Q.  I often find myself in situations where people tell me that my words or my very presence is comforting for them. But when I begin to comfort them with words from Scripture…they completely shutdown. I have often found myself drained in such situations. Should I remain in such friendships/situations? 

A. This is a difficult situation to be in. Life is messy, and when we reach out to people, it often invites us into their struggles. Even though you might feel drained, you need to stick with it and encourage people in whatever way they’ll listen! Galatians 6:9 tells us, “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.” What I love about your question is that it speaks honestly about the difficulties of trying to minister to people. When a person’s response to our encouragement changes, maybe we need to change how we approach people! My favorite example in the Bible of ministering to a person, is Jesus’ example of ministering to Judas Iscariot. Jesus knew since He first asked Judas’ to follow Him, that he would eventually betray Him… so why would Jesus ask Judas to follow Him at all?! Simply put, it was because He loved him. Even if the people around us never choose to follow Jesus, we still need to model God’s love and pursue them, because we love them!- Pastor Justin; justin@217church.com

Q.  Is it ok to have a “refreshment holiday”. What I mean by this is time to yourself for spiritual refreshment? There are times I feel that I’m so tapped out.

A. Proverbs 6:6 says “Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise.”   Who is this verse addressing?  Lazy people?  Consider how hard the ant works. Do ants sleep? Yes. Ants have a regular rhythm of work and rest. We should have a regular rhythm of work and rest. So how d o we rest spiritually ? G ive up all spiritual things like prayer and reading God’s word?  No.  Spiritual refreshment should be a time when we take out all our other distractions and focus primarily on the care of our own soul. Yes it is OK to have a “refreshment holiday” where you can be alone with God and enjoy His presence, His lavish love for you for a prolonged period of time. But to keep us from bottoming out between our refreshment holidays, we should maintain a regular rhythm of time with Him. Divert Daily, Withdraw Weekly, and Abandon Annually – all for the purpose of seeking God’s renewal in our lives. – Pastor Bonnie; bgay@princetonalliance.org

Q. James 4 says, “Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin. James 4:13-17…please explain this.

A. “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” Jer 29:11-13 “In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths”.  Proverbs 3:6 says God desires a relationship with us and wants us to join H im in H is plan for H is people. Earlier in the chapter James is talking about submitting to God in our anger, our temptations and in what we say. Here, James is saying we need to turn our plans over to God on a daily basis. We should submit each day to God so that we can stay dependent on Him as we draw closer to hear Him.  It doesn’t mean we should not plan (Luke 14:28-33) but we should be careful that we don’t get too far ahead in our plans that we shut God out of what He wants to do with and through us in this season.- Pastor Dan; dan@217church.com

Q. How do I know what I am speaking is true? 

A. The first thing I need to ask to help answer your question is: “What are you saying?” If what you are saying is coming from scripture, then what you are saying is the truth. If what you’re saying is contradictory to scripture, then what you’re saying is not grounded in the absolute truth of the Bible. We live in an age where our world defines truth as something that is “relative” to us and our unique situations. So truth can be whatever I want it to be whenever I want it to be. That’s such a lie! Who am I to think that I can define what is ‘true’? Think about your own life for a moment. How long have you lived? What experiences have you gone through? How often have you put yourself before others? Tell me this, can we really define what is true when we are young (in the scope of all of eternity), we are only so experienced (when it comes to the volume of varying struggles people endure), and we primarily operate out of selfish ambition (rather than selfless activism)? Truth is outside of us. We do not define what is true, because what is true is bigger than us! God defines what is true, and He gives us the opportunity to live in the freedom of the truth! So please, think about what it is that you are saying! Where are the words coming from? What is your source? Are you the source, or is God the source? “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” – John 17:17.- Pastor Justin; justin @217church.com

Q.  How do you explain to someone that God doesn’t cause hardships to people such as when they lose some one close to them or they have a major disability when they question why did God do that to me?

A. Jeremiah 29:11 reminds us that God has a plan for each of us – not to harm us, but to give us a hope and a future.  In Genesis 50:19, Joseph is faced with a situation and reminds the opposition that he is in God’s hands. We are not exempt from the events of life no matter how severe. But we have a loving God who can make beautiful things out of what stems from sin and evil purposes.  Trust that He can bring something good from what appears to be harmful.  It’s not God doing that thing to you. But watch what God can do through you as a result of your trust in Him through whatever you are facing. Proverbs 23:18 & 19 says, “Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off. Hear, my son, and be wise, and direct your heart in the way.” We can blame God for our circumstance. Or we direct our heart (in the midst of our pain) to look to God who loves us most for His blessing and provision in the moment. – Pastor Bonnie; bgay@princetonalliance.org

Q. How do you keep on living when you see no purpose in your life anymore or your life doesn’t turn out the way it is supposed to? I pretty much feel that I am at the end of my rope.

A. In Psalm 77:11 & 12 the writer is wondering what happened. It seems that life has changed and God has abandoned him.  So he says, “I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds.”  In other words, look back – but only to remember what God has done, what He has already delivered you from, what is better in your life because of Him. If you’re a new follower of Christ and are having trouble recognizing God’s protection and provision in your life, remember 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away and behold the new has come.” Ask another Christian to tell you about God’s faithfulness in their life. Read the Bible and see what God does in the lives of those who trust Him. Ask Him to give you that same hope. Don’t give up. He will do the same for you. His promises are forever true.-  Pastor Bonnie; bgay@princetonalliance.org