Should the Prognosis Affect Me?
First published 3 March 2010 This post is now incorporated with 22 other similar ‘reflections’ in my book, Facing Cancer with Faith. I was arguing in the last two posts that statistics should not make us despondent or complacent, because our God is above the statistics and has, in any case, assured His people a…
Hardships Eclipsed by the Glory to Come
First published 25 January 2010 This post is now incorporated with 22 other similar ‘reflections’ in my book, Facing Cancer with Faith. Last time I wrote I was reflecting on how cancer treatment statistics could affect my approach and attitude to life. I concluded that only faith in Jesus Christ could provide an antidote to…
Where Do I Put my Trust?
First published 17 February 2010 This post is now incorporated with 22 other similar ‘reflections’ in my book, Facing Cancer with Faith. This is being written while I am still in hospital (although I will publish it some time later), now more than a week after being told about my lymphoma. Sometimes the days are…
Hardships Develop Comforters
First published 11 February 2010 This post is now incorporated with 22 other similar ‘reflections’ in my book, Facing Cancer with Faith. I am writing again in my hospital bed, only a week or so after I first wrote of my illness in the 3rd article in this series. It is now Sunday 31st January…
Christian Foundations
First published 31 January 2010 For those who are not (yet) Christians I guess I intended my last few blog articles for those who are Christians like me. However, a few people who have read my articles may not have been Christians. If that’s you, I am a little bit conscious that what I have…
Rejoicing in Being Derailed
Originally published 23 January 2010 This post is now incorporated with 22 other similar ‘reflections’ in my book, Facing Cancer with Faith. One thing I knew when I wrote my last blog post on hardship was that my return to paid employment, after 8 months of struggling, would not mean an end of trials and…
Suffering Glorifies God
Originally published 9 December 2009 In my last post I reflected on what God’s purposes are in the hardships faced by His children. We are running the race of life, the purpose of which is to share in God’s holiness. The writer to the Hebrews tells us to “endure hardship as discipline” (Hebrews 12:7). God…
Is God Punishing Me?
Originally published 12 Nov 2009 I have been reflecting on hardship quite a bit recently. My own particular hardship has been unemployment, having had only three days of paid work in the last seven months or more. When I think about it, unemployment has followed me ever since I left university in the midst of…