2025-10-16
Isaiah 48:10 NIV
C. S. Lewis said, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pain; it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” It was in the furnace of affliction that the psalmist David said, “Teach me knowledge and good judgment, for I trust your commands. Before I was afflicted, I went astray, but now I obey your word. You are good, and what you do is good” (Psalm 119:66-68 NIV).
But you don’t get to that place of submission easily or overnight. It takes time, some kicking and screaming, and a few skid marks on the pavement where you dug in your heels and resisted! God told Isaiah to prophesy, “I have refined you… I have tested you in the furnace of affliction… for my own sake” (Isaiah 48:10-11 NIV). Suffering is a lonely experience; it’s not something you would choose.
The poet Ella Wheeler Wilcox reminds us, “There is room in the halls of pleasure for a large and lordly train, but one by one we must all file on through the narrow aisles of pain.” Nevertheless, the Bible says, “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps” (1 Peter 2:21 NIV).
There is no easy way to become like Jesus; it involves discomfort and pain. But the good news is, you’re not in the fire alone. God’s hand is controlling the thermostat. And He knows exactly how much heat it will take to bring you to the place where you can say, “You are good, and what you do is good.” You may not be there yet, but you’re getting closer.
Soul food: Hab 1-3; John 5:1-15; Ps 15; Prov 24:7
2025-10-15
Psalm 77:19 NIV
The psalmist wrote, “Your path led through… mighty waters, though your footprints were not seen” (v. 19 NIV). When you can’t see God’s “footprints,” He is calling you to walk by faith, not by sight (See 2 Corinthians 5:7).
Joni Eareckson Tada wrote: “A few months from now, I’ll mark an anniversary that is a heartbreaking story of loss and an incomparable testimony of God’s faithfulness… I will have been in a wheelchair for 47 years… barely a heartbeat in history, and as nothing compared with eternity. But for a flesh-and-blood, earth-dwelling human being, 47 years is a long time. Anyone who suffers… [wants] assurance that somehow, someway, things will work out in the end. We want to know that God is at the centre of our suffering.
In Romans 8 we have… that assurance: ‘For those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose’ (v. 28 ESV) … [God] is so supremely in charge of the world that everything touching our lives… is ordered in such a way that it serves our good. This is true whether we face cancer, broken relationships, job loss, bankruptcy… or even a broken neck at age 17.
The strong hope of the believer is not that we will escape ‘bad things’… but that God will transform our hardships into an instrument of his mercy to do us good… Romans 8:29 reveals [our] sufferings are small and short… compared with the weight of glory they are accruing for [us] in heaven. So, bear with heartbreak and hardship a bit longer. These things are expanding your soul’s capacity for joy, worship, and service in heaven.”
Soul food: Nahum 1-3; John 4:39-54; Ps 41; Prov 24:5-6
Psalm 77:20 NLV
Die Psalmdigter het geskryf: ‘U pad loop deur die see, u weg was deur magtige waters, maar u spoor kon niemand sien nie’ (vers 20 NLV). Wanneer jy nie God se ‘voetspore’ kan sien nie, roep Hy jou om deur geloof en nie deur sig nie, te loop (sien 2 Korintiërs 5:7).
Joni Eareckson Tada het geskryf: ‘Oor ‘n paar maande van nou af sal ek ‘n herdenking vier wat ‘n hartverskeurende verhaal van verlies en ‘n onvergelykbare getuienis van God se getrouheid weerspieël. Op daardie herdenking sal ek al vir 47 jaar in ‘n rolstoel wees – skaars ‘n hartklop in die geskiedenis en niks in vergelyking met die ewigheid nie. Vir ‘n vlees-en-bloed, aardbewoner is 47 jaar egter ‘n lang tyd. Enigiemand wat ly wil die versekering hê dat dinge op die een of ander manier op die ou einde sal uitwerk.
In Romeine 8 vind ons die versekering: ‘En ons weet dat God alles ten goede laat saamwerk vir hulle wat Hom liefhet, hulle wat geroep is volgens sy doel vir hulle lewe’ (vers 28 NLV). God is so oppermagtig in beheer van die wêreld dat alles wat ons lewens raak, so georden is dat dit vir ons beswil is. Dit is waar of ons kanker, gebroke verhoudings, werksverlies, bankrotskap of selfs ‘n gebreekte nek op die ouderdom van 17, in die gesig staar.
Die hoop van die gelowige is nie dat ons nie ‘slegte dinge’ sal oorkom nie, maar dat God ons swaarkry in ‘n instrument van sy barmhartigheid ten goede van ons, sal omskep. Ons lyding is min en kort in vergelyking met die heerlikheid wat in die hemel vir ons wag. Verduur dus die hartseer en swaarkry ‘n bietjie langer. Hierdie dinge verbreed jou siel se kapasiteit vir vreugde, aanbidding en diens in die hemel.’
Sielskos: Nahum 1-3; Joh 4:39-54; Ps 41; Spr 24:5-6
2025-10-14
Matthew 16:18 KJV
Author Sherry Surratt notes that when Jesus promised to build His church, “[he] wasn’t just talking about the bricks or wood that form a… building, but he was talking about building his church of… ordinary, human people who are imperfect… broken and [who] bring their messy lives… with them every time they walk through the door. This is what Christ died for… He died for people – for his church… a group of people, led by people, and not a single one of us is perfect. We’re a broken bunch who hopefully recognizes our brokenness and acknowledges that Jesus is the only fix…
No matter how long we’ve been in the church, we never reach perfection… we’ll have to work at it every day. We’ll come face-to-face with our human side every morning when we wake up, and… when we do, we’ll bump up against each other and we’ll get hurt. Our natural tendency is to steer clear of what hurts us… So when we encounter gossip aimed at us or witness hatred or hypocrisy in our fellow churchgoers or even our pastors, it’s natural to think about walking away. But to do this is to separate ourselves from something that God built for us to use for our good…
The Bible never says other people aren’t going to wound [us]… What [it] does teach… is that it doesn’t help to just sit in hurt and feel sorry for [ourselves] (See Matthew 5:24). God’s Word warns [us] not to let bitterness set in (See Hebrews 12:15). This has nothing to do with pretending something didn’t happen. It has everything to do with being honest… admitting when our spirit is crushed and leaving revenge in the hands of God.”
Soul food: 2 Pet 1-3; John 4:27-38; Ps 87; Prov 24:1-4
Matteus 16:18 NLV
Die skrywer Sherry Surrat sê dat toe Jesus beloof het om sy kerk te bou: ‘… het Hy nie net van die bakstene of hout waaruit ‘n gebou bestaan, gepraat nie. Hy het gepraat van hoe Hy sy kerk uit gewone mense wat gebroke is bou en hulle deurmekaar lewens elke keer as hulle deur die deur stap, saambring. Dit is waarvoor Christus gesterf het. Hy het gesterf vir mense – vir sy kerk. Sy kerk is ‘n groep mense wat deur ander mense gelei word en nie een van ons is perfek nie. Ons is ‘n gebroke klomp wat hopelik ons eie gebrokenheid raaksien en erken dat Jesus die enigste geneesmiddel is.
Dit maak nie saak hoe lank ons al in die kerk is nie, ons bereik nooit volmaaktheid nie. Ons moet elke dag daaraan werk. Ons stamp mekaar en maak mekaar seer. Ons neig om dit wat ons seermaak te vermy. Wanneer ons dus met skinderpraatjies oor ons te doen kry, of haat of huigelary onder ons medekerkgangers of selfs by ons predikante sien, is dit natuurlik om te oorweeg om weg te stap. Wanneer ons dit egter doen, verlaat ons iets wat God vir ons eie beswil gebou het.
Die Bybel sê nooit dat ander mense ons nie sal seermaak nie. Wat dit ons wel leer, is dat dit nie sal help om met ons seerkry te sit en jammer vir onsself te voel nie (sien Matteus 5:24). God se Woord waarsku ons om nie toe te laat dat bitterheid posvat nie (sien Hebreërs 12:15). Dit beteken nie dat ons moet sit en voorgee dat niks gebeur het nie. Ons moet egter eerlik wees deur te erken wanneer ons gees verpletter is en om die wraak aan God oor te laat.’
Sielskos: 2 Pet 1-3; Joh 4:27-38; Ps 87; Spr 24:1-4
