by Chad Lewis on May 11, 2009
John Bunyan lived in the 1600’s and is best known for his Christian classic Pilgrim’s Progress. Bunyan knew a lot about suffering as he spent 12 years in prison as he refused to stop preaching. All he had to do was agree to stop proclaiming the gospel, but he told those imprisoning him, “If you release me today, I will preach tomorrow.”
Life was hard for Bunyan and life is hard for us today. I used to read about spiritual heroes who suffered greatly and think, “I’ve got it really good. Why do I struggle so much in following Jesus?”
As I’ve grown into an almost 35 year old, I realize that life is hard for us all. Whether we suffer from depression, loneliness, a broken heart, or unfulfilled dreams, we all need Jesus to fill our brokenness and embrace us in the midst of it.
The amazing thing is that the call of the gospel is not “come after you fix yourself up”, but rather, “come just as you are.” I often say that the Christian life isn’t hard, it’s impossible. God made it this way so that we would never be able to live it in our own strength.
The following quotation from John Bunyan is spoken from the perspective of Jesus. As you read it, remember that Jesus never calls us to something that He won’t empower us to do. The difficulty of following Jesus should constantly remind us that we NEED HIM – ALWAYS!!! (John 15:5).
Following of me is not like following of some other masters. The wind sits always on my face and the foaming rage of the sea of this world, and the proud and lofty waves thereof do continually beat upon the sides of the bark or ship that myself, my cause, and my followers are in; he therefore that will not run hazards, and that is afraid to venture a drowning, let him not set foot into this vessel.
What does this quotation spark in you?
by Chad Lewis on December 24, 2008
This Christmas, Ginger, Thomas and I are making our usual rounds to Memphis and Knoxville to visit our families. As we go from home to home (and eventually back to our home in Louisville), I think about what makes a home. There is the old cliche’ “Home is where the heart is,” and in many ways, this could be true for all of us. I continually look at the struggles and heartaches of those in my world as well as the fading things that so many put hope in. We often find ourselves dreaming of some tomorrow that will never materialize. We end up blaming others or ourselves for our dissatisfaction.
C.S. Lewis wrote, “Creatures are not born with desires unless satisfaction for those desires exists. A baby feels hunger: well, there is such a thing as food. A duckling wants to swim: well, there is such a thing as water. Men feel sexual desire: well, there is such a thing as sex.”3
So we all long for a home, but no one will be fully satisfied with any home or acceptance that is found on this earth. Even the best home cannot fill the gap of eternity because everything is fading away. So it does make sense that we are not truly home yet.
I’ve been meditating on 2 passages that point to this fact. Hebrews 11 is often called the “Hall of Faith” as it describes many of the Old Testament heroes who believed in God. It wasn’t that they were great, but rather, it was the God they were trusting in who is great. “All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. 14People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them”(Hebrews 11:13-16). Later, Hebrews 13:14 says, “For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.”
Many times, the greatest gift we can receive is a life of hardship like these Hebrew Christians. When all is going well, we can subtly be tricked into believing that this is as good as it gets. However, we are lulled to sleep and complacency when so much more is offered. When we are shaken to the core and things do not go our way, let it be a reminder that you are not yet home and this should not be a surprise to us. Our best life is not now, but our best life is to come. Let us continually look to the author and perfecter of our faith and hold fast to believing that His ways are always right and best. He is worthy of all trust and praise!
by Chad Lewis on November 21, 2008
My throat has been hurting for a few days. It felt like a mini-fire this morning. I may have strep so I’m running by the doctor before I go to speak to some students on a retreat this weekend.
This summer and fall have been quite an experience for me. I have had ongoing fatigue and some reoccurring sicknesses for about 4 months now that I just can’t kick. The doctors have done a battery of tests and we’ll keep on trying to what the true source is.
As I was driving today, I was reflecting on what I am currently doing in a fatigued state. I then wondered what I could do if my energy and health returned. It is important to note that it is easy to fall into the subtle trap of “doing” more stuff and thinking that makes us more spiritual or more acceptable before God. So when I talk about “doing”, I am always trying to remind myself and others that our “doing” must flow from our “being”. So, back to my main idea.
What would flow from my life if I did have more energy? I didn’t really know how to answer this question. I was pondering what would happen if I really saw my neighbors on my block as family and starting treating them as such. We already reach out, but I still believe it would look a lot different if I really started believing this. I wondered if I would record another C.D. and play out again. This wouldn’t be for the sake of seeking to “make it” but simply to build relationships to share my life and the gospel with others.
It seems that, even though I am fatigued, that I am doing more than ever before. I have more relationships than ever, people probing into my life, new initiatives to equip the body, and the list goes on, but even so, I sense that my heart wants to hold back some things for myself. I am tentative to give away my time to others and continually put myself on the line and surrender all to God today. I’m on this journey and I know that God is at work. I long to continue to put myself in the place where God is bringing to light the things that I cannot see. I long to be used by God to do what He desires for me to do. This is not to earn His approval or to live a life that will be remembered. I long (and want to long) to live on mission because God has captured my heart and made me new. I want to do this because my Abba knows best and I do want to hear, “Well done My good and faithful servant.”
The reality may be that I will be more useful as a weary and scik man than as one who can play basketball all day or go about everyday with massive amounts of energy. I know Paul found this to be true for him (2 Corinthians 12). So whether this is a lifelong thorn or I get my energy back tomorrow, I will seek to trust in the One who gave Himself for me.
by Chad Lewis on July 14, 2008
A few of our pastors had the privilege to be treated to dinner by Paul Tripp this past week. Paul and his friend were in town teaching a quick class at Southern Seminary .
As dinner rolled on, we began talking about love and Paul mentioned Amos 4. We discussed how God tells the people all of the tribulations that He brought their way but they did not turn back to Him. The list includes holding back rain, smiting their crops with mildew and blight, sending plagues and even killing some of their young men with swords. If you read the chapter, these are not things that God allowed, but rather, these are things that God directly brought about from His own hand. We might ask ‘Why?”.
When we think about God’s love, do we consider that He is willing to do anything to give us what is best. Is God willing to break our legs, bring heartache, suffering, discontent, along with huge lists of other things in order for us to have what is best? The answer that we find in Scripture is a resounding “YES!” What would it profit for us to gain the whole world, all it’s riches and comforts and then lose our souls? What good would it do for us to become a child of God and then never grow past being a babe in Christ? How would this bring glory to God and how could this be best for us?
So what is best? Is happiness best? Is our comfort best? Is an easy life best? All of these things are not best. They actually fall so short of what is best that it would be like comparing the chance to live in a kingdom as a son of the King along with all it’s riches with having the chance to walk out alone into the dessert to die a long, slow, painful death. It’s a no-brainer right?
So why do we choose what we don’t really need? The problem is that we have short term vision. If we can look with eternal eyes, we can see that we would always trade the temporary in order to gain the eternal. As Paul writes, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18)
Are you looking at your trials as gifts today? Are you hoping to be released from their midst as quickly as possible? If we look at these questions with eternal eyes, we might answer these questions differently. Ask God to help you view the circumstances that surround your life today with eternal eyes.
by Chad Lewis on June 25, 2008
In 2002, my life fell apart. I had written my entire story and it was unfolding just how I imagined. Upon moving to Georgia to marry a young lady I’d been dating for 2 years and to begin a new ministry, all was ripped away. It was as if I arrived to some foreign land and was put into a prison of darkness. The young ladies heart was no longer for me though it once beat stronger than I could imagine. The traveling ministry that I had dreamed of just dwindled away as if God had simply blocked all invitations to go and speak about the things that I wasn’t experiencing anyway.
For years I had dreamed about being an oak of righteousness and being useful in ministry, but I had made an idol out of getting married and I had made an idol out of ministry as well. My identity was so wrapped up in those things that it was nearly a fatal blow to my heart. It was the darkest time of my life.
As I was traveling to help out my grandmother in a time of need, I stopped at a rest stop and saw a tree stump. It had been cut pretty close to the ground. This image stung my heart because I felt that this was a picture of my spiritual life. I once thought myself a tree that was deeply rooted for God, but I realized that I had been cut down. I had been brought very low. I wasn’t what I thought I was.
I went up to the tree and examined it. In the middle of the stump grew a tiny green shoot. In my heart, I felt like God was saying that He had brought me low. He had cut me down, but He was beginning a new work and this work was like the little green shoot. This work would be done by Him and He would grow me by His grace to be an oak of righteousness that declared His glory and that others could come and take shade under. They could glorify God as this new tree would stand in the storms and not be easily shaken.
So 6 years later, I can say that God has begun and continues to work this into my life. If you have been brought low, do not despair. Turn to God and trust that He has brought you low for a reason. He can turn your mourning into dancing, and He can grow back any tree stronger than it was before. Always remember, He is God and He knows best.
by Chad Lewis on May 1, 2008
I’ve been thinking about God’s gifts this morning. The gifts of difficult relationships, hard working environments, disobedient children – all of these and many, many more are gifts even though they don’t seem to be in the moment. God uses all of these “gifts” to make us more like Jesus. They are all part of our sanctification.
As you approach these “gifts” throughout each day of life, the choice exists for us to react in our own strength and understanding or turn our eyes to the Father and seek to use each of these situations as redemptive possibilities.
With difficult relationships, we have the opportunity to move towards people with the love and forgiveness that Christ has shown us. He is always moving toward us – especially when we are unlovable. With hard work environments, we have the opportunity to realize how needy we truly are and this can drive us to God to ask for help moment by moment to love others, react with kindness and actually live in the strength that God provides. And with our children, we have the opportunity to not merely correct behavior, we can explore their hearts and see each opportunity as a chance to share grace, love and discipline. It even gives us the opportunity to ask for their forgiveness when we act sinfully towards them.
Is any of this easy? Nope. It isn’t supposed to be. The fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5 is not named by mistake. It isn’t the fruit of my good efforts or the fruit of trying harder. It is the fruit of the Spirit because it is the fruit that only God can truly give.
Rich Mullins wrote, “The long and short of all of it is that if I believe that God is good, then I need to accept whatever happens in my life as being a gift, and allow Him to take some of the things that hurt, allow Him to take some of the things that sting, some of the things that I think are going to kill me – allow Him to take those things and make of me the person He wants me to be. It may not be the person I want to be, but it’ll be the person He would want me to be.”
Let’s remember that God is at work today and seek to be thankful for these “gifts” that God gives.
by Chad Lewis on August 31, 2006
The thorn holds back the veil so I can see my Savior’s face.
I heard the above line in a poem a few days ago. In pondering this thought, I imagine all the things that keep us from an intimate relationship with our Lord. If we were left to our own devices, we would never seek God. We would simply go on god-hunts for all our lives thinking that the next thing would fill the Grand Canyon cavern in our soul that longs for something bigger than we can imagine.
The writer of Ecclesiastes says that God has put eternity in our hearts. We can taste that we were made for something bigger though so often, even as Christians, we don’t believe that God can fill this hole in our hearts.
Then enter the thorn. We hate thorns. We would have a problem if we liked pain or loneliness. But we don’t have to like them to know that they are useful in our lives. We can humbly accept the thorn because it will help us cling to the hem of our Savior’s robe and we will then notice His accepting eyes and open arms. Could this grace be true? Could God send distress? Could that be in His master plan?
There has been no sweeter fellowship with the Lord save when I was in my deepest point of distress. When aching and gut-wrenching agony had crippled my soul, I found my Savior weeping with me. But in the same moment I found my Savior smiling for He knew that this was best. This thorn allowed me to see Him more clearly. I could see better whose I was and that is much more important than who I am. I am beloved. I am Christ’s. I was bought back at the highest price so that I can be a shining jewel for God.
So if you find yourself complaining about your thorn, stop and breathe. Stop and read 2 Corinthians 12 and following. Stop and TRUST. For Gospel transformation only begins when we recognize our need and take it to the Savior. God choose a few ordinary people to change the course of the world. Each one realized their need for Him. Let us glory in our need for it will help us glory in our Savior’s sufficiency.
by Chad Lewis on April 26, 2006
This past weekend I had some friends come into town. What do old friends usually talk about? That’s right – relationships. This has been the most exciting time of my 31 year life in regards to relationships as I’m preparing to enter into a marriage with my best friend and biggest supporter on earth. Ginger and I both love to share the story of how God brought us together.
In relaying this story, I was quick to add to my single friends about some of my frustration in the past concerning advice given by those who had walked the road before me. Much of the advice I got seemed very much like a magic formula to repel singleness and catch a mate. A few times I received the advice to stop looking and then God would be sure to provide someone really soon. However, when after months turn into years, one has to wonder about the advice.
I never did buy into these thoughts hook, line and sinker, but they did plague me on occasion. What I have found to be true is both liberating and beautiful. We all have different stories. In Psalm 139, David declares that God has written all the days David would live in His book before one of them was even lived!
As we apply this to our lives, the implications are wonderfully exciting. God decides what is best for our lives. He asks us to give our lives to Him completely and trust Him with all that He gives and all that He takes away. He is not some cruel God saying, “I wish they would stop looking for a mate so I could finally bless them with one.” No, God is working out whatever He wills and I have said many times, the best thing in the whole universe for us is God, Himself.
He is writing a different story with all of our lives. We are sometimes bruised and battered. We are sometimes joyful and full of rejoicing. Through it all, we must surrender each day and trust that He knows what is best.
One of the greatest song lines I have ever heard was written by Rich Mullins. He sings, “I’d rather fight You for something I don’t really want than take what You give that I need.” I find myself doing that so much. I have fought God for different things and in reality, I was blinded to the fact that I didn’t really want those things. The encouraging thing is that God knew what was best. And in my life, He took me through 31 years before He provided me with a helpmate. In His good plan, He ripped a relationship from my hands that I thought would end in marriage three years ago, but He knew best. I am so glad that God did not give me what I thought I wanted. I would not be the person I am today.
So as you are giving advice, don’t put handcuffs on God. He works in everyone’s lives and He is writing different stories for us all. All of these stories will one day bring glory to God as we sit around and discuss how awesome our God is for all eternity.
by Chad Lewis on March 28, 2006
William Cowper was a hymn writer during the days of John Newton. Cowper struggled from the deepest depressions and most of his life was marked by darkness. John Newton was a friend and pastor to Cowper and he encouraged him to write hymns along with him as it might be good therapy for the soul. One of those hymns is called “God Moves in a Mysterious Way.” The lyrics are listed below.
God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea
And rides upon the storm.
Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never failing skill
He treasures up His bright designs
And works His sovereign will.
Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy and shall break
In blessings on your head.
Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.
His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower.
Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain.
Though the entire hymn has ministered to many, one line has become more famous than the others. “Behind a frowning providence, He hides a smiling face.”
As we walk on this road of life, we often cannot trace God’s hand at work in our lives. We may be in the fiery furnace as the flames blaze out of control. From there, we may find ourselves in the cold, dark room of deepest doubt. In these times, events in life are hard to explain and sin often looks good when we perceive God to be bad.
But the truth remains – God is ALWAYS good! Though He sees you in your heartache or storm right now, He sees how He is going to use this in your life to bring glory to Him and to draw you to Himself. He is working ALL things together for good… (Romans 8:28-29)
Several years ago as I struggled with singleness, I had an impression in my heart during one of my loneliest times. The impression was that even though God was seeing me devestated in my heartache, He was also seeing me in the joy of my wedding day. The goodness of God allowed me to struggle so that I would know Him more and learn to trust His hand.
A few years ago, I lost what I thought was the fulfillment of that promise. But I stand here three years later and am engaged to the woman who is my best friend and helpmate. The frowning providence of God pulling the other relationship away has brought me to this moment of marriage. He is good! He is in control! He is at work and He is smiling because He knows the end result of all of His children – eternity with Him!
by Chad Lewis on February 11, 2006
Two years ago I wrote “Suffering Song.” It simply chronicles my journey through the fire. The lyrics are posted below:
I begged for You to take me out of this fire
But You heated the furnace seven times more
The flames leapt and quenched all of my heart’s desire
Oh how I felt alone, I felt unknown
You gave me this cup of suffering
But I let it sit on, on this cold hard floor
If I were to take it up and drink it complete
I could not stand anymore, I could not stand anymore
When I prayed for life, You took mine away
My dreams shattered and like cold ashes blew in the wind
I prayed to comfort Your people so you planted this pain
The wound is deep in me, I didn’t want them to see
This wound is deep in me, but it’s what You want them to see
Because in the fiery furnace, You held my hand
And this cup of grief, You helped me drink it to the dregs
And this thorn in my soul is Your story to be told
Your grace is sufficient for any need,
Yes Your grace is sufficient for the greatest need
So rebuke our prayers for comfort Lord
For we should ask for so much more
To be broken and used up for this lost, dark world
Change our heart’s Lord, rob us of selfishness Lord
And if this cup you ask us to drink
Is filled to the brim with suffering
let it be, let it be for Your glory
As I type this morning, I remember recently wrestling with the line, “rebuke our prayers for comfort” because it seems vague enough to cause some misunderstanding. My intention in writing this line was not to say that asking God to comfort our troubled souls was wrong, but rather that we should be rebuked as we pray for earthly comforts.
The most loving thing God can do for His children is to often bless them with the gift of suffering. The question could be posed, “What is the greatest gift God could give us?” The answer – Himself. Another question: “What is the one thing we need on this earth more than anything else?” The answer – God, Himself.
If these are our answers, we must be willing to accept that God is so gracious, He will do what it takes for us to seek Him. If our lives were filled with earthly comforts, we would never (in and of ourselves) cry out and seek after Him.
The greatest gifts of my life have often been the trials of sadness and despondancy. It is during these times where I have wept before the Lord and sought to grab hold of His garment. It is during these times that I had nothing else and found that God was closer than I imagined. It is during these times that my Abba’s hand has restored my soul and given me courage to walk on. It is from this storehouse of sufferings that God allows me to connect to the troubled and weary soul.
So when you are walking through the furnace, remember that this may be the very gift of love that you are longing for. We do not have to love the suffering – it would not be natural to do so. However, we can rejoice in the affects of the suffering for it can drive us to our knees. In this place, we will be driven into a more loving and intimate walk with our Savior and Lord.
So whether you are walking through the loneliness of singleness, the black cloud of depression, the uncertainty of the future, or even through the valley of the shadow of death, fear not, for He is with you and He is working. Take time to meditate on the truths of Romans 8 and remember how much our Abba cares.
(to listen to “Suffering Song” you can go to www.chadlewis.net and click on listen)
John Bunyan lived in the 1600’s and is best known for his Christian classic Pilgrim’s Progress. Bunyan knew a lot about suffering as he spent 12 years in prison as he refused to stop preaching. All he had to do was agree to stop proclaiming the gospel, but he told those imprisoning him, “If you release me today, I will preach tomorrow.”
