Explanations are a substitute for trust.

God is not interested in what you think you should be or feel. He is not interested in the narrative you have construct for yourself, or that others have construct for you. He may even use suffering to deconstruct that narrative.

Don't get me wrong - what we do is important. But it is infinitely less important than what Jesus has done for us.

Grief, of course, is not something that operates according to a specific time frame, and it seems cold to suggest otherwise. Yet when we do not grasp that God is present in pain, we eventually insist on victory or, worse, blame the sufferer for not "getting over it" fast enough. This is more than a failure to extend compassion; it's an exercise in cruelty.

Performancism is the mindset that equates our identity and value directly with our performance and accomplishments.

Christmas is the beachhead of God’s campaign against sin and sadness, darkness and death, fear and frustration.

The law demands that we do it all; the gospel declares that Jesus paid it all.