HOPE IN HARD TIMES

Suffering is Normal for Christians

Suffering is all over the pages of the Bible. It is one the very important ways that God works in and through His people. We are NOT promised an easy, suffering-free life before the resurrection. We are not promised a life free from illness or pain - not until this present life is over. To reject this is to reject the clear teaching of Jesus Christ and His apostles.

SUSTAINING HOPE

It is very difficult to find a way to hope meaningfully when it seems obvious that your suffering is going to continue. However, even when things don't change, hope is possible, and hope can sustain us. Wade and I talk about relevance of hope, and the possibilities of hope to ease our suffering. If this podcast has been helpful, please tell others. If you want to encourage us financially, you are welcome to become a paying subscriber, but you don't need to do so to hear the podcast. Thanks for listening!

THE PROBLEM OF STRENGTH

For more than two years, in the midst of my suffering, I was strong. TOO strong. My commitment to being tough made suffering more difficult for me than it needed to be. Join Wade Jones and I as we discuss a counter-intuitive truth about suffering: sometimes we need to stop being strong, and instead, accept God's invitation to surrender in trust.

THE BEGINNING OF PAIN AND HOPE

My name is Tom Hilpert, and I am suffering from the pain of a kidney stone. I’ve been suffering with it for seven years now. The pain is unbelievable, unrelenting and never ending. How do I cope, you ask? Some days, I really don’t know. Some days, I really don’t cope. But some days – probably more of them than not, I have found a path to peace, joy and hope. I can truly say that it is well with my soul, even on the worst days. If you are in the middle of suffering, grief, or struggle, this podcast is for you. If someone you love is suffering in some way, this is for you, too. Join me, and my dear friend Wade Jones, as we journey through Hard Times with Hope.