Title Image:

Jesus waits for His pilgrims. This image represents Jesus as being a Savior sees our sorrows and losses from His Heavenly Throne. He sends His Holy Spirit to comfort and guide us during our difficult seasons.

Source of Quotes: Dan Foster “What Kind of God Allows This?” Medium Article

https://medium.com/backyard-theology/what-kind-of-god-allows-this-8b0a8f5e35dd

Dan Foster shares insights on a difficult life situation. His wife battling stage 4 cancer is supporting a childhood friend (Emma) who is losing her life to the same cancer. This article examines and responds to his article. Dan Foster is a former pastor and youth (Australia) minister who writes about difficult topics and issues with contemporary Christian culture/churches/faith.

This article includes quotes from Pastor Timothy Keller. Also including an Instagram post from a young believer, Crossfit athlete, Jacob Morris.

Author Statement:

When quoting or citing other authors, the intent is to encourage others in their walk of faith. The author of this post doesn’t necessarily agree with all aspects of other writer’s opinions, faith practices, or theology. This author shares insights and truths that are in alignment with traditional theology/scripture of the Baptist tradition. (Baptist Faith and Message 2020). Some of the quotes and topics in this article deal with death, suffering, and meaning in the difficult losses of life.

Explaining Love: By Example

As an author who has written numerous posts about love: God’s love, others’ love, etc, why am I writing another one? Love is more than an attribute of God or simple concept. Love is a rich, deep source of life that flows from God into our hearts and through our lives onto others. It’s a daily call to be men and women of love–who represent Christ with our actions! Love requires action!

This image represents God’s truth in a person leading another follower to walk in the light. The Light represents the Gospel Good News.

Love that comes from above

Quote 1 Dan Foster (DF)

“How do you explain a love that sacrifices, that suffers willingly, that chooses to stay when there’s nothing to gain? It doesn’t feel like something nature just programmed into us.

It feels like something more.

Maybe that’s why it feels so sacred. Because it points to something bigger than ourselves. It’s a reflection of a love that isn’t bound by the rules of survival — a love that comes from God. A love that says, “You’re worth it,” even when it costs everything.“

Love is sacred because true love flows forth from Christ. 1 John 4 explains: Berean Standard Bible

Love Comes from God

7Beloved, let us love one another, because love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

9This is how God’s love was revealed among us: God sent His one and only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him. 10And love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

11Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God remains in us, and His love is perfected in us. 13By this we know that we remain in Him, and He in us: He has given us of His Spirit.

This love is a witness to those around us! Love that acts, love that indicates God’s presence and work in the lives of those who follow and serve Him.

Quote 2 DF

“So I guess, in a strange way, my wife keeping vigil at the bedside of her dying friend makes me believe in a God of love. Not because He fixes everything or takes the pain away, but because His love shows up in the middle of it.“

God’s love shows up for us in our moments of need. That is His promise: not that we will escape difficulties, but that He will be present with us. Timothy Keller explains the Christian worldview in terms of future joy.

While other worldviews lead us to sit in the midst of life’s joys, foreseeing the coming sorrows, Christianity empowers its people to sit in the midst of this world’s sorrows, tasting the coming joy.

Do we orient ourselves to face His truths? His truths are like rays of sunlight to guide our steps when walking in dark places and seasons of life.

Thy Word is a Lamp unto my feet . .

Faith that Holds on

Quote 3 DF

“I used to think faith was about certainty — knowing what God was doing and why He was doing it. But certainty feels useless when you’re picking funeral songs for someone who shouldn’t be dying.

In moments like this, faith isn’t about having it all figured out. It’s about holding on anyway. And what keeps me holding on is this: “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18).

God doesn’t promise we’ll avoid the breaking. He doesn’t promise we won’t feel crushed. But He does promise to be close. And maybe that’s enough.”

Dan makes an important point about faith: the issue of trying to understand the why. The reality is that we can’t understand the why and often God doesn’t explain. This silence seems harsh when we’re hurting and there seems to be no reason. Tim Keller explains:

Christianity does not provide the reason for each experience of pain,
but it does provide deep resources for actually facing suffering
with hope and courage rather than bitterness and despair

What is this deep resource? It’s Christ Himself!

God so loved us and hates suffering that he was willing to come down and get involved in it. . .Jesus didn’t come to tell us the answers to the questions of life, he came to be the answer.

1 John 5:20: What we know through faith

20And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true—in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

God is the Answer to all suffering and sorrow. Jesus, Himself, came to live, suffer, die and rise again to redeem us! Loving Him and those He places in our lives is our purpose and testimony.

Jacob Morris’ Testimony

A.I. image of a young man who rejoices upon entering eternity. He has run his race and finished strong. This image is in memory of Jacob Morris.

Jacob Morris’ story

https://fitnessvolt.com/jacob-passed-away-crossfit/

Jacob was a devoted athlete who posted about faith and honoring God with his athletic competitions. He developed an issue with a heart valve that required replacement. As he was recovering in the hospital he writes about his experience(s): this is his last post before passing into God’s presence.

Instagram post: highlights mine

https://www.instagram.com/p/B52ytRxgPOW/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=2659b770-882f-4c3b-adc7-7cccea22fa8a

“I haven’t really posted about my surgery. I kind of needed time to process everything. It hasn’t been the easiest 4 weeks. Lots of ups and downs. I do see that I’m making a turn for the better these days and felt it was time to share more. ⁣
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These photos are of me exactly 4 weeks ago. I really don’t really remember the first few days with all the medication. I also lost a lot of blood and I’m sure that is a factor into how out of it I was. I just remember sleeping a lot. ⁣
⁣
I know a few people who have had a valve replacement and I can say from what I can see my experience was different. I was in the hospital longer than them. My heart has had a much harder time functioning the way it is supposed to. I also have some stuff going on with my liver and spleen. I’ve been told that could be because of the valve leaking so much. ⁣
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This story is far from done. I still have 8 more weeks until I’m even cleared to think about working out. Especially with how my heart function is still not where it should be. But today I feel good. I feel healthy. I feel thankful. I feel loved by so many. ⁣
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Being as vulnerable as I am in these photos really puts things into perspective. ⁣
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I have never felt closer to God than I do now. I feel like God has been showing me I am so much more than an athlete and good at CrossFit. I feel He is setting a path for me in all of this. I for sure know now I want to be a nurse after experiencing all the amazing nurses at APH. ⁣
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I am thankful this happened. I know it is making me into who God wants me to be.“

Personal Reflections:

Faith gives Jacob courage. Even though he lays in a hospital bed contemplating an uncertain future, he recognizes and responds to God’s presence and leading through his valley of difficulty. Jacob is able to give thanks for the love and the good moments. While Jacob’s story doesn’t end with more life, he finds purpose and meaning in a difficult time. That is the power of faith! Suffering is a way in which God transforms His children!

⁣Jesus Christ did not suffer so that you would not suffer. He suffered so that when you suffer, you’ll become more like him. The gospel does not promise you better life circumstances; it promises you a better life. Timothy Keller
⁣

Jacob’s life matters and his testimony still speaks after his earthly walk ended. His courage, faith, and hope touched others. That is a life well lived even if short!

The Pilgrim walks through the valley to his eternal destination! The journey is hard, but in view of eternity all that we suffer here is just temporary!