Faithful Writers

Choosing Your Faith If God loved us before the foundations of the earth, why is it up to us to accept that love? Why do we have to choose what He has already offered? And why would someone be condemned for refusing a love they cannot fully understand? God left it as a choice, but is it fair to judge those who struggle to accept what they have never known? Even those of us who are in Christ do not always fully understand what we have received through Him. If someone like me, who was born and raised in a Christian home, is still trying to understand God’s grace and love, can we truly blame those who grew up never hearing about Him? This question bothers me because where we are born is not something we choose. God allows each of us to enter this world in different places, families, cultures, and circumstances. Scripture tells us that God’s purposes prevail (Proverbs 19: 21). So then, is it a mistake for someone to be born into a different faith tradition, whether Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, or another belief system? If God is sovereign and all-powerful, why not determine our origins in a way that gives everyone the same starting point? Why not place everyone in the same environment and with the same understanding before we enter this world? But that is not how life happens. We arrive with much of our understanding already shaped by the places and people we are born into. Before we can think, question, or choose, we are introduced to the beliefs of our families and communities. Prayers are spoken over us. Traditions are practiced around us. Values are taught to us. All of this happens while we are still unaware, waiting to enter the world. Then we arrive. We are taught what our loved ones believe. We are guided by the faith, culture, and experiences that surround us. We did not choose our starting point; it was given to us. As we grow older, some people begin to question, some deepen their faith, and others search for something different. Then there are those who are never introduced to faith at all. At some point, they encounter the gospel and are asked to consider something completely new. They are invited into a relationship with God without the same foundation that others may have received from childhood. As Christians, we believe the Holy Spirit is the One who convicts and guides people as they respond to God. While writing this, I was tempted to discuss whether we can know with complete certainty that one religion is better than another. Every person has experiences, evidence, traditions, and encounters that shape what they believe. These things influence how we understand the world and where we place our faith. But even as Christians, we experience moments of uncertainty. There are days when I question God, when I wonder where He is, and when trusting Him feels difficult. I believe this is part of the human experience. Faith, by its nature, requires trust in what we cannot fully see. Absolute certainty is something we often desire but rarely possess. This is why faith matters. We choose to believe even when we cannot see everything clearly. Sometimes it is difficult to look beyond the physical and trust the spiritual. Yet we continue because we were created with a longing for something beyond ourselves. As people from different backgrounds, denominations, and beliefs searching for meaning beyond this life, none of us has the answer humanity is looking for. Pointing at one another, judging one another, and trying to determine another person’s worth does not bring us closer to the truth. I do not believe God created us to spend our lives condemning one another. We are called to love because we were first loved by Him. This is the command Christ gave us. Without love, our lives become a constant attempt to prove that we are right and others are wrong — something we cannot do with perfect understanding. When I think about all the countries and places I could have been born into, I see myself as a small piece of a much larger puzzle. But every piece matters. Without you or me, the picture is incomplete. So whether our faith looks the same or different, our responsibility is to give what we have been given: love, compassion, kindness, and grace. I do not know how this piece ended up talking about peace and togetherness. That was not where I thought it would go when I started writing. But maybe that is the point. When we truly begin to understand God’s love, we become less focused on proving ourselves and more focused on loving others. Because the God who loved us before we knew Him calls us to love one another. © 2026 Sabina Kumi. Want more content like this? Explore more articles in Culture & Faith. "Choosing your faith is one of the most personal journeys a person can take, shaped by everything you have lived and everyone who has loved you." Press Ctrl + P (Windows) or Cmd + P (Mac) to print this article or save it as a PDF.

The Question Nobody Wants to Admit I know you’ve asked yourself that question more times than you’ll ever admit. In the mirror, after a loss, when someone overlooked you again, when you gave your all, and it still wasn’t enough. It’s a question that haunts achievers and dreamers alike…”Am I enough?” Enough to be loved? Enough to be chosen? Enough to be celebrated? We dress it up with confidence, drown it out with distractions, or bury it beneath work, but it keeps resurfacing. Every time we scroll through someone else’s highlight reel, success suddenly seems to be slow, and we begin to feel unseen. The harsh reality is that that question isn’t innocent. It’s a thief!! It steals your joy, your peace, and your ability to see your own worth. It makes you chase validation that was never meant to define you. The Silent Standard That’s Draining You Our world constantly measures worth in terms of followers, beauty, and wins. You could have ten compliments and still obsess over the one person who didn’t clap. You could be doing better than you were last year and still feel like you’re losing. Why? Because comparison doesn’t let you rest, it keeps saying, “Do more, be more, prove more.” But no matter how much you achieve, it will always shift the finish line, and it’s like running on a treadmill that never stops until you’re breathless, empty, and wondering why joy feels so far away. You Were Never Supposed to Earn "Enoughness" Along the way, we learned to treat worth like a reward… "If I succeed, I’m enough." "If they love me back, I’m enough." "If everything goes right, I’m enough." But being enough was never something to achieve; it was something to accept. Scripture says: “I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” ~Psalm 139:14 You were designed in divine confidence. You are already God’s masterpiece and not a mistake that needs constant fixing, but a creation that’s unfolding beautifully in time. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus…” ~Ephesians 2:10 You don’t need to prove your value to people who only see fragments of your story. Your worth was settled long before anyone had an opinion. You are enough, not because the world says so, but because you were created with intention. Your existence is proof that you were meant to carry light in this world, even if you’re still learning how to shine it. The Moment You Stop Chasing Freedom begins when you stop chasing “enough” and start embracing who you already are. It’s not about pretending everything’s fine; it’s about deciding that your worth isn’t up for debate. You start to walk differently when you stop performing for approval. You start to breathe again when you realize that you’re not behind, you’re becoming. Growth takes time, healing takes time, too, but when we speak of identity? That’s settled. You are already enough. Not a work in progress, trying to qualify, but a soul unfolding into its fullness. A Reminder for Every Time You Forget When the doubt creeps in, remember this: You are not the sum of your likes, your losses, or your lapses. Those don’t do you for a single second. You are a story still being written, and so no single moment defines you. You were never meant to be totally perfect; you just need to be present. So today, I need you to stop asking if you’re enough. Start asking if you’re being true. Because when you live from truth, “enough” stops being a question and starts being who you are. If this spoke to you, take a moment today to pause and breathe. You don’t have to earn your worth. You already are enough. Drop a thought in the comments and tell me one truth you’re choosing to believe about yourself again. Stop letting the lie of “not enough” run your life. That’s the devil. Stand up and reclaim your voice. You owe it to yourself and to the One who made you to live like you already are what you’ve been chasing. © Favour Want more content like this? Explore more articles in Knowing God. "What God says about your worth was never waiting on your performance, your highlight reel, or anyone's approval to make it true." Press Ctrl + P (Windows) or Cmd + P (Mac) to print this article or save it as a PDF.

Does God Really Give You More Than You Can Handle? Let’s just start here: A whole lot of what we think is in the Bible…isn’t. We’ve been quoting things in church for so long that we just assume they came straight from the mouth of Jesus. If it’s been printed on enough coffee mugs or said with enough emotion from the pulpit, it must be gospel truth, right? Wrong. We’ve misquoted Jesus. We’ve misused Scripture. And one of the most common phrases we toss around like a spiritual Band-Aid is this one: “God will never give you more than you can handle.” You’ve probably heard that more times than you can count. It’s spoken like a promise when someone’s facing a job loss, divorce, depression, or devastating grief. It sounds comforting… until life actually does give you more than you can handle. And you’re left wondering, “What’s wrong with me?” But here’s the thing: Jesus never said that. Not once. Wait. So Where Did That Phrase Come From? Most folks assume it came from Jesus because, well, it sounds biblical. But it’s actually a twisted paraphrase of something Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 10:13:“God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” Key word? Tempted. This verse is about resisting sin, not surviving suffering. It’s about not being overwhelmed by temptation, not about carrying the crushing weight of grief, pain, or trauma. Big difference. But somewhere along the way, we mashed those ideas together and made them into a fortune cookie version of the gospel. A gospel where strength is self-powered and God is more like a cheerleader than a Savior. Here’s What Jesus Actually Said Jesus was brutally honest about suffering. He never sugar coated it. “In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”~ John 16:33 That right there? That’s Jesus telling the truth. He didn’t say, “You’re strong enough to handle this.” He said, “I’m strong enough.” He didn’t promise an easy path. He promised his presence in the mess. Why This Misquote Is Dangerous When we tell hurting people, “God won’t give you more than you can handle,” we load them up with guilt. Because guess what? Sometimes life does give you more than you can handle. Depression that won’t lift. A child you can’t save. A betrayal that guts you. A diagnosis that upends everything. If we believe the lie that we’re supposed to be strong enough on our own, we end up crushed under the weight of spiritual performance anxiety. We think we’ve failed God. We wonder if we’re weak or broken or just not faithful enough. But the gospel was never about what we can handle. It was always about what He can handle (and has handled) for us, with us, in us. Let’s Talk About Some Other Things Jesus Never Said While we’re clearing the air, here are a few more well-loved misquotes people slap Jesus’ name on: “God helps those who help themselves.” That’s not in the Bible. At all. Benjamin Franklin said that, not Jesus. Scripture actually teaches the opposite: God helps those who know they need help. “Money is the root of all evil.” Nope. What Paul actually wrote was: “The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.” (1 Timothy 6:10) See the difference? It’s not money, it’s misplaced love. “Hate the sin, love the sinner.” Jesus didn’t say that either. While it reflects a principle of compassion, it’s not a direct quote. And frankly, it often becomes an excuse to judge people while pretending we’re being holy. So How Did We Get So Off-Track? The Bible wasn’t written in English. It came to us through Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. And somewhere between ancient manuscripts, medieval Latin, modern translations, and Sunday school summaries, things got messy. Add in human error, church traditions, sermon shortcuts, and pop theology. And you end up with a handful of phrases Jesus never said… but a whole lot of people believe he did. It’s not always intentional. Sometimes it’s just easier to quote what we heard than dig into what was actually said. But when we misquote Jesus, we risk misrepresenting his heart. So What’s the Better Truth? The truth is: God will allow things you can’t handle. Not because He wants you to break, but because He wants you to stop pretending you’re your own Savior. We were never meant to live independent of Him. The weight of the world isn’t yours to carry solo. Jesus didn’t die and rise again just to cheer you on from the sidelines. He came to be your strength. Paul said it like this in 2 Corinthians 1:8–9: “We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure… But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God.” That’s the gospel. Not “You’ve got this.” But “He’s got you.” One Final Thought If you’re hanging by a thread, barely making it through the day, and someone tells you, “God won’t give you more than you can handle,” you have permission to say, “That’s not true.” Because it’s not about how much you can handle. It’s about how much He already did. Takeaway Truth: Jesus never said life would be manageable. He said He would be with us in the unmanageable. That’s a much better promise. And it’s actually true. Faith = Trusting the process not promise (in the way you think they should mean). © 2026 Gary L Ellis (1944–2026) When Life Takes Everything: Trusting God Through Loss Rina Schultz writes with raw honesty about losing nearly everything and learning to trust God when the promises that once felt solid start to feel distant. A real look at what faith costs, and what it holds onto. What Falling Sparrows Teach Us About Trusting God A short, striking reflection on Matthew 10:29 and what it really means that God knows when a sparrow falls. Sovereignty, it turns out, isn't a guarantee against falling. It's a promise of being known. Press Ctrl + P (Windows) or Cmd + P (Mac) to print this article or save it as a PDF.

Faith, Truth, and Paradoxes Christianity is full of paradoxes. It is both exclusive and inclusive. Exclusive, because Jesus Christ boldly declared that the only way to God is through Him. Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6, NIV) In this statement, Jesus claims to be Truth itself. He embodies Truth, and as God Himself, He is the source of Truth. Truth, by its very nature, is exclusive. For example, all of the following statements are true with only one correct answer. The password to my online bank account is: ________________________. 2 + 2 = 4 Water boils at exactly 212 degrees Fahrenheit (100 degrees Celsius). Other paradoxes in Christianity (and there are many more than these) include: the concept of the Trinity (one God in Three Persons), Jesus Christ as both the Lion and the Lamb, the principle of losing one’s life in order to find it (the world says, “put yourself first”, but Jesus said, “die to yourself” to find real life), the apostle Paul said that when he was weak, he was actually strong (see 2 Corinthians 12:10). By this he meant that God uses human weakness to display His power, and that dependence on God is the true source of strength, not self-sufficiency. Christianity is also inclusive because Jesus Christ offers salvation to everyone who believes, regardless of their past, background, or failures. The main theme of the book of Romans is that everyone has sinned and is separated from God, but God knew this would happen because of mankind’s free will, and He created a plan to solve this problem from the beginning of the world. "For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile, the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:12–13, NIV) These paradoxes humble us and cause us to realize that God’s wisdom far surpasses ours. The God of the Bible isn’t distant or indifferent. He is personal, loving, and relentlessly pursues us! He loves us so deeply that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the penalty for our sins so that we could be reconciled to Him. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16, NIV) Why Do We Need God? Every human being senses a deep longing for meaning, purpose, and connection. We wrestle with questions of origin, purpose, and destiny because we were created by God in His image (Genesis 1:27). We aren’t mere cosmic accidents, nor the result of millions of years of unguided processes coming together to produce us. God breathed His life into humanity (Genesis 2:7) and gave us an immortal soul that will live forever somewhere. He also gave us free will to decide whether we will live with Him or apart from Him. Without God, life becomes a fleeting pursuit of temporary pleasures. We may fill our days with distractions, but our souls remain restless. Augustine famously said, “Our hearts are restless until they rest in You.” As mentioned above, our sin has separated us from God (Romans 3:23). We can’t help but sin because our nature is bent away from God. Because God is perfectly just, sin must be punished. If God didn’t punish sin, He wouldn’t be loving. But because He is perfectly loving, He took that punishment upon Himself in the person of Jesus Christ. Why the God of the Bible? There are many religions in the world, but only one offers a Savior who died for His followers and rose again. Religious figures such as Buddha, Muhammad, and Confucius never claimed to be God incarnate or to have conquered death. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the central evidence of His divine authority and the foundation of the Christian faith (1 Corinthians 15:3–4). Here is a well-researched article that examines the resurrection of Jesus using historical, eyewitness, and scientific evidence: Resurrection of Jesus: A Scientific Review of the Evidence. Christianity is unique from other religions because it doesn’t require rituals or works to earn salvation. It’s not about human effort reaching up to God; it’s about God reaching down to humanity. Salvation is a gift received by faith, not a reward earned by deeds (Ephesians 2:8–9). The Reality of Heaven and Hell Jesus spoke plainly about both heaven and hell. Heaven is the eternal home of those who love and trust Him. It’s a place of unending joy, peace, and fellowship with God. Hell, by contrast, is the eternal separation from God, created originally for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41). Many people reject the idea of hell, but disbelief doesn’t erase reality. Just as gravity operates whether we acknowledge it or not, so does God’s moral law. To deny hell is to deny the seriousness of sin and the holiness of God. God wants everyone in the whole world to be saved and live in harmony with Him forever. People use their free will to choose to accept or reject His offer of salvation through the sacrifice of Jesus. "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9, NIV). The Benefits of Knowing God Choosing to follow Jesus isn’t merely fire insurance to avoid judgment; it’s about showing Him how much you love Him and appreciate His sacrifice for you. When you make Him Lord of your life, you promise to take up your cross daily and follow Him, which means committing to obey His teachings. When you accept His free gift of salvation, the Holy Spirit enters your heart, and He will empower you to live a new life and obey God. (Romans 8:11). The Christian life brings peace, joy, and purpose. It gives us a community of believers who support, encourage, and challenge us to grow. Real faith isn’t stagnant; it grows as we love and trust (see Ephesians 1:15–16). God loves us as we are, but He loves us too much to leave us that way. The Bible becomes our guide, offering wisdom, comfort, and direction. The Spirit gives us strength to overcome temptation and courage to face trials. And above all, we gain the assurance of eternal life with the One who created and redeemed us. Why I Choose to Worship the God of the Bible I choose to worship the God of the Bible because He alone is worthy. He is the Creator of the universe, the Sustainer of life, and the Redeemer of souls. I love Him because His love for me is unconditional and because He first loved me (1 John 4:19). I worship Him because He is the Truth. In a world full of shifting opinions, moral relativism, and confusion, God’s Word stands firm. His promises never fail. His character never changes. I worship Him because He gives my life meaning and purpose. I worship Him because He has revealed Himself in the Bible as one God manifested in three persons. He is a personal God, not an abstract force. He is the God who made Himself known by entering history, suffering, and overcoming death for our sake. Conclusion So, do you need God? Yes, I believe so because you were made by Him and for Him. Why the God of the Bible? Because He alone is real, loving, and powerful enough to save. Which one should you pray to? Pray to the Father, through the Son, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Believe in the one true God who invites you into eternal fellowship with Himself. Jesus is knocking on the door of your heart. The question is, will you open the door to Him? "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me" (Revelation 3:20, NIV). © 2026 Debra Hodges Want more content like this? Explore more articles in Knowing God. Related Reading You May Enjoy: Common Objections to Christianity That Don't Hold Up — A look at the popular objections to the faith that sound convincing but fall apart under honest examination. How I Know God Is Real — A personal account of the reasons and evidence behind a confident faith in God. Growing Faith Through Questions — How wrestling with hard questions can deepen faith rather than weaken it. Press Ctrl + P (Windows) or Cmd + P (Mac) to print this article or save it as a PDF.

What Does "Judge Not" Really Mean? One of the most misunderstood and misquoted verses in the Bible is “Judge not, that you be not judged” (Matthew 7:1). Ripped out of its context and most often used by people who don’t believe anything else that the Bible says, it is often used as a club to beat Christians who say anything about sin. Any time that sin is identified for what it is, you are almost guaranteed that someone will retort with: “Jesus said “don’t judge”, so you shouldn’t be judging me.” When we read the verse in context, we find out that Jesus goes on to tell us how one ought to judge. If you are going to judge someone else, first check that you are doing so with the right motive and without harbouring sin in your own heart. “Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” (Matthew 7:5). We will understand what Jesus is talking about here even better when we deal with the next verse. “Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.” (Matthew 7:6). The ‘dogs’ and ‘swine’ (pigs) were easy enough to identify for the Jewish disciples whom Jesus was addressing at the time. These terms referred to Gentiles — those who were not among the people of God. After Jesus rose from the dead, Gentiles could become people of God without becoming Jewish, but the verse still applies similarly. Anyone who has not yet submitted to Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Saviour is not one of God’s people. Here, I use the term ‘unbelievers’ to identify them. What Are the 'Pearls' in Matthew 7:6? The real question we need to address in verse 6 is: What are our ‘pearls’? We know that Jesus is telling His disciples not to give something holy and precious to unbelievers. Some say that He is warning Christians to be careful about who we preach the gospel to — if people are hostile and unreceptive, they could “turn and tear you in pieces”. The gospel is indeed holy and precious, but is it really the ‘pearls’ that we should not give away? It seems to me that such a warning runs contrary to His explicit command: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). We are told many times in the New Testament that the gospel will not always be well-received by those who hear it. Besides Jesus’ own warnings to this effect (e.g., Matthew 10: 16–26), we see examples of people being tortured and killed because they preached the gospel throughout the Book of Acts. Were they “casting their pearls before swine”? If so, we are saying that people like Stephen and Paul were foolish to preach the gospel to hostile crowds. Yet they are quite clearly presented in Acts as doing God’s will. Similarly, missionaries throughout the last 2,000 years have preached the gospel to hostile people and have paid with their lives for it. I believe that they were doing what Jesus told them to do; they were not casting pearls before swine. If that is so, what does this verse mean? The answer lies in the previous verses. The kind of ‘judging’ that Jesus is talking about here is between ‘brothers’: “And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye?” (Matthew 7:3, emphasis mine). The term ‘brothers’ is used throughout the New Testament to refer to other believers (this includes sisters, of course). The ‘judging’ in verses 1–5 is therefore about fellow believers helping each other to identify sin in their lives and remove it. Provided it is done correctly and without hypocrisy, this is a good thing. I believe that Jesus uses the jarring terms ‘dogs’ and ‘swine’ in verse 6 to make a clear switch from talking about relationships between believers to relationships between believers and unbelievers. The overall topic nonetheless remains ‘judging’ in the sense of pointing out sinful behaviours that ought to change. What then are the holy pearls that believers should not give to unbelievers? Given the context, the pearls are pieces of advice about removing sin and living a holy life. This may come as a shock to believers who give such advice to unbelievers, while the unbelievers who like to misquote “Judge not” may feel vindicated. Perhaps you think I am saying that Christians should just shut up about sin and let unbelievers remain as they are. It’s a bit more complicated than that, so please hear me out. Preaching the Gospel vs. Casting Pearls Before Swine Identifying sin is an integral part of the gospel message — if you don’t think that you’re a sinner, then you don’t need a Saviour. It is therefore critically important for the unbeliever to recognise their sin before they are willing to reach out for the Saviour. One way to do this is by going through Jesus’ version of the Ten Commandments, as He did earlier in this passage of Matthew (read Chapters 5–7 for the whole message). When you do that, you realise that every one of us is a sinner. Ever called someone a bad name in anger? Murderer (5:21–22). Ever lusted for someone who is not your spouse? Adulterer (5:27–28). Ever made a promise that you didn’t intend to keep? Liar (5:33–34). Jesus is pointing out that we are all sinners in God’s sight. We therefore desperately need a Saviour — Him. Clearly, when He gets to the “Judge not” part of His message, He isn’t telling people to ignore sin or fail to identify it. He has just given us a very clear blueprint for revealing sin in our own hearts, which is the necessary precursor to the Good News that He paid for it on the cross. When saying “do not cast your pearls before swine”, I think that Jesus is telling us how not to talk about sin and holiness to unbelievers. If we see someone committing sin or ‘living in sin’, we may be quick to say: “Jesus says you shouldn’t be doing that” or “that’s not right, God will judge you” or “all sinners are going to hell”. If that is all that we are telling people, then we are not preaching the gospel. We are just criticising their non-Christian lifestyle from a Christian perspective. Jesus warns that when we do this, the unbelievers will simply turn on the Christian and tear them to pieces. If we dish out unsolicited critique of sinful lifestyles and suffer for it, we are not ‘suffering for doing good’ (1 Peter 3:17), we are suffering for foolishly ignoring Jesus’ warning. By making such a critique, we could (perhaps unintentionally) be sending the message that people have to “clean up their act” before coming to Jesus. This is exactly what Jesus did not preach. He welcomed sinners and freely forgave all who repented. They stopped living in sin after they came to Jesus, not before. They were no longer ‘swine’; they became God’s people. How to Apply 'Judge Not' Without Casting Pearls Before Swine How then do we deliver the gospel message to all people — no matter how hostile or unreceptive — without casting our pearls before swine? First, we maintain Jesus’ definition of sin and His standard of righteousness as described in Matthew 5–7. This standard doesn’t just condemn particular kinds of sinners; it condemns us all. I am a sinner by Jesus’ standard, and so are you. Following Jesus’ example, we can describe sin clearly without telling sinners that they must “clean up their act or go to hell”. Those who hear the Biblical definition of sin and realise that it applies to them are feeling the Holy Spirit at work. He convicts people of their sin, not the human messenger. Second, we introduce people to the Saviour. Jesus will receive and change anyone who comes to Him in repentance. At that moment, He washes them clean by His blood, gives them a new spiritual nature, and brings them into the family of God. From now on, their lives will be distinctly different. This includes becoming sensitive to the Spirit working through their conscience to identify sin whenever it crops up. No spiritual policemen needed. Third, we help each other to deal with sin as fellow Christians. After you have met the Lord, He starts to clean up your act. He may do this directly through the Spirit, or indirectly through His church. The latter operates through the kind of ‘judging’ that Jesus described in Matthew 7:5. This happens only within a loving Christian community, where each ‘judge’ examines their own life very carefully before helping others, and is willing to be ‘judged’ in turn (in today’s language, we call this “accountability”). The Ultimate Judge remains on His throne — we all account to Him in the end. When we follow these steps in order — particularly by not putting step 3 before step 2 — we will use the pearls of wisdom that God gives us at the right time and for the right purpose. All of us who were once ‘swine’ will be changed into brothers and sisters by the power of the Holy Spirit. Together, we will draw closer to our Lord and glorify Him before all the earth. © 2026 Gail Thomson. Want more content like this? Explore more articles in Exploring Scripture. If you want to see this played out in real life: The Healing Power of Grace in Mother-Daughter Relationships Tessa Lind shares an honest, personal look at choosing grace over criticism in one of the hardest relationships to get right, and what happens when we let go of the urge to correct and lean into love instead. The Art of Responding with Grace, Not Reacting in Anger A practical look at what it means to pause before we speak — trading a quick, wounded reaction for a response shaped by patience and grace. Press Ctrl + P (Windows) or Cmd + P (Mac) to print this article or save it as a PDF.

A developer and father of two, writing from South Korea. Faith-raised, I write the prayers I offer for my children—hoping to comfort other parents. His prayers are first written in Korean and posted on a Korean blog, then translated to English. Medium 아이를 위한 아빠의 기도

A little about how I got into writing. This should be hilarious. I can write, but an "about me" or a "bio," naw.......my brain goes right out the window in spectacular form. 😅 (I'm autistic, so honestly, that tracks.) I am the creator of Faithful Writers, and I'll explain in a minute or two how that happened. But if I jumped straight into that, I'd miss a lot of important parts of my journey that got me here. My background actually starts in art, web design, and computers. For many years, art was my exclusive focus. I spent all that time writing artist statements, but I didn't realize I loved writing itself until later. The realization came while I was taking bookkeeping and accounting classes… and God said, "Nope, not today." I started those classes because I wanted to do something beyond my full-time role as a caregiver for a family member. I'm on call 24/7, never knowing what the day will bring. And art had long been my outlet for stress, and loneliness during the tougher years. That's when writing started to really take hold, just didn't realize it. One night, in a moment of frustration and banging my head on a wall when studying accounting terms, I took it to God. I asked Him what He wanted me to do because I felt so lost. Two things happened at once "Write for me" was whispered to me, just as my husband yells from the other room something along the lines of maybe you should start focusing on your writing because you really love it.💡 And there it was, just like that. The perfect moment; clarity, excitement, peace, joy, hope, acceptance, happiness, you name it, I felt it and it's felt right ever since and I've never looked back, doubted or regretted pursuing this full-ish time. Now how I came to create this publication. I write in a very wide variety of styles and cover multiple topics related to my faith, the Bible, and my life experiences, which means I never fit a specific "niche," the same can be said for my art though too. Honestly, that's a very autistic-brain way of moving through the world. I love to rabbit hole, I need to chase a thought from start to finish. That's just how my mind works, and it's how I write. After one email too many after submitting my work, I finally just got tired of having to constantly alter my work for other publications or watch an editor strip away my voice and natural wack-a-do flair. I wanted freedom to write authentically, in whatever style I chose, to keep my pieces as short as I wanted, and not have a publisher tell me I needed to change a whole bunch of stuff to ultimately be what they wanted me to write about. That kinda sucks the thunder out of a person, you know what I mean? So here I am, creating my own niche in this world and offering that to other Christian writers who want to share their inspired writings in a publication that holds to Biblical teachings. I adhere to a strict rule: I will not change a writer's voice. While there are guidelines, I do my best to make publishing easy, fun, and as uncomplicated as possible. I'm based in Wisconsin, and I personally review every submission that comes through Faithful Writers to make sure each writer's voice stays true to who they are. If you're autistic or neurodivergent and have wondered whether your voice fits here too, it does. I built this place partly because I needed it to exist too. Have fun reading, and learning, and bookmark this site, articles are regularly uploaded. If you're looking for something specific, click here to do some searching, we have every topic under the sun here. Medium Email Want to read more from Me? Here are a few places to start: Why Were Some Animals Unclean in the Bible? A Look From Genesis to Acts The Truth About Christianity and America’s Founding: Separating Faith from National Myth “Lucifer” Actually Came From a Translation Error Hidden in Plain Sight: Recognizing Demonic Influence Today Tartarus, Greek mythology mingling with the Bible.

Reasoning Through Scripture Let me say upfront: this isn't a topic that fits neatly into a single post. Scholars spend entire careers researching and debating these very questions, and I don't claim to have any groundbreaking new insight to offer. I simply want to share a few thoughts worth considering. What is Critical Thinking Let’s define terms because incorrect assumptions complicate arguments. Critical thinking, as defined by Merriam-Webster, is: "The act or practice of thinking critically (as by applying reason and questioning assumptions) in order to solve problems, evaluate information, discern biases, etc." Simply put, thinking critically calls us to take an objective look at something, research, gather context and facts, and come to a reasoned conclusion. I believe that Scripture, when critically evaluated, holds up to such scrutiny. Let’s look at the arguments. First Up: The Authenticity of Scripture Notably, many passionate former atheists, such as Lee Strobel, have set out to scientifically and historically disprove Christianity and have instead become Christians themselves because they could not refute the evidence for the truth and authenticity of Scripture. Christianity, as stated by J. Warner Wallace, “stands unique among worldviews because it rests on public, testable claims.” Other worldviews cannot claim eyewitness testimony or dig up compatible historical records to support their claims. He makes the further point that Christianity doesn’t hinge on mystic revelation given to a single person, but on factual, provable evidence, witnessed by multitudes. If the gospel account is made up, it seems unreasonable to me to believe that an entire movement of people kept silent while the New Testament writers circulated the incredible claims they did. It also seems unreasonable to me that all the claims and testimonies about Jesus would fit together and actually build on one another if they had made it all up. Looking at the whole of Scripture, things get even more interesting. Roughly 40 different authors contributed to its writings, spanning over 2,000 years. Answers in Genesis points out something else that’s incredibly important to our understanding of how the Bible was penned: Shepherds, kings, scholars, fishermen, prophets, a military general, a cupbearer, and a priest all penned portions of Scripture… They composed their works from palaces, prisons, the wilderness, and places of exile while writing history, laws, poetry, prophecy, and proverbs. Scholars throughout the centuries have worked diligently in researching evidence for the authenticity of God’s Word. If you’re familiar at all with the Dead Sea Scrolls, then you’ll understand how their discovery alone is tremendous proof that these ancient manuscripts were not fabricated, as experts were able to match them with writings in what we now know as the Old Testament. (If you’re not familiar with what they are, you can check them out here.) Fun fact: these scrolls were written mostly on parchment or papyrus, which makes them difficult to preserve, as their organic nature leads to rapid decomposition. However, they just so happened to have been located in an area of the world that was arid enough to keep them from decomposing, which is why we were able to find them in the first place… Coincidence? I’ll let you decide on that one. Next Up: The Moral Dilemma If we believe Scripture to be authentic, the next idea to think through would be its contents. We could spend decades debating this, so let’s turn our focus to just one question: How could a good God allow evil? Again, not a simple topic, but here are some things to consider about this age-old question, at least. In the comment that sparked this article, one of the views offered was: I don’t believe anyone applying critical thinking to the Christian biblical narrative can come away believing it represents a just, merciful, and loving God. This made me pause, because I believe it shows us the crux of the issue. When I read Scripture, I can’t help but see how just, merciful, and loving God is. So how can two people read the same thing and come away with two completely different conclusions? Of course, there are many plausible explanations for this difference in opinion, like maybe they haven’t read Scripture. Maybe they were hurt by the church. Maybe they’ve only read some of Scripture, or had someone teach it to them incorrectly. I don’t know the answer, but I do know Scripture repeatedly points back to the goodness of God. It’s filled with testimonies of His mercy, grace, steadfastness and justness. The LORD is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation. ~ Numbers 14:18 God allows evil, but He doesn’t leave it unpunished. Many argue that God could just stop evil from happening, but imagine with me for a second: what if a parent never “allowed” their child to do anything bad? Imagine if that parent stepped in and prevented every single instance of their child attempting to throw a toy at their sibling, or lie, or gossip, or think an impure thought. For starters, this wouldn’t be possible for human parents. But if it were, can you imagine what a miserable life that would be? How awful would it be to live such a controlled life? Now think about how miserable our lives would be if God controlled evil the way we often think He should. Critical Thinking and the Bible: Suffering The argument I usually hear is something along these lines: If God is good, how can he allow good people to suffer? It’s because we live in a broken world. The Lord created humans to be in fellowship with Him, but we broke that fellowship of our own volition, and we experience suffering as a result. God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. ~ Genesis 1:31 To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’ “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. ~ Genesis 3:17 We weren’t flawed from the start. We were given free will from the start. When God placed Adam and Eve in the garden, he effectively made them His administrators over the earth. They had dominion over all the animals, and the garden sustained them. The command to keep away from the fruit was for their protection, not to control them or to set a trap for them. The fact that they were told about the tree and instructed to stay away from it confirms that the Lord gave them the freedom to choose it if they wanted to. God could have locked the tree down or placed it somewhere they’d never find it; then He wouldn’t have even needed to tell them about it. But he didn’t want us to choose Him out of obligation or control. When you read the account of the fall in Genesis chapter 3, you see how the serpent (Satan) tricks Eve by twisting God’s words. He places doubt in Eve’s mind about God’s motives behind telling them not to eat the fruit, and she succumbs to his lies. When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. ~ Genesis 3:6 God had already told them both what would happen if they ate the fruit, but all it took was an inkling from the enemy for them to doubt God. Adam and Eve were living in perfection. They had all the food & freedom they could ask for, but they wanted more. The fruit looked good. It sounded good. It probably tasted good, too. A subtlety in this story usually goes unmentioned. God didn’t just say not to eat the fruit. He told them to stay away from it. …but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’ ~ Genesis 3:3 Here, Eve was recounting to Satan what God had told them. She mentions that God had said not to touch or eat it, meaning they should avoid the tree altogether. Could it be that God knew who was lurking around the tree, waiting for one of them to venture near enough to entice them? Either way, now there’s a problem. Sin has officially entered the picture. As we saw above in Genesis 3:17, Adam and Eve were now sent to live a life outside the garden, which God had warned them about before they ate the fruit. Whereas before they’d only known a life of perfection and easy work, they would now have to toil all their days. Their children and the coming generations would only know hard labor because they were no longer inside the protection of the garden. Enter: Jesus But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ~ Romans 5:8 There are so many other verses that reveal God’s heart towards us, but I especially love this one because it truly sums up what Jesus did on the cross. God allows us to choose to live as we desire. He doesn’t force us to follow His commands or choose Him out of obligation. He allows us to choose sin, which is why there’s evil in the world today. However, even as sinners, He still loves us and wants to provide a way out for us. That’s where Jesus comes in. Jesus willingly chose to take on the sins of the world, on the cross, as punishment for every single one that has ever been committed. He did this because he knew we’d never be able to do enough good things to earn our way into Heaven, so he became our scapegoat. He didn’t have to. He could have said, “LOL, good luck, guys!” and laughed from heaven as we all floundered around down here. But that’s not God’s heart. His heart toward us is that of a loving Father who desperately longs for time with His children. Unfortunately, some children choose different paths than the ones their parents would like them to. Some children choose to leave home and never come back. It’s heartbreaking for parents, but it’s a sad reality. God gives us that choice, too. The Final Question: Is God Just? Skeptics often point to the Old Testament when questioning God’s morals (to which, I’d like to add: God can handle your questions, but watch your heart when asking. Seeking truth is one thing; questioning God is another). Specifically, passages like Deuteronomy 20, where God commands the Israelites to lay siege to enemy cities and, in some cases, completely destroy them. Many claim this is immoral because those cities would have had women and children in them. Without context, I’d agree. However, there are some facts to consider. The Israelites were surrounded by nations that performed vile, satanic rituals. The Canaanites, for example, did heinous things like sacrifice their children to false gods such as Moloch. Even secular scholars agree on this, which you can see here. God didn’t just tell the Israelites to slaughter whoever they wanted because He hated women and children. He sent His small nation of people into battle to protect them from being annihilated by the much larger enemy nations surrounding them. The same things happen today when countries fight against one another, whether for good reason or not. Innocent lives are tragically lost, and that is part of the price we pay for war. It sounds barbaric because it is. But that doesn’t inherently make it unjust. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you. ~ Psalm 89:14 God is faithful and just, and everything He has done or will do stems from His love for us. Because of this, we can trust that His motives are always pure. There’s nothing He does out of selfishness or pride, but rather His actions flow from His righteousness. In contrast, however… This great dragon — the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world — was thrown down to the earth with all his angels. ~ Revelation 12:9 Satan is not just. He has twisted God’s words from the beginning and will continue to do so until Jesus comes back. He’s a crafty wordsmith who makes sin look holy, and he will deceive multitudes of humans straight into the pits of hell. There is hope, however, because: Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. ~ Romans 10:13 God loves us so deeply that He provided a means for our salvation, and Jesus’ gift of salvation is available to anyone who will call on his name. He offers us this gift, not simply as a “get out of hell free” card, but as an opportunity to choose to spend eternity in the holy and gracious presence of the Almighty. It’s up to us to decide whether we want to be in His presence. Why wouldn’t you? Unfortunately, this evidence won’t be enough to convince some. But my prayer is that someone, somewhere, will consider these words and genuinely seek out the Lord. Don’t get caught up in Satan’s lies, friends. Read Scripture for yourselves and ask God to help you understand. Critically think about lofty statements thrown around so casually, and ask yourselves if it’s based on truth or emotion. © 2026 Stephanie M Press on, friends! 🫶🏼 Thanks for reading! My heart is truly to see others dive deeper into Scripture and reason through things biblically. These are wild times, but together we can chase clarity in a confused world! If that sounds like something you want to do, please consider following Rooted in Reason so you’ll be notified when there’s a new post. From the Editor: Critical thinking and the Bible go hand in hand, since Scripture was never meant to be accepted blindly but examined honestly. Press Ctrl + P (Windows) or Cmd + P (Mac) to print this article or save it as a PDF.

Can we force God's hand? Jerusalem has a way of forcing hard questions to the surface, and few are harder than the Dome of the Rock prophecy debate: how far is too far when believers grow impatient waiting on God? That question isn't hypothetical. It's being asked right now, out loud, by pastors with large platforms and even larger audiences. Sacred Ground, Modern Controversy The Temple Mount has drawn the eyes of three faiths for millennia, each carrying its own weight of longing and memory. Solomon's Temple once rose from that ground. Centuries later, the Second Temple stood there too, standing during the years Jesus walked and taught in Jerusalem, until Roman legions leveled it in A.D. 70, fulfilling exactly what Jesus had warned would happen. Now a different structure occupies that same hilltop. The golden Dome of the Rock is one of the most photographed landmarks in Jerusalem, instantly recognized far beyond the Muslim world. For Jews, it marks the spot their Holy Temple once occupied. For Muslims, it commemorates Muhammad's ascension. For a segment of Christians, it has taken on a very different meaning: an obstacle standing in the way of the Messiah's return. That conviction has grown so extreme in some circles that pastor Greg Locke declared that Israel should "get a great big missile and blow that wicked Dome of the Rock plum off the spot where it's standing right now, so we can get that Third Temple rebuilt and usher in the coming of Jesus." It's a jarring statement. But underneath it sits a far older and more important question than what happens to a building in Jerusalem: can people force God's hand? Or, put differently, has He ever asked us to try? That question doesn't stay confined to the Temple Mount. It follows every generation of believers who grow tired of waiting on God's own schedule. The Babel Syndrome: Building Heaven on Our Own Terms The first organized attempt to ‘bring heaven down’ wasn’t in Jerusalem. It was in Babel. Humanity gathered together and said, ‘Come, let us build…’ (Genesis 11)They wanted to reach heaven on their own terms. They wanted to create God’s future through human effort. God’s response: He scattered them. Thousands of years later, we still suffer from the same temptation. We simply baptize it with religious language. We convince ourselves that if we can just elect the right leader, win the right war, rebuild the right building, or even destroy the right building, then God’s Kingdom will finally arrive. And the Messiah will take His place on a throne of peace. Scripture says exactly the opposite. The Kingdom does not come because mankind climbs higher. The Kingdom comes because the King descends. Faith never tries to drag tomorrow into today. Faith trusts that tomorrow will arrive precisely when God intends. Throughout Biblical history, every attempt to force God’s timetable reveals the same hidden assumption: that God needs our help more than He desires our obedience. The Kingdom of God has never advanced because men forced God’s hand. It has always advanced because God kept His promises. Key takeaway: The Kingdom doesn't come because mankind climbs higher. It comes because the King descends. Good Intentions, Wrong Timing The temptation to “help God” is as old as the Bible itself. Think about the biblical examples. God promised Abraham that he would become the father of a great nation. But when the promise seemed delayed, Abraham and Sarah took matters into their own hands through Hagar. The result was not the fulfillment of God’s promise but generations of heartache and conflict. God’s promise arrived exactly as He had spoken. But only when God determined the time was right. King Saul made the same mistake. As Samuel delayed, Saul assumed he needed to act. Rather than waiting for God’s appointed prophet, he offered sacrifices himself. From a human perspective, it seemed practical. From God’s perspective, it was rebellion disguised as urgency. Then there was Uzzah. When the Ark of the Covenant appeared to be falling, he reached out to steady it. His action looked noble. Surely he was protecting God’s holy presence. Yet Scripture reveals something deeper. Uzzah assumed God’s purposes depended upon human intervention. And it cost him his life. Even Peter fell into this trap. When soldiers came to arrest Jesus, Peter drew his sword to defend the Messiah. In his mind, he was fighting for God’s kingdom. Jesus immediately rebuked him. And fixed his mistake. Each story asks the same question: Do we trust God’s timing enough to keep our hands off what belongs to Him? There are sincere Christians and Jews who believe rebuilding a Third Temple is part of biblical prophecy. Others disagree. But almost every orthodox Christian and Jew would agree on one point: If God intends for a Third Temple to exist, He is fully capable of accomplishing it without human violence, terrorism, or political coercion. To my Christian friends, I remind you Jesus repeatedly taught His followers to watch, not manipulate history. “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by His own authority.” (Acts 1:7) Even more striking is Jesus’ own statement: “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.” (Mat 24:36) If Jesus willingly submitted to God’s timetable during His earthly ministry, what arrogance is it for us to imagine we can accelerate it? To my Jewish friends, I remind you that throughout Scripture, every major act of redemption begins with God moving first. He called Abraham. He sent Moses. He raised up the judges. He anointed David. And He sent the prophets. Moses did not set the bush on fire to inspire Him to show up; God did. At no point did human beings successfully force God to act by creating the right political conditions. The prophets never instructed Israel to manufacture the Messianic age. They called people to repentance, faithfulness, justice, and obedience. The Church has not been commissioned to build the Kingdom through violence. The irony is sobering. Some Christian pastors are so eager to welcome the Prince of Peace that they are willing to endorse an act that would almost certainly ignite a catastrophic global war. That should give every follower of Jesus pause. Do we trust God’s timing enough to let Him accomplish His purposes His way? Waiting is not the absence of faith. It is often its purest expression. A Word to Christians and Jews Today That brings us back to Jerusalem. Whether one believes a Third Temple must be rebuilt before the Messiah returns is beside the point. If God intends such a Temple to exist, does anyone seriously believe He requires terrorism or political violence to accomplish His will? The God who spoke the universe into existence is not dependent upon human schemes. The prophets never instructed Israel to create the Messianic age. They called God’s people to repentance, justice, mercy, and covenant obedience. Faith waits. Their message was always the same: prepare your hearts, not your weapons. Prophecy is meant to produce faithfulness, not fanaticism. It should inspire hope, not violence. It should encourage holiness, not manipulation. The irony is difficult to ignore. This is where discussions about the Dome of the Rock become spiritually dangerous. When believers begin thinking that God’s kingdom depends upon our ability to manipulate world events, we have quietly exchanged trust for control. No president, prime minister, pastor, rabbi, or world leader has ever possessed the authority to accelerate God’s prophetic timetable. History is filled with examples of sincere people trying to hurry God’s promises. It never ends well. God has never needed our impatience or “deal making ability” to accomplish His purposes. His promises are fulfilled by His faithfulness, not by our frustration. Whether or not a future Temple plays a role in God’s plan, our hope is never found in a building. Our hope is found in the Messiah whom God will send at the appointed time. Kings are never summoned by their subjects. They arrive at the appointed hour, according to their own authority. Until then, our assignment is not to prepare His throne by violence, but to prepare our hearts through faithful obedience. Faith Waits for Jerusalem No, Christians should not blow up the Dome of the Rock. Not because God’s promises are in doubt, but because they never have been. The God who makes promises has never needed human impatience to keep them. Impatience builds Babel. Faith waits for Jerusalem. © 2026 I.M. Koen. Want more content like this? Explore more articles in End Times. You might also like: Christian Nationalism and the Defining of Christianity in the End Times When does defending the faith cross into forcing it? A look at how political power gets tangled up with the Kingdom of God. A Pre-Tribulation Conversation Timing sits at the heart of end-times faith. This piece unpacks what it means to trust God's schedule instead of our own. Press Ctrl + P (Windows) or Cmd + P (Mac) to print this article or save it as a PDF.

There’s an old Gospel song that goes, “Standing on the promises of Christ my King…” You are doing just that: Taking your stand on what Scriptures promise. BUT… Progress crawls. Circumstances resist. Patience wears thin. You start to wonder: “Did I mishear God? Misread the signs? Misjudge what was possible for someone like me?” You have hope, but it feels distant. The road stretches longer than your legs ever asked for. And you wonder how long you can still wait. So how do you keep hope alive when you feel stuck in the long middle? Let’s talk about it. Maybe the following points may help. 1. No Need To Pretend Hope doesn’t require pretending the journey is short. Scripture keeps it painfully honest. Abraham waited decades for a promised child. Israel waited centuries for a Messiah. The disciples waited in a locked room while hope lay in a tomb. Waiting is a spiritual discipline rarely taught from pulpits. Sometimes we try to numb the discomfort with spiritual clichés. “God’s timing!” “All things work together!” “Everything happens for a reason!” A better starting point. Name your ache. Tell God, “This is taking longer than I’d like. Longer than I feel I can handle.” That honesty doesn’t kill hope. It protects it from dishonesty. Lament is not a lack of faith. Lament is faith refusing to be silenced. 2. Fall in love with small steps Sometimes, big dreams have very tiny feet. Everyone wants to leap into their calling like an Olympic gymnast. Rarely do we celebrate the unglamorous slog of showing up. Sometimes hope survives not because we sprint, but because we refuse to sit down. A writer opens a blank page again. A recovering addict marks another day of sobriety. A parent whispers a prayer over a child who still won’t talk to them. Small steps don’t feel holy. They feel mundane. Yet heaven calls them worship. God often hides miracles inside these routines: Daily bread Daily mercy Daily grace to try again. Your progress might look embarrassingly small to you or others. Celebrate it anyway. Tiny movements change entire trajectories. 3. Look back more often Hope doesn’t only look forward. It looks over its shoulder and remembers. Remember the prayers you once begged for that are now part of your ordinary days. Remember the heartbreak that didn’t destroy you. Remember the nights you thought were endless that now feel like someone else’s story. God has a track record. So do you. That’s why I recommend writing (or typing) answers that have come. Keep a record to review. Your personal history with God. Those can be powerful. Hope grows best in the soil of memory: “I will remember the deeds of the Lord… I will meditate on all your mighty works. ”Psalm 77:11–12 Your history holds evidence that the God who carried you then can carry you now. Tell those old miracles to speak up. You still need their testimony. 4. Loosen your grip on the destination It takes humility and faith to admit that we don’t always know exactly what the end should look like. Hope can become brittle when it demands a specific outcome on a specific timeline. God doesn’t hand out Google Maps. Faith rarely downloads turn-by-turn directions. Jesus says something better: “Follow me.” Which implies movement. Not clairvoyance. Think of your dream like a sailboat. You set your direction, catch the wind of God’s Spirit, and adjust the sails as shifts come. You don’t control the ocean. You trust the One who does. Sometimes the destination changes on the way. Sometimes it deepens. Sometimes the healing you thought would look like success ends up looking like peace. Let hope breathe. Let it grow. Give it permission to surprise you. 5. Weave joy into the waiting Hope shrivels in environments of constant seriousness. Waiting doesn’t have to be miserable. Joy does not deny longing. Joy interrupts despair long enough to give faith another inhale. Find seeds of joy that are all around you. Jesus said he came so we would have abundant life, not eventual life. We do not have to postpone delight until God finishes everything he started. Dance a little on the slow days. Celebrate nothing-in-particular. Defy hopelessness with a grin that says, “I know this story isn’t done.” Joy becomes rebellion against despair. 6. Borrow someone else’s hope Some seasons drain your hope faster than you can refill it. Everything feels heavy. Everything takes effort. You don’t need to be a lone ranger of optimism. Find the people who see the goodness of God even when you struggle to spot it. Let them speak courage into your tired bones. Let their faith lean against your doubt until you can stand again. The early church didn’t gather because they were bored. They gathered because hope is a communal sport. Hope breathes better in shared air. 7. Let God be God This may sound like a bumper sticker, yet it cuts right into the core of hope. Your story is not saved by your strength to keep going. Your story is saved by God’s commitment to finish what He started. Hope isn’t positive thinking. Hope is confidence in the character of God. And don’t forget… Jesus didn’t rise from the dead because the disciples hoped hard enough. Resurrection is God’s specialty. When your hope feels thin and frayed, hang it on something sturdy: Jesus. “He who calls you is faithful, and He will do it.”1 Thessalonians 5:24 Faith isn’t pretending we know the ending. Faith is trusting the Author who does. When hope flickers… Sometimes hope is just a flickering flame that survives anyway. Don’t underestimate what that flicker means. Remember the power of faith that’s only the size of a mustard seed. Even when the finish line hides around another bend, hope keeps whispering: “Keep walking. Something beautiful is still ahead.” God walks with you in the long middle. The road is holy. Your tired feet are holy. Every step is seen. The last word Hope is not naïve. Hope is stubborn. It refuses to surrender to the lie that the way things are is the way things will always be. The destination might still feel far away, but distance is no match for a God who builds roads where none exist. So keep going. Keep breathing. Keep choosing joy. Keep telling God the truth about how this hurts and what you’re longing for. Hold onto hope. Even the scrappy kind. Especially the scrappy kind. Because one day you will stand in the place you prayed to reach, and wonder how you almost gave up when you were already halfway home. Let this song fan the flame of your flickering hope. © Gary L Ellis (1944–2026)