“It is finished,” Jesus declared as He breathed His last breath on the cross, as recorded in John 19:30. With these words, His sacrifice was complete. All sin was atoned for and the relationship between God and humanity restored. There is a weight to these words and this moment, though, that we struggle to fully live into on this side of heaven.

Whatever form it takes, suffering has a way of making us feel isolated and can cause us to question where God is in the middle of it. But just as suffering is not an indication of faith, asking these questions does not indicate a lack of faith.

Most people have heard the expression, “just have faith,” but faith can feel complicated at times. In the midst of all of life’s uncertainties and our own baggage, something that seems as simple as faith can start to feel more and more complicated and less and less like something that we can easily reach for or feel is a reality in our minds, bodies, and hearts. 

As a counselor, I have had the opportunity to journey alongside many people as they make sense of suffering and faith over the years. For many Christians, it can feel unsettling if Jesus isn’t showing up or acting in the ways we expected Him to. 

It is expected that the Christmas season be a time of joy and fun, spent with family and friends; a time to reflect on Christ’s birth and share in traditions and make memories. But if you are grieving the loss of a loved one, Christmas can also be a time of heavy-hearted sadness.

Encumbered by a world where suffering and sin happen every day to some extent, healing can feel difficult to come by, but I would like to propose that some of the issue has to do with our expectations and definitions of healing. On this subject, Christ has a lot to say.

There’s a story in the Old Testament that shows not only the lengths that people will go for the idols in their life, but also the power that God has to show idols for what they are.

What does it look like to truly pray without ceasing, especially when life is busy and going a million miles an hour? What does it look like to walk with the Lord when the hurries of life can feel unceasing as well?