"I would be silent and die": How Integrity Shapes Life's Toughest Trials

 A preview of February's email-only article.

Engin Akyurt

LIFE HAS A way of beating us down at times, doesn't it?

When events don't transpire as they should and when life seems unfair, the temptation to give up our integrity can be tantalizing. Life hasn't been good to me, so why should I continue to do what is good and right?

Such a response, while common, is short-sighted.

In this month's email-exclusive article, we're continuing our examination of Job. We ponder how in the world he was able to hold fast to his integrity when he had seemingly no reason to do so.

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EVERYONE FACES ADVERSITY. If you're not in the throes of suffering at the moment, you'll have your day soon. Encouraging, right?

Of course, some—seemingly at random—experience a disproportionate amount of tragedy, but no matter who you are, adversity lies waiting. Such is the result of living in a fallen world. In writing these words, I do not mean to discourage or depress you. I'd rather  pretend nothing bad will ever happen. But ignorance in this case is not the proverbial bliss. Instead, armed with the knowledge that grief might be en route, we can steel ourselves for the coming storm.

"How?" You might ask.

While we've dissected nearly every angle of Job's story, he says something interesting in chapter 13—a subtle phrase but one worth examining.

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Keeping the Faith: How to Find Strength When You Run out of Answers

No matter how studied, you will eventually run out of answers.

Greg Rakozy

 

BEARING THE IMAGE of God has its perks.

We are capable of creativity, one of the Almighty's key traits. In the history of humanity, God first appears as creator, materializing the universe with mere words. When you read a novel, watch a thrilling film, or explore some architectural marvel, you enjoy the product of creativity.

Language is another differentiator among created beings. You're reading a message which is an encoding from your past (my present) containing my thoughts. As you read these words, your mind decodes them to derive meaning. It's an incredible transaction and a talent we share with our creator.

A third perk (among others) is our ability to reason and think in the abstract. God has granted us the gift of intellect. We can consider alternate realities, we can reverse engineer, and we can understand cause and effect.

And yet, as smart as we may think we have become, this third perk can also manifest as a curse.

The Unparalleled Gift of Gray Hair

A preview of August's email-only article.

Tim Mossholder

WHEN YOU PONDER growing old, you might not be inclined to celebrate.

Instead you might feel anxious or despondent. Perhaps we can chalk up these common responses to the premium our society places on youth.

But old age, King Solomon argued, is a precious gift.

In this month's email-exclusive article, we'll examine Solomon's words on turning gray and why old age is actually good news.

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SOCIETY WON'T JUDGE you for feeling despondent upon noticing your first gray hair. In the 21st century, such an event might as well come with a death sentence because that follicle change signals the beginning of the end.

GQ calls your first gray a "somewhat sobering milestone." Allure compares white hair to "an unwelcome house guest." Both outlets then proceed to offer advice on how to handle the distressing new revelation.

Why the despondency? It's not so much the gray itself but what it signals: the descent to 4:00 PM dinner buffets, copious physician appointments, and telling the same stories to the same people.

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What I Read in 2023: 3 Books You Might Also Enjoy

 Three of my favorite books from 2023, plus I'm giving one of them away!

Update, 6/18/24: Congrats to Sara from Newfoundland for winning the giveaway!

Dan Dimitriu

WITH AN EVER-GROWING TBR list, I came to the sobering realization recently that I will never be able to read all of those books before I die, even if I never added another one to the list. At least, not at my current pace.

The past twelve months have seemed especially devoid of leisure time due to various professional and personal commitments. Nevertheless I still managed to finish eight books in 2023. Here are three I think you will enjoy.

How the Wise Respond to God's Wrath

 A preview of February's email-only article.

Ben White

DO YOU EVER think about the wrath of God?

I know our heavenly father's final judgment is everyone's favorite pastime, but those who are wise do not shy away from the subject.

In this month's email-exclusive article, we'll examine Proverbs 16:14, its spiritual applications, and why God desires repentance, not penance.

Every month I publish an exclusive article for my email subscribers, and if you'd like instant, free access, fill out the form below. (If you are already a subscriber, check your inbox!)

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I LOVE THE multidimensionality of advice offered in the book of Proverbs. On the one hand the book provides practical guidance for life with passages like, "The slacker does not plow in season; at harvest time he looks, but nothing is there" (20:4, BSB). And on the other hand Proverbs pours out spiritual salves in verses such as "Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life" (4:23). 

Often, you get both levels of insight within the same verse. 

Proverbs 16:14 is a good example: "A king’s wrath is a messenger of death, and a wise man will appease it." The verse may not seem too practical since we do not answer to kings. Nevertheless we all have authority figures in our lives--bosses and teachers to name a couple--who have the power to impact our lives. Their wrath may not bring about death in a literal sense, but a termination or failed course can ruin one's livelihood. As a result, we would do well to prevent, if possible, their ire and, if not possible, to appease it.

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