The Ruinous Hatred of Flattery

““Subtle” sins of speech like flattery can be more dangerous than the obvious ones because they don’t tend to register on our radars like other sins do. A temper tantrum explodes on the screen, blinding us with its white-hot intensity. We know it’s there. But flattery? It shows up as a tiny, barely noticeable dot. A blip. If you’re not paying attention, you’ll hardly notice its there.”

When God’s Plans Seem Inconsistent With His Promises

“Times of testing can act like a press, squeezing out belief, character, or doubt that exist below the surface; things which are easily managed or ignored when life is comfortable. In his faithfulness, God walks us into seasons of testing, both to strengthen us and also to expose falsely held beliefs and ideologies. In his kindness, God also gives us examples from his word of those who endured difficulty yet remained faithful.”

Your Faith Muscle Needs Exercise

“If we habitually seek to escape from all painful trials rather than joyfully submitting to them as part of God’s endurance-building program, we may forgo opportunities to have our faith muscles exercised and strengthened.”