tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5942298247061510776.post7179884610093365050..comments2014-05-31T03:21:32.263-05:00Comments on ...another chapter: Prayer and SufferingTyson Aschlimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03605848732265779094noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5942298247061510776.post-57714293744322890362008-12-07T20:31:00.000-06:002008-12-07T20:31:00.000-06:00WOW. WOW. Blown away by this. Truly, I'm speechles...WOW. WOW. Blown away by this. Truly, I'm speechless. I'll be chewing on this for a long time. Thank you. Thank you.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5942298247061510776.post-80085629582273228242008-12-03T15:49:00.000-06:002008-12-03T15:49:00.000-06:00Wow, I will be thinking about the things you have ...Wow, I will be thinking about the things you have shared in this post for a while. Thank you for wrestling with God publicly and sharing your faith journey with such transparency.Erika Haubhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14840841506229777608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5942298247061510776.post-75983559713785131062008-11-30T21:15:00.000-06:002008-11-30T21:15:00.000-06:00Tyson- That is definately something we all needed...Tyson- That is definately something we all needed to hear. and remember everyday. Thank you. You really gave me some insight that I needed. I feel like I live by the concept of "everything happens for a reason." Maybe I should change that to "everything happens for His reason." It was so good to see you on Thanksgiving! and play ball with TJ. Man that kid almost slammed me in the face with the ball a few times. He is good! The talk you, me, and Kami had was really good. Your take on life amazes me all the time! I love you! P.S. I have always thought that one wonderful answer to prayer is that the whole ordeal Les went thru lasted less than a year! So many people are/have suffered for so much longer. I have been really thankful for that!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5942298247061510776.post-61033291025960082962008-11-26T13:14:00.000-06:002008-11-26T13:14:00.000-06:00Wow. I'm humbled by the truth in your words, by th...Wow. I'm humbled by the truth in your words, by the anointing poured out on you as you poured these thoughts out for us. I don't know you but I pray for you regularly and visit your blog continually for inspiration and renewal. Thank you for sharing such powerful, personal insights. May God continue to bless you and your son.Kelly O'Dell Stanleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04326558030573633652noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5942298247061510776.post-57973435223290586672008-11-26T10:01:00.000-06:002008-11-26T10:01:00.000-06:00Tyson, I really like this post. When we pray for G...Tyson, <BR/>I really like this post. When we pray for God to heal someone we love and he doesn't and he lets them die, it does cause us to feel that God ignored us or doesn't even care. Or if nobody was sick but they were killed in a freak accident, the same question arises does God even care? But if God's answer was heaven for that person, it is so hard for us to see that THAT was an answer to our prayers and in many ways incredibly merciful. All we can see right now is earthly treasure, but you are right, when God gives you a glimpse of what is beyond what we can see, we begin to find peace, answers, and we can let God be God b/c as Emily said it is just not about us. Its about HIM. I think once we learn this, we surrender and there is incredible freedom in that.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5942298247061510776.post-43989454494156980432008-11-26T09:19:00.000-06:002008-11-26T09:19:00.000-06:00Hi Tyson, I appreciate your "real" insights and th...Hi Tyson, I appreciate your "real" insights and the truth God is sharing through you. I have also experienced gut wrenching hurt - death, long term illness and more have caused me to ask the exact same questions you pose in this blog. You've summed up the answers that bring me peace. But I think as Christians there is one more thing - maybe the biggest thing - that we usually fail to consider until God has broken us completely. <B>It's that life isn't about us.</B> I have asked questions like "God, why are you doing this to ME?" "What is your purpose for MY life?" And amazingly - in His incredible grace - He actually does have a personal purpose and plan for me. But He also has much bigger things going on. He's at work in the world for the purpose of bringing HIMSELF glory. He saved me to bring HIMSELF glory. My testimony is supposed to point others to Him and make Him look good. I came to the point where I realized that even if the rest of my life was a horrible disappointment - one terrible thing after another - God has given me EVERYTHING (eternal hope, His presence, and so much more). How could I not surrender to any way in which He chooses to use me - even if it is brokenness and heartbreak?<BR/><BR/>My point is that when we pray God hears our prayers and unbelievably He gives us a personal answer out of His incredible love. But as much as He loves us, He is more concerned with His glory and His Kingdom than with our temporary happiness.<BR/><BR/>Ultimately, this knowledge brings me so much peace and allows me to let God be God. It takes the sting out of my pain because I see His bigger purposes.<BR/><BR/>And two years after the end of my battle I can say with confidence that He has redeemed it all!Emilyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03956775113562898353noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5942298247061510776.post-55931914925077142702008-11-26T00:01:00.000-06:002008-11-26T00:01:00.000-06:00Fantastic explanation. We were just discussing thi...Fantastic explanation. We were just discussing this very topic in bible study. Thank you for every word here! You always seem to have so much truth and knowledge to share. May God continue to bless you and TJ.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5942298247061510776.post-20442783296315451542008-11-25T22:42:00.000-06:002008-11-25T22:42:00.000-06:00These are marvelous reflections on the mystery of ...These are marvelous reflections on the mystery of prayer. I so admire the quality of your wrestling and agree with the first remark that you are birthing an important ministry in this space. I am presently not able to find like quality discussion in the context of a local church and (though I will always embrace the importance of corporate worship) I deeply appreciate being able to repair here to have my cup filled.<BR/><BR/>I love Oswald Chambers' treatment of Job in Baffled to Fight Better and will be very curious to check out the newer Job study you cite. You make an excellent discussion leader.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5942298247061510776.post-88341667231425989252008-11-25T21:04:00.000-06:002008-11-25T21:04:00.000-06:00A prayer based on scripture that I read last week ...A prayer based on scripture that I read last week and I pray for you today: "Lord God, help Tyson presently believe, then one day see, that his present sufferings cannot be compared to the glory that You will reveal in him (Rom 8:18)."Melindahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18239940690068453477noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5942298247061510776.post-49310754953805028512008-11-25T20:44:00.000-06:002008-11-25T20:44:00.000-06:00I've been praying more than usual lately, especial...I've been praying more than usual lately, especially for a little girl halfway across the country who is fighting leukemia. Like you, her parents are abiding and trusting in God's healing, whether that be here on Earth or in Heaven. We could all just say "why?" and fall into the depths of despair when such pain comes into our lives...or we can choose to trust and believe in the One who made us. Thanks for your words, your faith, and your willingness to share them with us.Beckyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13832780447403308087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5942298247061510776.post-5346740375192606992008-11-25T19:42:00.000-06:002008-11-25T19:42:00.000-06:00Your suffering has brought you to a place of under...Your suffering has brought you to a place of understanding and peace with God that many of us are yearning to accomplish. No one wants to think about pain and suffering as the love of God in our life, but when I see how he has delivered you and Leslie into His perfect plan, it really does make sense. Thank you for sharing with those of us who are just beginning this journey. May God continue to bless you with His undestanding so that you can be a light to others!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5942298247061510776.post-1440565871574478812008-11-25T16:07:00.000-06:002008-11-25T16:07:00.000-06:00Wow....that’s really profound. I came across your...Wow....that’s really profound. I came across your blog from “A Journeyman’s Catalog”. You have certainly been through a lot in the last year. I like your style – right to the point, to the heart of the issue. What a thought provoking response to a question I have often asked myself about prayer. Really profound stuff.<BR/><BR/>Several reactions to what you wrote:<BR/><BR/>"What is it that you REALLY want? What is it that you're REALLY praying for?"<BR/><BR/>I’m blown away by your ability to find truth in the midst of your circumstances. It seems like truth eludes us in times of great need because we are blinded by our pain and suffering. God seems silent as the droning sound of depression and loneliness leaves us feeling alone and isolated. But somehow you heard Him, you found him on your knees. Sometimes the most profound truth isn’t an answer but another question. What a great question that gets beyond our request to what God really cares about – our heart, the motivations of our heart. I will definitely begin to ask myself this question when I pray.<BR/><BR/>“Suffering is not something to be rescued from. Suffering is something to be endured.”<BR/><BR/>I have often prayed for healing. Perhaps I should pray for endurance. For me the issue of suffering get down to this: Does God ultimately have my best interest at heart? Is he 24/7 working all things together for my good or not? Has he really promised to finish the good work he’s started in me? If I can get the simple truth that God is fervently working on my behalf at all things with my best interest at heart then there’s no more questions for me. There’s no more why. There’s only faith. Either he is or he isn’t. Either he really loves me or he doesn’t. I either believe that or I don’t. If I embrace this truth, then nothing else matters. Suffering then is not a punishment but a practice. It is a means to persevere. Perseverance must complete it’s work so that I will be mature and complete, not lacking anything (James 1)<BR/><BR/>"Jesus didn't promise happiness, relief, easy living, answers to questions, or any of that stuff. He promised the cross. He promised, in fact, suffering."<BR/><BR/>I need to be reminded of this….<BR/><BR/>"So I will go on praying-- pouring out my heart to him as Job did. Asking God for what it is I want from Him... showing Him my heart's desires, and asking that He provide. But I will not confuse these desires for my hope. Just as God does not rely upon my prayers to go on being God, neither do I rely upon God's apparent answers to my prayers to go on abiding in faith in Him. But regardless of how He answers, this I have learned to be true: Without prayer, I will not know Him. THIS is why I pray."<BR/><BR/>Well said. Good stuff...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5942298247061510776.post-89662044977361684132008-11-25T15:52:00.000-06:002008-11-25T15:52:00.000-06:00You just summed up, so perfectly, the months and m...You just summed up, so perfectly, the months and months of Bible studying I've done on prayer! You definitely have a ministry here! Thank you for using your suffering to teach others! :)The Moser Fam...https://www.blogger.com/profile/17867866159081862076noreply@blogger.com