may not be your own.

When you parent a child with special needs (or have special needs yourself), you might be used to having to think of many tiny parts that affect the whole of your child’s health and wellness or breaking down scenarios ahead of time for a successful day.

Can we go to this new friend’s house? We can’t if they smoke or if there’s a wood-burning fireplace in use.

What do I need to bring to help reduce noise and sensory irritation for my child at this function?

My child has multiple food allergies and we’ll be gone x amount of time, and so we need to pack this, this, and this for nutrition.

When my husband and I make a new choice for our son (whether it’s about schooling, about food, about medications, about sensory stuff, or just about how many activities in an afternoon), we are rarely flippant. Even if we only have five minutes to decide something, we put significant thought and consideration to how to help him both grow independently as well as be in safe, healthy environment.

Basically, parents of children with special needs have to question or consider all. the. things.

It can be draining. Confusing. Exhausting.

But, these situations and the constant state of alert we have to be in has also, at times, heightened our awareness to consider all the ways God is present.

God is in my boy’s smile, even while he sits in a hospital.

He is in the hearts of community members who act as His hands and feet and offer help or even just genuine understanding and consistent prayer.

He is in the wisdom and hands of trustworthy doctors who care about our son as a person, not just a medical challenge.

He is in the therapists we were matched with to become guides for my son and sources of support, encouragement, and friendship for me.

He is in the perseverance and loving heart I see in my son daily.

He walks with us in our path of discovering which ‘friends’ might not be true friends, and deepening relationships of those who willingly walk through life with us.

He is in the refining we constantly undergo to grow more, learn more, love more. (God shows us that we don’t change the special needs, the special needs change us.)

God is there in the storm and the calm, the hard and the good — every moment, whether we feel Him or not, see Him or not.

I asked my husband how he would answer the question, “Where is God in special needs?”

His response? “There.”

God is there, and here, too.

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 8:38-39

Please share your experience of God’s presence in special needs in the comments below.

Where is God In A Miscarriage?

May 17, 2016 by Lindsey Leave a Comment

Where is God in a miscarriage?

Where is God when you’re staring at an ultrasound screen with tears streaming down your face because the doctor has just told you that your baby’s heart is no longer beating?

Where is He when you’re begging Him for this pregnancy to be different…for this one to make it full term?

For years, I have asked these same questions…over and over again. In fact, it was these questions that led me to write my newest book, Unbeaten.

While I was working on that book, I ran across one biblical story that shed some light on this question for me.

It was the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

If you’re not familiar with their story, here’s a brief summary.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, three Israelite men who are written about in the book of Daniel in the Old Testament, were taken captive by King Nebuchadnezzar. In Daniel 3, King Nebuchadnezzar ordered the citizens of his kingdom to bow down to a golden image he had created. Anyone who refused would be thrown into a fiery furnace.

Most of the people living in Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom obeyed, but three men refused to bow their faces to the ground in front of an idol. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego believed God could save them from the hands of Nebuchadnezzar and from the fire.

These men told Nebuchadnezzar they would not bow down to his idol because they believed God could save them. But even if He did not save them, they added, they would not serve Nebuchadnezzar’s gods (Daniel 3:18).

This infuriated the king, and he ordered the fire heated seven times hotter than usual (so hot, in fact, that it killed some of his soldiers who were working near the fire). Then he had the three men bound and thrown in.

I LOVE what happens next in this story.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego weren’t killed as they should have been. Instead, they just walked around in there, like it was no big deal that they were surrounded by flames and smoke.

When Nebuchadnezzar saw the men walking around in the fire that killed his soldiers, he jumped to his feet and said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.” (Daniel 3:25)

God didn’t prevent Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from being thrown into the fire. What He did instead was join them in it.

Isn’t that a cool thought?

God didn’t prevent the fire. He joined them in it!

I think that’s what He does for us sometimes too.

For some reason (that I’m sure we’ll understand better someday on the other side of heaven), He doesn’t always prevent us from going through heartbreaking things.

I don’t know why he didn’t prevent my four miscarriages. And if you’re reading this and have had one or more miscarriages, I don’t know why he didn’t prevent yours either.

But I do know this: even though God doesn’t always fix our problems, He never leaves us.

Isaiah 43:2 says…

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”

Where is God in a miscarriage? He’s right there with you…right where He was before your miscarriage and right where He’ll be after it…walking through the fire with you.

This post contains a modified excerpt from Unbeaten: How Biblical Heroes Rose Above Their Pain (and you can too) by Lindsey Bell (CrossRiver Media). Used by permission.

About Unbeaten:

Why does life have to be so hard?

Difficult times often leave Christians searching the Bible for answers to the most difficult questions — Does God hear me when I pray? Why isn’t He doing anything? Does He even care?

In Unbeaten, author Lindsey Bell shares the stories of biblical figures who went through tough times. Through this 10-week Bible study and devotional, she reminds readers that while life brings trials, faith brings victory. And when we rely on God for the strength to get us through, we can emerge Unbeaten.

What Not to Say When Anxious – Memorizing Matthew 6:31-32

May 16, 2016 by Lisa Burgess Leave a Comment

When you’re anxious, what do you say?

“What if this happens?”
“What if that doesn’t happen?”
“What will so-and-so think?”

I’ve said variations of all those. I’ve also said these three classics that Jesus specifically said not to say:

Matthew 6:31
“Therefore do not be anxious, saying,

‘What shall we eat?’ or
‘What shall we drink?’ or
‘What shall we wear?’

Matthew 6:32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.”

I don’t believe Jesus was saying don’t think about what you’re going to prepare for tonight’s dinner or what you’ll wear to your niece’s wedding. Planning is one thing, a good thing.

But worrying is another matter altogether.

It’s the worrying that Jesus wants to remove from our lives.

His antidote?

Prioritize. God first, everything else underneath.

In this week’s (Matthew 6:31-32) and next week’s (Matthew 6:33-34) memory verses, we see that Jesus says seek God first, above all else, and the smaller things will work out as God sees fit.

Perhaps it’s easier said than done for those of us naturally prone to worry. But that’s all the more reason to be glad Jesus was talking to us.

He always knows what to say.

What Not to Say When Anxious. Memorize #Matthew6 v31-32 #HideHisWord

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How do you battle anxiety? Do you have a favorite Bible verse you say to yourself? Please share in the comments.

Who Wants to Be Poor?

May 12, 2016 by Lisa Burgess 24 Comments

Who wants to be poor?

It’s not something we aim for. Poverty is unappealing. We’d rather run away from it than run towards it.

Even though Jesus did say:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Matthew 5:3

We typically want more (of whatever), not less.

What Do You Need?

I sat in a metal chair underneath a tent last Saturday morning for Outdoor Church. It’s a once-a-month service for the homeless and poor in our community, followed by a free meal. One of my friends, Brenda, sat beside me.

We were worshiping along with the church who had volunteered to lead that day. Brenda was rubbing her leg as we sang.

She had had a rough night of pain. Actually a rough year. A rough life.

She’s been disabled for awhile. Money is scarce. Her medical needs go unmet if insurance won’t cover them. Her vehicle barely works. Her housing is minimally sufficient.

Yet after the first song, Brenda leaned over, smiled, and whispered in my ear: “I’m so glad I came today. I really needed to be here.”

Where Is God in Poverty?

We’re asking on the blog all month, “Where is God?” I often wonder where is God in poverty. I see people weekly who are poor in finances, poor in physical and/or mental health, poor in support networks.

Where is God in poverty?
I saw on Saturday.

In Brenda’s poverty, she saw God.
In our wealth, we often miss Him.

Jerry Bridges says in [amazon_link id=”1631466232″ target=”_blank” ]The Blessing of Humility[/amazon_link],

“People who are poor in spirit see themselves as utterly dependent on God and His grace in their lives. They recognize that they are dependent on God even for life and breath (Acts 17:25).”

Embrace Poverty?

We each are poor in some areas.

But if poverty of any sort awakens our desire for God, maybe we shouldn’t fear it so much.

Maybe we should embrace our poverty, our dependence. After all, aware of it or not, we are . . .

Dependent on God,
Dependent on His resources, and
Dependent on His grace.

And in our desperate dependence, like Brenda who was desperate to get to Outdoor Church, we, too, will find what only God can provide.

Maybe it won’t be wealth as we typically define it: bigger bank accounts or physical healings or changes in circumstances.

These Riches

But it can be increased riches in the midst of the poverty, in the form of greater hope and lasting contentment and deeper faith.

“Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?”
James 2:5

So instead of clinging to our scarcity mindsets (“What if there’s not enough to go around???”), may we learn to trust in our God of abundance (yes, He came to give us THAT kind of life, John 10:10).

Among the poorest of the poor on Saturday, God was here:

In the impromptu sing-along of “Amazing Grace” among the broken in the crowd (i.e., all of us),
In the free grilled hamburgers and take-home plates that filled empty stomachs, and
In the attention and the hugs and the face-to-face individual conversations.

Jesus wasn’t scared of poverty. He used it to make us rich.

May we go and do likewise.

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.”
2 Corinthians 8:9

Are you afraid of being poor? #WhereIsGod in poverty?

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Look at these 8 types of poverty identified by Potter’s House, a ministry I visited in Guatemala who work among their poorest of the poor. Which type of poverty do you see most often? Which do you personally identify with? Please share your thoughts on poverty in the comments.

Helping Children Through Seasons of Pain

May 10, 2016 by Patti Brown Leave a Comment

There is nothing more heartbreaking for a parent than to watch their child struggle through a season of pain. Just like adults, children have to wrestle with the realities of life on earth. None of us can escape loss, suffering and sin. But how do we navigate this painful road with our children?

David set an important example when he cried out in anguish to God in the Psalms. He did not hesitate to passionately pour out his feelings, both joyful and painful.

I am feeble and crushed;
I groan because of the tumult of my heart.
O Lord, all my longing is before you;
my sighing is not hidden from you.
My heart throbs; my strength fails me,
and the light of my eyes—it also has gone from me.
Psalm 38:8-10

When your child is struggling, he needs the freedom to have the emotions he has. It is that simple. And he needs you more than ever at this time.

If his emotions overwhelm him and he lashes out, try not to take it personally. We often hurt the ones we love because they are safe. Stay available. Pray with your child and encourage him to tell God how he really feels.

…a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
Ecclesiastes 3:4

Children need to know that it is okay to be sad, okay to grieve. Expect questions and expect them to be hard to answer. You are your child’s parent by God’s design, and He will give you the words if you ask Him to.

Don’t turn away from your child if it seems like he or she is questioning God’s sovereignty or even His very existence. We all go through times of wrestling with God on our own terms – in the midst of the circumstances of our lives and in the context of our individual gifts and challenges. It is no different for children.

“Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD” Isaiah 1:18a

God wants us to use our minds to understand Him and our situations. But He also asks us to trust Him and have faith. Both are equally important. Be willing to talk things through, yet encourage your child in this truth: God is faithful even in circumstances that make no sense to us.

Here are some simple suggestions for when your child is struggling:

Do:

Pray that God shows you when to speak and when to be silent
Be willing to just sit with your child
Be flexible, recognizing that just like you, your child’s emotions are not on a timetable.
Extend grace for misbehavior while keeping healthy boundaries
Show your own pain, in an honest but not overwhelming way
Be honest – it is okay to say “I don’t know”
Share your hope in Jesus
Read applicable scriptures together and discuss them
Pray for and with your child daily

Don’t:

Panic if your child has hard questions about God
Shame your child for having doubts and fears
Promise everything will be ok
Try to make everything look alright when it isn’t
Underestimate your child’s ability to understand complex theological concepts

You love your child more than anyone else does, but that love doesn’t begin to compare with God’s love for him. God cares even more than you do about your child’s pain.

Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Romans 5:2-5

Some of the hardest seasons of my life have borne the greatest fruit spiritually. I trust that this will be true for my children as well. God works through suffering to refine us and draw us closer to Him. As painful as it is to walk alongside my children when they struggle, I see God working, and have a hope borne not only from the promises in His Word, but also from personal experience.

Season of pain are part of the human condition, no matter our age. I pray that God will bless you with wisdom and His words when you face a season of suffering alongside your child. He is faithful.

God is faithful in hard times – to children too. #LetTheChildrenCome

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Helping Children Through Seasons of Pain #LetTheChildrenCome

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How Much Are You Worth to God? – Memorizing Matthew 6:30

May 9, 2016 by Lisa Burgess 2 Comments

Is this really worth it?

Sometimes we question if something is worth our energy, attention, money, if it won’t be here long. For example, I have a limit on how much I’ll spend for a meal, food that will be eaten in 30 minutes or less and then gone forever. It’s just not worth my money.

But God’s limits?

There is nothing too small nor too expensive for His concern.

If He cares even for the wildflowers that appear only for a day or two, then disappear forever, wouldn’t He care about providing us with the provisions we need—creatures created in His very image?

But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
Matthew 6:30

How far will God go? As far as necessary!

Be mindful this week as we meditate on Matthew 6:30 that God is in the details of not only the beautiful spring flowers that pop up for a season, but even more so in the details of our own lives. We are worth it to Him!

How much are we worth to God? Memorize #Matthew6 v30 #HideHisWord

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Physical Pain and a Present God

May 5, 2016 by Ali Shaw 1 Comment

Sometimes, life hurts… physically.

Some of us deal with intermittent and mild pain… others, the chronic and debilitating kind.

And when we’re experiencing those dark moments of despair and ache, it can leave us wondering, “Where is God?”

Physical Pain and a Present God... read more at DoNotDepart.com

God is near.
The answer is simple, though we make it complicated because sometimes we don’t feel Him.

Do you struggle with being sensitive to His presence when your attention is held captive by the physical? I certainly have!

Even David had this struggle… in several of the Psalms, David asks the question, “Where are you, God?” (My paraphrase.)

“How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?” Psalm 13:1

But after some prayer, David answers his own questions.. He knows truly that God is with him— that God hasn’t forgotten him. David places his hope in the victory God gives.

“But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, because he has dealt bountifully with me.” (Psalm 13:5,6)

Like David, we can be reminded of God’s nearness with some focused prayer and praise… And though it’s difficult, we can do this even in our anguish.

God reveals His presence in our pain when:

1. He teaches us and speaks to us, reminding us to seek Him…

“I have learned to kiss the wave that throws me against the Rock of Ages.” -Charles Spurgeon

Every ache is a great reminder to “kiss the waves.” Each wave brings a choice… be knocked down and yanked away from the Rock by the tide of pain OR reach out and cling to God.

His presence reminds us to focus on seeking Him.

2. He reminds us that we are His…

A few years ago, I wrote a (free) online Bible study on the book of Job and interviewed two dear online friends with chronic pain. God has used their pain to spiritually refine and mature them.

In the interview, Susie said, “He was using Pain to focus my attention on who I truly was; created BeautyFull. Oh, He Knows me. I am gratefully in awe of the Love it takes to show me just how well.” LINK

And Jen said, “God has taught me that alone I am weak and shattered; however, He has also taught me that with Him I am pieced back together and He fills in all my gaps. Through my brokenness, I am able to shine His light.”

Ultimately, the pain these ladies endure have forced them to give full attention to God and their identity. God has reached out to show them how loved they are, and who they are. What a great inspiration these ladies are to others who are hurting!

His presence reminds us, we’re overcomers.

3. He reminds us of who He is.

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1

Pain and adversity often breed stronger Christians.

Through we may not like growing this way, it is an excellent opportunity to pursue God intimately. And when He is pursued He will be found. When we are weak, His strength can shine more fully through us… teaching us and others more about His:

love
power
comfort
strengthening aid
grace
trustworthiness
victory (physical, spiritual, eternal…)

“For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Cor 12:10

Yes, our weakness shines His strength. He is the Strong One.

His presence reminds us, God is love.

Where is God, in our pain?

Near us… reminding us.

How has God reminded you of His presence when you’ve faced pain?

Physical Pain and a Present God… Three ways God reveals His presence when we hurt. #WhereIsGod

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Where is God?

May 3, 2016 by Patti Brown Leave a Comment

You don’t have to read the news headlines to know that there is pain and suffering in the world. I expect that at least one person you know is walking through a difficult time right now – perhaps that person is you.

It may be the season I am in (I turn 47 tomorrow,) or just the ebb and flow of life, but right now I know many people who are suffering. Cancer, job loss, mental illness, house fire, miscarriage, marriages breaking down… the list goes on and on.

Every person who came to mind as I wrote that list is a strong Christian. These are people who love the Lord, and earnestly try to walk in obedience to Him by living lives of loving service. Why are they suffering? Where is God in their trials?

It does not take much bible knowledge to understand that being a believer does not give you a “Get Out of Trouble Free” card. In fact, on more than one occasion, Jesus said that we will definitely have trouble on this side of heaven.

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. John 16:33

God is our loving Father; He wants the very best for us. He uses the sufferings in our lives to refine us, and grow us to be more like Himself.

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

We can be confident that God’s will is to work every aspect of our lives for good, and for His glory.

But sometimes when we walk the road of suffering, God can feel distant. Where is God in the middle of our trials? Where is He when we grieve, when we fear the future, when we don’t know how we will survive through the next day?

This month we will be tackling this challenging topic. What does God’s Word say about suffering? We invite you to walk with us as we dig deeply into scripture and apply it to our most trying times.

Where is God when you suffer? A new series at Do Not Depart. #WhereIsGod

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