Here is a collection of good reads gathered from across the internet this past week:
On pain and healing in the aftermath of a miscarriage: Caring for Your Wife in Miscarriage by Cary Hughes
God has stores of comforting grace even for the affliction of miscarriage. And he not only comforts us in our pain, but enriches our joy by making us instruments of his comfort to others who are enduring this painful affliction as well. (click here to read more)
On how the “darker” passages of the Bible give us hope in times of difficulty: What the Dark Side Can Teach Us by Reid Monaghan
There is hope because the present chaos and suffering is not the end of the story! In Christ, there is salvation and glory ahead for all of God’s people! When we look at the darker passages of the Bible we will learn that we desperately need the light and wisdom of Christ. (click here to read more)
On the way to enjoy what you own as gifts of God’s goodness: Enjoy Your Possessions before They Possess You by Tony Reinke
None of these situations is normative, if God sovereignly dispenses possessions to us as he sees fit (which he does). When it comes to possessions, our experiences will vary greatly. But no matter how much (or how little) we possess, there are four things that will help us rightly enjoy the gifts God has given us. (click here to read more)
On how to battle the feeling that reading the Bible is a burden: 3 Reasons Why Bible Reading Feels Like a Burden by David Qaoud
So read your Bible. Plan before you read, pray while you read, and meditate after you read. And enjoy it. It’s important for your spiritual well-being. As Charles Spurgeon once remarked, “A Bible that’s falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn’t.” (click here to read more)
On overcoming the obstacles that strain our relationship with God: Two Obstacles to a Relationship with God by Jonathan Parnell
It’s a God-accomplished relationship, not one that we contrive. This relationship we’re called to is not our building a tower, or our climbing stairs, or our somehow trying to maneuver our way to get close to him. Notice the language: We’re to draw near “with our hearts sprinkled clean from a evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” This echoes the God-centeredness of the New Covenant, when God promised that he’d write his law on our hearts, that he’d give us his Spirit, that he’d make us clean (Jeremiah 31:33). The point is that God is behind this. God did it. Draw near to him. (click here to read more)
First Baptist Church 