A collection of links from around the web to encourage your growth in grace:
The Prosperity Gospel We Sometimes All Believe In
“There is a version of the prosperity gospel that we can all believe in and it goes something like this: ‘God, I gave my life to you, and in exchange I expect you to make my life easy. I may not need riches or opulence, perfect health or abundant wealth, but I would like ease. And if you take that ease from me, I may just assume that your feelings for me have altered or your love for me has waned. I may even regret following you. Please, just keep my life easy.'”
Nearness Is Enough
While we’re on the topic of suffering, Kirsten Black writes: “I longed for a miracle. I longed for healing. I longed for God to remove our suffering and restore the story of our lives. Yet, those moments when God miraculously removes our suffering seem to be rare. Throughout the entirety of Scripture, it seems God rarely removes the trials of his people. Rather, he gives this promise over and over, ‘I will be with you.'”
How Do I Disciple Others?
“In this episode, Garrett Kell talks about what it looks like to disciple another Christian, addressing how age, knowledge, and other qualifications factor into a discipling relationship, and he shares encouraging stories and insights from his own experiences.”