November 7, 2023
by Dawn Levene
I was at work recently when a co-worker and I got into a conversation about the hardships and lack of love in the world. As we watched the news and saw all the terrible things happening around the world, he asked me why I would serve a God who made bad things happen to people. He wanted to know why, if my God is a God of love, He would not simply erase all the suffering. In his mind, God could just wave a magic wand, or according to Him, say the magic word and make everything better. I had to stop for a moment and give it some thought, and I prayed for help to give him a reasonable answer....Keep Reading
Posted in: Suffering Tags: Suffering, Sin
October 31, 2023
by Eric Stillman
Three weeks ago in this space, in light of the atrocities in the Middle East, I began a four-part series on lament, a type of prayer God gives us to process our grief. In his book Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy, Mark Vroegop defines lament as “a prayer in pain which leads to trust.” Laments consist of four movements: turn to God, voice your complaint, ask boldly, and choose to trust. Think of it like a decision tree: in movement one, as you experience suffering, you have a choice to either turn to God or away from Him. In movement two, you can either suck it up and pretend all is fine, or you can give full vent to all your emotions to God. In movement three, you can either accept what is happening as fate, or ask God to act, to bring justice, to show up, to move, to act according to His character. And in movement four, you can either get swallowed up by your despair, or you can choose to trust that God is good, that He is sovereign, and that He loves you....Keep Reading
Posted in: Prayer Tags: Prayer, Suffering, Lament
October 24, 2023
by Eric Stillman
Two weeks ago in this space, in light of the atrocities in the Middle East, I began a four-part series on lament, a type of prayer God gives us to process our grief. In his book Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy, Mark Vroegop defines lament as “a prayer in pain which leads to trust.” Laments consist of four movements: turn to God, voice your complaint, ask boldly, and choose to trust. Think of it like a decision tree: in movement one, as you experience suffering, you have a choice to either turn to God or away from Him. In movement two, you can either suck it up and pretend all is fine, or you can give full vent to all your emotions to God. In movement three, you can either accept what is happening as fate, or ask God to act, to bring justice, to show up, to move, to act according to His character. And in movement four, you can either get swallowed up by your despair, or you can choose to trust that God is good, that He is sovereign, that He loves you....Keep Reading
Posted in: Prayer Tags: Prayer, Suffering, Lament
October 17, 2023
by Eric Stillman
In last week’s Pulse, in light of the atrocities in the Middle East, I began a four-part series on lament, a type of prayer God gives us to process our grief. In his book Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy, Mark Vroegop defines lament as “a prayer in pain which leads to trust.” Laments consist of four movements: ...Keep Reading
Posted in: Prayer Tags: Prayer, Suffering, Lament
October 10, 2023
by Eric Stillman
Over the weekend, Palestinian militant groups led by Hamas launched an invasion against Israel. We mourn for yet another senseless war, for lives lost and survivors who will never be the same, and we pray for peace. Come quickly, Lord Jesus (Revelation 22:20).
In light of this tragedy, I thought it would be timely to remember that God gives us a way to process our grief through a kind of prayer known as lament....Keep Reading
Posted in: Suffering Tags: Prayer, Suffering, Lament
April 25, 2023
by Eric Stillman
This past Sunday, Annmarie Boulay, co-founder and executive director of the Underground New England, spoke at NewLife. The Underground, according to their website, “is a grass-roots, faith-based initiative dedicated to ending sex trafficking and sexual exploitation throughout Connecticut and New England.” The work that Annmarie and her team does is vital, Christ-like, and heartbreaking. It is horrible to think of what so many children and young adults go through at the hands of people who think nothing of exploiting their bodies and souls for profit....Keep Reading
Posted in: Suffering Tags: Suffering, Immanuel, Injustice, The Underground, Sex Trafficking
April 4, 2023
by Eric Stillman
One of the biggest reasons that people stop believing in God or calling themselves Christians is experiencing a tragedy and feeling like God was silent and did not answer prayers. The death of a child, the dissolution of a marriage, being the victim of a terrible crime – these and many other events can cause even the most fervent believer to ask “why, God?” So, what are we to believe when we find ourselves in that place, or what do we say when listening to someone who is going through this kind of crisis?...Keep Reading
Posted in: Suffering Tags: Jesus, Gospel, Suffering, Trust, Cross
March 21, 2023
by Eric Stillman
As a preacher, I often quote from C.S. Lewis, because, well, that’s what evangelical preachers do. I must confess, however, that as quotable as he is, I have only actually finished two of his books, because I find his style difficult to read. One of those books is Mere Christianity, a classic and one of the first books I ever read as a Christian. The second is called A Grief Observed, and contains his journals and reflections after losing his wife, Joy Davidman, to cancer.
One of the amazing things about A Grief Observed is that it is the personal reflection on deep suffering written by the same man who wrote The Problem of Pain, one of the enduring Christian classics on suffering. ...Keep Reading
Posted in: Suffering Tags: God, Suffering, C.S. Lewis
October 25, 2022
by Eric Stillman
As much as I enjoy the musical quality of so many modern worship songs, it has begun to feel like many of them are variations on the same theme: Hold on to your faith, for God is about to bring you a breakthrough! Certainly, we could all use some encouragement and inspiration as we navigate the challenges of life. But God’s ways are not our ways, and the process He uses to answer our prayers does not typically follow the neat pattern of (1) pray hard, (2) believe in faith, and (3) receive your breakthrough!
One classic hymn that would NEVER be written today...Keep Reading
Posted in: Discipleship Tags: Suffering, Discipleship, God's love, Sanctification
June 7, 2022
by Eric Stillman
It is hard to know how to best respond to the ongoing tragedies in our country and world. On May 24th, an 18-year-old gunman tragically took the lives of 19 children and 2 teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, TX. Despite the horror of that day, it was sadly just another in a long line of mass shootings. And despite the tragedy of these mass shootings, they are only part of a larger spike recently in our country of “deaths of despair,” including suicides, drug overdoses, and alcohol-related deaths. And, if that is not depressing enough, a survey of the global scene shows the continued ravages of war, poverty, slavery, and other atrocities....Keep Reading
Posted in: Suffering Tags: Suffering, Lament, Uvalde, violence
May 31, 2022
by Eric Stillman
As I was reading Diane Langberg’s Suffering and the Heart of God last week, I came across this devastating story that is worth sober reflection:
“While I was in Ghana a couple of years ago for a conference on violence against women and children, we visited Cape Coast Castle. Hundreds of thousands of Africans were forced through its dungeons and through the door of no return onto slave ships. There were five dungeon chambers for males, and descending into the darkness of one of those dungeons felt claustrophobic. 200 men shackled and chained together lived in that dungeon for about three months before being shipped across the Atlantic. We stood in one of the male dungeons listening in the darkness to the whole horrific story, when our guide said this: “Do you know what is above this dungeon?”...Keep Reading
Posted in: Suffering Tags: Worship, Suffering, Cape Coast Castle
March 22, 2022
by Eric Stillman
During the last days of Jesus’ life, two of his disciples were guilty of terrible offenses against him. As Jesus was being brought before the high priest for questioning, Peter denied knowing him three times, despite boasting to Jesus hours earlier that even if he had to die with him, he would never deny him. And Judas was even worse. He betrayed Jesus, selling him out to the Jewish religious leaders for thirty pieces of silver. Both men were utterly devastated when they came to terms with what they had done. Peter went back to fishing, the one thing he was still confident in. Judas, sadly, could not get over his guilt and hung himself....Keep Reading
Posted in: Suffering Tags: Jesus, Suffering, Suicide
March 15, 2022
by Eric Stillman
Life is hard, and we can not always figure out what God is up to, or what good He could possibly bring through the difficult situations in which we often find ourselves. One of the surest anchors for our soul when we feel unmoored is to look to the cross. From an earthly perspective, God never seemed more absent or unloving then He did on that day, as Jesus, His innocent Son, hung on that cross. The disciples were having the ground pulled out from under them as they watched the one to whom they had dedicated their life for the past three years dying on the cross, while God did nothing about it. They must have wondered what kind of Father would let His innocent Son die an unjust death like that without rising to His defense? God never seemed more absent or unloving than He did on that day....Keep Reading
Posted in: Suffering Tags: Suffering, hope, Cross
January 25, 2022
by Eric Stillman
It is undoubtedly an imprecise endeavor to try to understand things from God’s perspective, but the story of Joseph in the book of Genesis seems to invite us to try to do precisely that. In fact, when Joseph finally reveals his identity to the brothers who sold him into slavery, he tells them that while they may have been trying to harm him (as were others along his life’s journey), God was behind the scenes working all things together for good, in order to save the lives of Joseph’s family and preserve the lineage that would eventually culminate in the Messiah....Keep Reading
Posted in: Discipleship Tags: Suffering, Character, Joseph
July 28, 2020
by Eric Stillman
This past Sunday, I looked at the parable of the treasure hidden in the field and the parable of the pearl of great price in Matthew 13:44-46. These short parables illustrate how knowing and following God is worth giving up all that we have, that the rewards of discipleship far outweigh the cost. I spent some time in my sermon trying to clearly outline why it is that knowing God is such a treasure, including such benefits as eternal life, complete forgiveness, meaning in suffering, and a joy and peace that is not contingent upon our circumstances....Keep Reading
Tags: Jesus, Suffering, Discipleship
June 16, 2020
by Eric Stillman
As I was preparing for the current sermon series on suffering, loss, lament, and trust, I studied the Old Testament book of Lamentations for the first time. There is a reason that most Christians are unfamiliar with the book, for Lamentations isn’t filled with the kind of verses that get used for inspirational Facebook quotes or devotional reading (except for Lamentations 3:22-23, which reads “Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”). 99% of the verses are painful and heartfelt cries coming from a people who are witnessing their homes being destroyed and their family and friends either slaughtered or taken into captivity....Keep Reading
Tags: Suffering, Lamentations, Christian media
June 9, 2020
by Eric Stillman
In my preparation for the current sermon series on lament, one reality that I have heard pointed out often by the authors I have read is that anywhere from 30-40% of the Psalms can be classified as laments, while in our modern hymnals or collections of worship songs, the percentage ranges anywhere from 5-15%. Besides seeing this as an interesting discrepancy, what might this reveal about our modern Christianity? I can think of three things:
1) We are too consumer-driven...Keep Reading
Tags: Worship, Suffering, Lament
May 19, 2020
by Taylor Hood
Hi, my name is Taylor Hood. I was born June 15th, 1986, on Father’s Day, which made my Dad very happy. Although I was born with a disability, my parents didn’t learn what it was until I was 18 months old. I have Williams Syndrome, a disability that makes me learn slower. Lots of people with Williams Syndrome have many medical issues, but I am pretty healthy. ...Keep Reading
Tags: Suffering, Faith, Williams Syndrome
May 12, 2020
by Amy Swanson
Pastor Eric recently made a request for testimonies of learning to trust God through suffering and loss. A hard ask, but one I hope we can rise to because the faithfulness of God appears in so many forms and fashions. And I believe it is through the telling of these stories, even the ones longed to be forgotten, that others can find comfort, assurance, and maybe even a step towards healing.
That is my prayer, anyways, and what leads me to share my story. ...Keep Reading
Tags: Jesus, Suffering, hope
May 5, 2020
by Eric Stillman
This Sunday, I will begin a new preaching series on suffering, loss, lament, and trust, using Lamentation and the Psalms of lament as the backdrop. In light of this, I am replaying what I wrote on this blog on September 11th, 2007, after going through a very personal loss.
“The baby died.”
If there were a list of things you hope you never have to hear, “the baby died” would have to be up near the top, somewhere right above “I’m leaving you” and “It’s definitely cancerous.” Last Wednesday, as I was on the phone with Andy Hood, my cell phone began to ring, with an unfamiliar Manchester number on the caller ID...Keep Reading
Tags: Suffering, Death, hope
December 18, 2019
by Eric Stillman
If you have ever listened to K-Love, you know that they have an occasional segment called “Behind the Music” where a singer shares the story of where their song comes from. I often find that I develop is a greater emotional connection to the song when I know the heart behind the words. The same holds true for the classic hymns of the church. One of the most powerful “Behind the Music” stories is the story behind “It is Well with my Soul,” which was written by Horatio Spafford in the 1880’s, which I reference this past Sunday during our worship time....Keep Reading
Tags: Suffering, Trust, Horatio Spafford
December 10, 2019
by Eric Stillman
As a preacher, I often quote from C.S. Lewis, because, well, that’s what evangelical preachers do. I must confess, however, that as quotable as he is, I have only actually finished two of his books, because I find his style difficult to read. One of those books is Mere Christianity, a classic and one of the first books I ever read as a Christian. The second is called A Grief Observed, and contains his journals and reflections after losing his wife, Joy Davidman, to cancer....Keep Reading
Tags: Suffering, CS Lewis
September 10, 2019
by Eric Stillman
This past Sunday, I began preaching through the book of Revelation. One of the key takeaways from chapter 1 is that our perspective on this world is incredibly limited. We may believe that “reality” consists of what we can see, touch, hear, taste, and smell, but the Bible, and Revelation in particular, reveals to us that there is a whole unseen spiritual reality that is more real than the transitory things that inhabit the material world.
In a Tim Keller lecture that I was listening to recently, he shared an implication of that truth that I had never considered. ...Keep Reading
Tags: Suffering, pride
May 21, 2019
by Eric Stillman
I recently completed my Masters in Professional Counseling. One of my classes was called Crisis Counseling, and much of the reading for that class was on the subject of trauma. As a Christian who knows apologetics, I am well-versed in how to answer the question “How can a good God let bad things happen?” But having the intellectual answers doesn’t change the fact that those “bad things” that happen to people so often take my breath away and bring me to tears at the depth of the horror some people are forced to endure....Keep Reading
Tags: Gospel, Suffering
September 25, 2018
by Eric Stillman
As a preacher, I often quote from C.S. Lewis, because, well, that’s what evangelical preachers do. I must confess, however, that as quotable as he is, I have only actually finished two of his books, because I find his style difficult to read. One of those books is Mere Christianity, a classic and one of the first books I ever read as a Christian. The second is called A Grief Observed, and contains his journals and reflections after losing his wife, Joy Davidman, to cancer.
One of the amazing things about A Grief Observed is that it is the personal reflection on deep suffering written by the same man who wrote The Problem of Pain, one of the enduring Christian classics on suffering....Keep Reading
Tags: Suffering, Death
August 14, 2018
by Eric Stillman
Soon after the Holocaust, an East German pastor by the name of Guenter Rutenborn wrote a play called The Sign of Jonah, in his attempt to make sense of all the horror had transpired in his country. In his play, a group of German people attempt to come to terms with the atrocities that had been committed on their soil, asking who was to blame for the Holocaust. Some blamed Hitler. Others blamed the munitions manufacturers. Still more blamed the German people in their apathy. Finally, the people realized that above all the others, that God was to blame. After all, God had created this world. God had placed all of this power in such unworthy hands. And God had for some unknown reason allowed all of these tragedies to happen....Keep Reading
Tags: Gospel, Suffering
July 24, 2018
by Eric Stillman
These past two months, as I have reflected on members or close friends of our church who have passed away during the time that I have been pastor, I have been reminded of how special each of those individuals were, and how, while the world may go on for most people, life is forever changed for those who lost their loved one. I have always loved this quote from the late Christian singer Rich Mullins, which I shared in the first reflection I wrote: “I think we cry at funerals ...Keep Reading
Tags: Suffering, Death
May 8, 2018
by Eric Stillman
In 1721, 18 year-old Jonathan Edwards, one of the most brilliant American minds as well as one of the most influential preachers, preached a sermon that addressed the question, “What is our hope in Christ?” His answer, in good preacher form, was in three points: our bad things will turn out for our good, our good things will never be taken away, and the best is yet to come. I want to briefly address these three reasons for our hope....Keep Reading
Tags: Suffering, hope
April 3, 2018
by Eric Stillman
It has often been said that “adversity does not create character; it reveals it.” Going through difficult times is like a heavy truck going over a small bridge: it doesn’t cause cracks so much as it reveals where there are already weak spots....Keep Reading
Tags: Suffering, Discipleship
March 20, 2018
by Eric Stillman
Today’s post is a favorite story of mine, taken out of Jim Cymbala’s Fresh Power. Cymbala is the pastor of the Brooklyn Tabernacle Church, and has written many inspiring books about the power of God to transform lives. This story is a testimony to the verse listed above, and is especially encouraging for all who give their life in service of the gospel.
Back in 1921, a missionary couple named David and Svea Flood went with their two year-old son from Sweden to the heart of Africa ...Keep Reading
Tags: Suffering, hope
October 10, 2017
by Eric Stillman
In my spare time, I have been taking a class at a time towards a degree in counseling. My current class is called Crisis Counseling, and so much of my reading lately has been on the subject of trauma. As a Christian who knows apologetics, I am well-versed in how to answer the question “How can a good God let bad things happen?” But having the intellectual answers doesn’t change the fact that those “bad things” that happen to people so often take my breath away and bring me to tears at the depth of the horror some people are forced to endure.
In Luke 22, we read about Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, turning to his heavenly Father in prayer before he is arrested and crucified...Keep Reading
Tags: Jesus, Suffering
August 29, 2017
by Eric Stillman
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. (Psalm 46:1-3)
We are experiencing unprecedented crisis and chaos in our beloved city. Right now, all over social media you will find people telling others that they are praying and asking the nation to pray for the people of Houston. How are we to pray? The Scripture is clear on ways to pray in times of distress. As I’m praying, below are my requests to the Father and I thought I’d pass them along to you....Keep Reading
Tags: Prayer, Suffering
August 15, 2017
by Eric Stillman
If you have ever listened to K-Love, you know that they have an occasional segment called “Behind the Music” where a singer shares the story of where their song comes from. I often find that I develop is a greater emotional connection to the song when I know the heart behind the words. The same holds true for the classic hymns of the church. One of the most powerful “Behind the Music” stories is the story behind “It is Well with my Soul,” which was written by Horatio Spafford in the 1880’s....Keep Reading
Tags: Worship, Suffering
June 6, 2017
by Eric Stillman
If there is no God, suffering has no ultimate meaning, since we all will die and cease to exist. But even with a belief in God, suffering can feel meaningless, as we wonder what possible good can come out of terrorist attacks, crippling depression, mental illness, or the death of a child. There are many reasons the Bible gives for why suffering exists, chiefly that we live in a fallen world that is the product of humanity’s rebellion against God. But God is still sovereign over it all, always working even the worst events in the world for His ultimate good purposes (Romans 8:28), and so we trust that there will be meaning in the suffering. Remember John 9:2-3, where Jesus’ disciples see a blind man and ask him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus replies, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.”...Keep Reading
Posted in: Suffering Tags: Suffering, Discipleship
May 16, 2017
by Eric Stillman
As a preacher, I often quote from C.S. Lewis, because, well, that’s what evangelical preachers do. I must confess, however, that as quotable as he is, I have only actually finished two of his books, because I find his style difficult to read. One of those books is Mere Christianity, a classic and one of the first books I ever read as a Christian. The second is called A Grief Observed, and contains his journals and reflections after losing his wife, Joy Davidman, to cancer.
One of the amazing things about A Grief Observed is that it is the personal reflection on deep suffering written by the same man who wrote The Problem of Pain, one of the enduring Christian classics on suffering....Keep Reading
Posted in: Suffering Tags: Suffering, Ministry
January 31, 2017
by Eric Stillman
Soon after the Holocaust, an East German pastor by the name of Guenter Rutenborn wrote a play called The Sign of Jonah, in his attempt to make sense of all the horror had transpired in his country. In his play, a group of German people attempt to come to terms with the atrocities that had been committed on their soil, asking who was to blame for the Holocaust. Some blamed Hitler. Others blamed the munitions manufacturers. Still more blamed the German people in their apathy. Finally, the people realized that above all the others, that God was to blame. After all, God had created this world. God had placed all of this power in such unworthy hands. And God had for some unknown reason allowed all of these tragedies to happen.
As the group of people come to this conclusion, God’s punishment is considered, and this sentence is pronounced:...Keep Reading
Posted in: Gospel Tags: Gospel, Suffering
June 21, 2016
by Eric Stillman
There is a popular saying that goes like this: “God works in mysterious ways.” Which is another way of saying, “GOD, I DON’T UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE DOING!!!”
Can anyone relate?
We believe that God is sovereign, that He is good, and that He loves us. And we like to believe that if we were a good, sovereign, loving Father/Deity, we would know how to treat our children. And so, naturally, when we suffer in ways we can not understand, we question the character of our God who seems to so often enjoy working in “mysterious” ways....Keep Reading
Posted in: Discipleship Tags: Suffering, Discipleship
May 31, 2016
by Eric Stillman
It has often been said that “adversity does not create character; it reveals it.” Going through difficult times is like a heavy truck going over a small bridge: it doesn’t cause cracks so much as it reveals where there are already weak spots.
I have mentioned in sermons how I never knew how much anger was in me until I had children....Keep Reading
Posted in: Suffering Tags: Suffering, Character
May 24, 2016
by Eric Stillman
There may be no more poignant reminder that Jesus was not only fully God but fully man than this passage from the last days of Jesus’ life. Facing an impending betrayal and certain death, Jesus walks into the Garden of Gethsemane to be with his Father, and says to Peter, James, and John, “stay with me.” In this moment of incredible agony, where he will be confronted by the temptation to give up his march to the cross, Jesus does not want to be alone, but asks his friends to remain with him.
Many of us have found ourselves watching a loved one facing a time of intense suffering, wishing that there was something we could do to make it all better. ...Keep Reading
Posted in: Love Tags: Suffering, Love
May 3, 2016
by Eric Stillman
A wise once man once warned me against comparing myself to others, because we so often compare what we know about ourselves with what we don’t know about someone else. Facebook has become notorious for this: we compare our screaming children, struggling marriage, and monotonous routines against the pictures of smiling children, a man’s effusive praise for his wife, and the latest Caribbean vacation photos, and we can’t decide whether to curl up in the fetal position or stab someone.
When it comes to the people of the Bible, we can fall into the same trap....Keep Reading
Posted in: Suffering Tags: Suffering, Faith
April 12, 2016
by Eric Stillman
Skubalon. In Philippians 3:8, Paul uses this Greek word, which the New International Version translates as “rubbish,” to describe all the things in his life that he once boasted of but that now mean nothing compared to knowing Christ. When you consult a Greek lexicon, you find that the word skubalon was the word commonly used not just for garbage but for animal excrement. You know, that stuff in your yard that you step in and proceed to track into your house until you realize what you’ve done and gag from the stench. Animal excrement. That’s a little more evocative than rubbish, don’t you think? Paul emphatically states that his desire to know Jesus, to know his power, to share in his suffering, to look and act like Him in every way, was such an all-consuming passion that all of his earthly awards, noble qualities, and previous reasons for pride meant as much to him as a hot, steaming pile of skubalon....Keep Reading
Posted in: Discipleship Tags: Suffering, Discipleship
March 22, 2016
by Eric Stillman
Last week, I spent a day up at my seminary listening to two leaders from World Vision share about the Syrian refugee crisis and how churches can get involved. I confess that prior to that day, I would not have been able to point out Syria on a map, nor could I have told you many details regarding the refugee crisis. I have been blessed to be a lifelong resident of New England, with a heart to serve and love the people of the Hartford region. However, the flipside of this localized existence has been a true lack of connection with what is going on in the rest of the world. For this shallow and self-centered existence, I repent....Keep Reading
Posted in: Missions Tags: Suffering, Syria
February 23, 2016
by Eric Stillman
Henri Nouwen, in his book Bread for the Journey, wrote:
To be grateful for the good things that happen in our lives is easy, but to be grateful for all of our lives ...Keep Reading
Posted in: Thanksgiving Tags: Suffering, gratitude
January 26, 2016
by Eric Stillman
Last year, we began a discipline in our house of posting a verse or short passage on the kitchen wall every month for our children to memorize. This month’s passage is the one listed above, from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:43-44. What a challenging word to learn and to practice at any age, whether the enemy is a schoolyard bully, an abusive parent, or a nasty co-worker....Keep Reading
Posted in: Forgiveness Tags: Forgiveness, Suffering
January 19, 2016
by Eric Stillman
As I have preached through Luke 4 over the past two Sundays, one recurring theme has been how God allows all kinds of struggles into our life in order to heal us spiritually and make us holy, while Satan, on the other hand, does all he can to get us to elevate the things of this world above God. Satan knows that if we want anything ...Keep Reading
Posted in: Suffering Tags: Suffering, Trust
December 15, 2015
by Eric Stillman
If you’ve lived long enough in this world, you’ve had to struggle with how to forgive someone who has hurt you. One of the steps that can help us to forgive people who have hurt, mistreated, or abused us is to work on understanding them and their story. When we are hurt, we tend to caricaturize the other person, blowing their faults and negative qualities out of proportion: “He’s a jerk.” “She’s just disrespectful.” “They are just awful people.” We see ourselves as complicated people, full of good and bad qualities, but when someone hurts us, we can tend to magnify their negative qualities and in the process dehumanize them and make it easier for us to feel like they deserve our hatred....Keep Reading
Posted in: Forgiveness Tags: Forgiveness, Suffering
December 8, 2015
by Eric Stillman
Today’s post is reprinted from the September 4th, 2012 blog. It is one of my all-time favorite illustrations, and I find it worth reading and reflecting on often. It is an excerpt from Charles Spurgeon’s book “The Soul Winner.” Spurgeon, known as the Prince of Preachers, was a 19th century English Baptist preacher. If you find yourself going through a difficult time, may Spurgeon’s words encourage you to persevere and trust God.
Some years ago, I was the subject of fearful depression of spirit. Certain troublous events had happened to me; I was also unwell, and my heart sank within me. Out of the depths I was forced to cry unto the Lord. Just before I went away to Mentone for rest, I suffered greatly in body, but far more in soul, for my spirit was overwhelmed.
Under this pressure, I preached a sermon from the words, “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” I was as much qualified to preach from that text as ever I expect to be; indeed, I hope that few of my brethren could have entered so deeply into those heart-breaking words...Keep Reading
Posted in: Suffering Tags: Suffering, Charles Spurgeon
November 24, 2015
by Eric Stillman
As a preacher, I often quote from C.S. Lewis, because, well, that’s what evangelical preachers do. I must confess, however, that as quotable as he is, I have only actually finished two of his books, because I find his style difficult to read. One of those books is Mere Christianity, a classic and one of the first books I ever read as a Christian. The second is called A Grief Observed, and contains his journals and reflections after losing his wife, Joy Davidman, to cancer.
One of the amazing things about A Grief Observed is that it is the personal reflection on deep suffering written by a man who wrote The Problem of Pain, one of the enduring Christian classics on suffering....Keep Reading
Posted in: Suffering Tags: Suffering, C.S. Lewis
August 11, 2015
by Eric Stillman
Psalm 23 is probably the most widely read and beloved of all the Psalms. Its picture of God as a tender, gentle, and loving shepherd who cares for us like sheep evokes images of peace and rest. But anyone who knows what actually goes into caring for sheep ...Keep Reading
Posted in: Discipleship Tags: Suffering, Discipleship
August 4, 2015
by Eric Stillman
When we are going through difficult times, or are watching our loved ones suffer, it can be hard to know the right way to pray. On the one hand, God is our good, all-knowing, and all-powerful heavenly Father, and so we may be tempted to simply pray that God’s will would be done, trusting that He will do what is best. On the other hand, we may feel that it is right to keep on asking and pleading for our desired outcome, believing in faith that God will bring what we ask for to pass.
We have all likely heard contradictory advice on this....Keep Reading
Posted in: Prayer Tags: Prayer, Suffering
July 7, 2015
by Eric Stillman
In Tim Keller’s book Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God, he talks about how, in his early 50’s, he finally began to truly pray. Even though he had been a pastor (of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City) for many years, he had struggled to have a strong prayer life. But then in 2001, the city of New York experienced the horror of 9/11, his wife struggled with the effect of Crohn’s disease, and he was diagnosed with thyroid cancer.
It was at this point that Tim’s wife, Kathy, urged him to pray with her every night, something they had always struggled to do. She put it this way:...Keep Reading
Posted in: Prayer Tags: Prayer, Suffering
April 7, 2015
by Eric Stillman
This past Friday, many of us spent time in solitude at the Center for Retreat and Renewal in Simsbury, reflecting upon Jesus’ death for us and taking time to meet with God. As is often the case when I spend time there, I became overwhelmed by God’s great grace and mercy towards me, that He continues to not treat me as my sins deserve. One song in particular kept coming to mind, a song called Lead of Love by the band Caedmon’s Call. Here are the lyrics:...Keep Reading
Posted in: God's love Tags: Suffering, God's faithfulness
January 20, 2015
by Eric Stillman
For those suffering from physical pain, unemployment, relational stress, or any other number of heartaches, the well-known phrase “with the Lord, a day is like a thousand years” is hardly comforting. In its original context, Peter speaks these words in response to the belief of some in his day that God’s refusal to judge the wicked during their earthly life proves that we can live however we please without fear of God’s judgment. Peter rebukes such people, telling them that God withholds judgment because He wants to give everyone a chance to repent of their sin, but that one day He will return and judge everyone, and then it will be too late for the wicked.
But back to the whole “day=thousand years” thing. Peter’s point in using that phrase is to make it clear that what seems like a long time to us is like a blink of an eye to God. Certainly those of us accustomed to microwave dinners, high-speed internet, and everything “on demand” should take this to heart. As Peter writes, God keeps His promises ...Keep Reading
Posted in: Suffering Tags: Suffering, Discipleship
November 18, 2014
by Eric Stillman
Over the past ten weeks, I‘ve preached through the entire twelve chapters of the Old Testament book Daniel. One of the reasons I chose the book was that I had never really studied the book in detail, and I was a little intimidated by the second half of Daniel, which is full of prophecies and, let‘s face it, weird things. But as I studied the book of Daniel and considered its message, I found it much more fruitful to focus on the big picture messages and not get sidetracked by secondary issues ‘" namely, trying to ‘œdecode‘ every prophetic figure and event. And so, having completed this sermon series, here are the main messages of the Book of Daniel as I see it:...Keep Reading
Posted in: Suffering Tags: Suffering, Daniel
July 8, 2014
by Eric Stillman
Ken was a high school classmate of mine, although we were not in the same circle of friends. He was what we would have referred to as a nerd ‘" smart, but socially awkward and not very popular. Since graduation, he had probably never crossed my mind until he called me out of the blue three years ago. He had found me on Facebook, saw that I was a pastor, and wanted to talk, as he was in the process of going through a painful divorce, amidst other life challenges. We talked on a semi-regular basis, had lunch a couple of times, and I encouraged him over that time to come to Fight Club, our men‘s group at NewLife. Eventually he came twice to Fight Club, but despite my invitations and the invitations of other men in the group, he never returned.
In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus gives an example about how loving our neighbor often involves risking our safety, as well as sacrificing our time, energy, and possessions, in order to care for a person in need....Keep Reading
Posted in: Love Tags: Suffering, Good Samaritan
April 29, 2014
by Eric Stillman
Tomorrow I head in to the hospital for back surgery. Naturally, the verse that has been going through my head is the one listed above: ‘œThough outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.‘ As we age, it becomes more and more obvious that our health, vitality, and youthful appearance are slowly slipping away, never again to be recovered. And not only that, but all else in this world is receding from us like a wave washing back out to sea. Our relationships will eventually come to an end. Our influence on this world will wane. Our finances will be drained. If we live long enough, most of us will one day end up losing even our independence, as we are forced to rely on the hands of strangers to feed and clothe us....Keep Reading
Posted in: Suffering Tags: Suffering, Discipleship
April 8, 2014
by Eric Stillman
Allow me, if you will, to theologically reflect upon a subject that is admittedly not overtly theological, but is certainly a love of mine: UConn basketball. On Monday night, the UConn men defeated the University of Kentucky 60-54 in order to win their fourth NCAA championship. As wonderful as the other three championships were, there was something especially precious about this one, especially for the seniors, Shabazz Napier, Tyler Olander, and Niels Giffey. After their sophomore year, they endured three tremendous blows from a basketball perspective. Their coach, Jim Calhoun, the man who recruited and mentored them, retired. Their conference, the Big East, broke apart, and UConn ended up a year later in a lesser conference, the American Athletic Conference. And thirdly, the NCAA banned the team from postseason competition for one year because of the poor graduation rates of the basketball players who attended a few years before those three stepped on campus....Keep Reading
Posted in: Suffering Tags: Suffering, Discipleship, UConn basketball
March 25, 2014
by Eric Stillman
Over the past few months, there have been all kinds of ‘œmegachurch pastors behaving badly‘ stories in the news. One pastor was revealed to have bought his way onto the New York Times bestseller list. Another pastor was shown to have staged baptisms in order to manipulate more people into getting baptized. And there have been all kinds of other embarrassing shenanigans that have brought shame on Jesus and His church.
Every time I read one of these stories, I thank God that I did not experience the kind of meteoric rise in church growth and worldwide fame that these pastors have experienced in their young lives....Keep Reading
Posted in: Suffering Tags: Suffering, Fame
March 11, 2014
by Eric Stillman
As I prepared for the current sermon series on suffering, one particularly moving passage I read was this one from Joni Eareckson Tada‘s ‘œWhen God Weeps: Why Our Sufferings Matter to the Almighty‘:
Suffering fashions us into a ‘œholy and blameless‘ image of Christ (Ephesians 1: 4), much like a figure sculpted out of marble. An artist in Florence, Italy once asked the great Renaissance sculptor Michelangelo what he saw when he approached a huge block of marble. ‘œI see a beautiful form trapped inside,‘ he replied, ‘œand it is simply my responsibility to take my mallet and chisel and chip away until the figure is set free.‘ The beautiful form, the visible expression of ‘œChrist in you, the hope of glory‘ is inside Christians like a possibility, a potential. The idea is there, and God uses affliction like a hammer and chisel, chipping and cutting to reveal his image in you. God chooses as his model his Son, Jesus Christ, ‘œFor those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son‘ (Romans 8: 29)....Keep Reading
Posted in: Discipleship Tags: Suffering, Discipleship
February 11, 2014
by Eric Stillman
This past week I was at a funeral, and after the service I went downstairs for a reception in the fellowship hall of the church. The church had decorated their walls with a collection of sayings on faith, and the Oswald Chambers post above spoke to me deeper than all of the rest. Oswald Chambers was an earliest twentieth century minister and teacher who is best known today for his daily devotional book, My Utmost for His Highest.
‘œFaith is deliberate confidence in the character of God whose ways you may not understand at the time.‘ ...Keep Reading
Posted in: Faith Tags: Suffering, Faith
February 4, 2014
by Lynne Pleau
We all face defining moments, some with impact so powerful they come up again and again, creating a pattern across our lives. A sermon during college on Romans 8:28 by Pastor John MacArthur has been the most defining for me. I learned from it, and took to heart, that it is possible to praise God for everything. Everything. Because, we can trust Him not to allow more into our lives than we can handle and to work out everything for our best, whether here on earth or in Heaven.
I was still in college when I found this concept tested in what seemed then a major fire: ...Keep Reading
Posted in: Faith Tags: Faith, Suffering
January 28, 2014
by Eric Stillman
Skubalon. In Philippians 3:8, Paul uses this Greek word, which the New International Version translates as ‘œrubbish,‘ to describe all the things in his life that he once boasted of but that now mean nothing compared to knowing Christ. When you consult a Greek lexicon, you find that the word skubalon was the word commonly used not just for garbage but for animal excrement. You know, that stuff in your yard that you step in and proceed to track into your house until you realize what you‘ve done and gag from the stench. Animal excrement. That‘s a little more evocative than rubbish, don‘t you think? Paul emphatically states that his desire to know Jesus, to know his power, to share in his suffering, to look and act like Him in every way, was such an all-consuming passion that all of his earthly awards, noble qualities, and previous reasons for pride meant as much to him as a hot, steaming pile of skubalon....Keep Reading
Posted in: Discipleship Tags: Suffering, Discipleship
January 21, 2014
by Eric Stillman
As I was in preparation for the current sermon series on suffering, I heard the following in a Tim Keller sermon (parphrased):
‘œIf your ultimate love and joy is found in the treasures of this world, then suffering will rob you of your joy and make you sadder and madder. But if your ultimate love and joy is found in God, then suffering will drive you deeper into the source of that joy.‘
Carefully consider those words....Keep Reading
Posted in: Discipleship Tags: Suffering, Discipleship
May 21, 2013
by Eric Stillman
‘œIt is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of every man; the living should take this to heart.‘ (Ecclesiastes 7:2)
Another week, another tragedy on planet Earth. Yesterday, a tornado ripped through Oklahoma, killing at least 24 individuals, including 9 children, and leaving behind a trail of destruction. Each week, it feels like another senseless tragedy shakes us to the core of our being ‘" sometimes nearby, sometimes at a safe distance, but each one heartbreaking to witness....Keep Reading
Posted in: Death Tags: Death, Suffering
December 18, 2012
by Eric Stillman
There have been many blogs and articles written and videos compiled in response to the December 14th Newtown tragedy. As I reflected on Herod’s massacre of the innocents that followed the birth of Jesus in Matthew 2, I was particularly troubled by the fact that what happened in Newtown is an everyday reality for so many people around the world: living in fear, familiar with death, with no guarantee that tomorrow will be any better. Below is a blog that I read this week, written by a missionary named Amy from Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, that echoed that sentiment:...Keep Reading
Tags: American Culture, Suffering
September 4, 2012
by Eric Stillman
The following is an excerpt from Charles Spurgeon’s book “The Soul Winner.” Spurgeon, known as the Prince of Preachers, was a 19th century English Baptist preacher. If you have been around NewLife, you may remembering me referencing this in a sermon this past April, but it is so good that it is worth sending out the full excerpt. If you find yourself going through a difficult time, may Spurgeon’s words encourage you to persevere and trust God....Keep Reading
Tags: Suffering
March 29, 2011
by Eric Stillman
Last week, I discussed possible philosophical answers to the problem of evil. The problem, however, with approaching the question of how a good and all-powerful God could allow suffering and evil from a philosophical perspective is that philosophical answers rarely touch the raw places in people’s lives, where deep pain and injustice has left indelible wounds. Most people who ask “Why, God?” out of rage and despair need more than to be told “God may have reasons that just don’t make sense to your limited mind at this time.” So what are the more personal responses to the problem of evil? Where is God when you are suffering?...Keep Reading
Tags: Suffering, Discipleship
March 22, 2011
by Eric Stillman
Last week, I was watching an interview by MSNBC’s Martin Bashir with Rob Bell on his new book, Love Wins, and Bashir began the interview by asking Bell point blank, “The tsunami in Japan" which of these is true" either God is all-powerful but he doesn’t care about the people of Japan, or he does care about the people of Japan, but he’s not all-powerful. Which one is it?” Bell danced around the question with his answer, but I am sure that I would have done far worse if I had been asked that question on national television and had only two minutes with which to answer. Not only is the “problem of evil” a question that has challenged philosophers for centuries, but for the majority of people, it is not a philosophical question but a profoundly personal question, a question often filled with despair or rage towards God. Why, God? Why would you allow this devastation in my life? Why did you allow me to be abused? Why did you allow my son to be killed? Why have you allowed this crippling illness in my life? Is it that you just don’t care? Or you’e not powerful enough to stop it? Why, God?...Keep Reading
Tags: Evangelism, Suffering
February 2, 2010
by Eric Stillman
This week‘s Pulse is a moving story from Haiti that I have copied from Albert Mohler‘s blog, www.albertmohler.com. Mohler is the president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and his blog is the most popular Christian blog, according to technorati.com. As someone with a heart for adoption and who himself has been adopted (by my Father in heaven - see Galatians 4:4-7), I found this story particularly poignant....Keep Reading
Tags: Suffering, Salvation
