Faith, Doubt, and God's Mysterious Timing

Polich Short Laurie

Description

When God's Plan Is UnclearWhat in the world is God doing? It's easy to wonder this. We are living in an unfolding story, and it's hard to hold on when difficult circumstances linger, or your deepest prayer hangs in the air, seemingly unanswered. Thankfully the Bible is filled with people who experienced the same thing. They had to learn to trust God's way and timing--and their stories give us insights to live that way too.Mining often-overlooked passages of Scripture, Laurie Polich Short has unearthed 30 practical, encouraging gems of wisdom found in the faith and lives of biblical heroes to help you · see more of God's work as it unfolds in your life· have hope in circumstances that previously felt hopeless· be more comfortable--and possibly even excited--to lean into the unknownHere is your compass to living your story well when the way forward is unclear."Why, God? What are you doing, God? Questions at the crossroads of faith and doubt can lead us to dead ends or to new vistas. Laurie's brilliant, biblical insights will help you see the map from God's mysterious perspective."--JOHN BURKE, New York Times bestselling author of Imagine Heaven

Sujets

• Philosophie et théologie

Informations

• Publié par: Baker Publishing Group
• Date de parution: 31 janvier 2023
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781493440771
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Endorsements
“ Why, God? What are you doing, God? Questions at the crossroads of faith and doubt can lead us to dead ends or to new vistas. Laurie’s brilliant, biblical insights will help you see the map from God’s mysterious perspective—a must read for following Jesus, especially when life’s hard!”
John Burke, New York Times bestselling author of Imagine Heaven
“As someone who struggled with their faith for years, I know what it’s like to doubt and question God. Laurie Short’s writing is covered in grace and patience, inspiring the reader to fall back in love with their Creator. I wish I had this book years ago. The trajectory of my life would have been quite different.”
Zach Windahl, author of The Bible Study
“In the desperation that comes with the dark night of the soul, it can be tempting to grab a biblical passage and hold on to it without fully understanding the context. The gift that Laurie gives us with her study and insight is to help open us up to the unique ways in which God may be speaking to us. Her lovely combination of heart and head speaks to all of us in ways that help us see the light.”
Nancy Ortberg, CEO, Tranforming the Bay with Christ
“Over the many years I have known Laurie Polich Short, she has always been such an honest realist about faith and life. Her voice here about faith and doubt rings with that same vigorous searching, and practical help.”
Mark Labberton, president, Fuller Theological Seminary
“As personal and cultural brokenness continue to overwhelm us, thousands of self-help books are flying onto the shelves for our supposed rescue. Maybe we need less self-help and more help understanding where our help is coming from. This book could not have come at a better time for our own personal walks, and the real rescue that our culture and society are desperately searching for.”
Chris Brown, lead pastor, North Coast Church
“Does the Bible ever feel irrelevant? Do you wonder what God is doing when your life feels like it is falling apart? If so, you will be so encouraged by Laurie Short’s new book. It will lead you to a greater understanding of the ways God works and an assurance that He is trustworthy no matter what we face.”
Becky Keife, author of The Simple Difference and No Better Mom for the Job
“Waiting is hard. Especially in our instant American culture. Faith, Doubt, and God’s Mysterious Timing will provide you with an eternal perspective, remind you of the character of God, and enable you to embrace the mystery that is following Jesus in our broken world. I cannot endorse this book highly enough!”
Gary L. Gaddini, director, Unify
“If you yearn for more awareness of how Scripture speaks into our everyday realities, then let my dear friend Laurie Short listen with you. She hears God’s voice in the text and invites all of us to trust that God is working even when we cannot see it.”
Holly Beers, associate professor of religious studies, Westmont College; author of A Week in the Life of a Greco-Roman Woman
“Laurie Short has a way . . . a way of noticing, capturing, distilling, and telling the big story of faith that brings light into the room. When I hear her speak, I am drawn to the One she is describing. When I read her words, I find myself saying, ‘Yes, that is it. God is like that!’ She has a way of helping us faithfully hold the complexities of mystery.”
Scott Lisea, campus pastor, Westmont Church
“Laurie Polich Short is one of the most authentic, insightful, and inspiring people I know. This book will bring you hope and wisdom. Laurie is an incredible communicator, and I found biblical help on every page. I highly recommend it.”
Jim Burns, PhD, president, HomeWord; author of Doing Life with Your Adult Children and Finding Joy in the Empty Nest
“If you feel the challenge of connecting your faith journey with life’s journey that leads you through the unpredictable or unexpected, then Laurie’s words will serve as a guide to hope. Laurie has this amazing ability to help us find connection to and comfort in the One who holds the future in His hands and our hearts close to His.”
Helen Musick, teacher, pastor, and author
Half Title Page
Books by Laurie Polich Short
40 Verses to Ignite Your Faith
Faith, Doubt, and God’s Mysterious Timing
Finding Faith in the Dark
Grace-Filled Stepparenting
When Changing Nothing Changes Everything
Title Page
Copyright Page
© 2023 by Laurie Polich Short
Published by Bethany House Publishers
Minneapolis, Minnesota
www.bethanyhouse.com
Bethany House Publishers is a division of
Baker Publishing Group, Grand Rapids, Michigan
www.bakerpublishinggroup.com
Ebook edition created 2023
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy, recording—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
ISBN 978-1-4934-4077-1
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations labeled ESV are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2016
Scripture quotations labeled NASB are from the New American Standard Bible® (NASB), copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.Lockman.org
Scripture quotations labeled NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Cover design by Rob Williams, InsideOut Creative Arts, Inc.
The author is represented by WordServe Literary Group, www.wordserveliterary.com.
Baker Publishing Group publications use paper produced from sustainable forestry practices and post-consumer waste whenever possible.
Dedication
To those who walk in the dark, who have no light, trust in the name of the Lord and rely on your God.
Contents
Cover
Endorsements 1
Half Title Page 3
Books by Laurie Polich Short 4
Title Page 5
Copyright Page 6
Dedication 7
Introduction 11
1. More Is Happening Than You Can See 15
Job 42: A Broader View Clarifies Your Present View
Genesis 50: Your Perspective Changes with Time
Matthew 1: God Is Seen in the Details
2. Time Is Never Lost 31
Exodus 2: Waits Are for a Purpose
Genesis 17: Our Clocks Make Room for Miracles
Acts 16 and Philippians 1: Things Line Up beyond Our Scope
3. Forcing Your Way Can Complicate Your Life 47
Genesis 32: What You Do Comes Back to You
1 Samuel 15: Compromise Is a Subtle Detour
2 Samuel 11 and Psalm 51: Wrong Turns Can Become Your Testimony
4. Your Little Leads to God’s Big 63
Ruth 1: A Small Path Can Lead to a Big Path
1 Samuel 25: A Step of Faith Can Change Destiny
John 6: What You Have Is All God Needs
5. Guidance Comes from Behind 79
Genesis 35: Go Back to Where God Met You
Exodus 16: What You Remember Will Guide Your Faith
Luke 24: Answers Are Revealed by Looking Back
6. Holding On May Mean Letting Go 97
Genesis 33: You Have to Let Go to Embrace What’s Yours
1 Kings 19: You Need to Leave Room for How God Shows Up
John 2: You May Have to Act before You See
7. God Is in the Hard 115
Genesis 16, 21: Sometimes We’re Led Where We Don’t Want to Go
Job 2: God’s Affirmation Isn’t Measured by Circumstances
John 21: Difficulty Brings a Mature Faith
8. When in Doubt, Look at Jesus 133
Matthew 8: God Is Peaceful in Your Crisis
Mark 2: God Acts Unpredictably in Your Need
Luke 8: God’s Agenda Is Different from Yours
9. Find Your Compass in Community 149
Numbers 13 vs. Acts 2: The Company You Keep Can Determine Your Destiny
Matthew 27 vs. 2 Samuel 12: Listening to Truth Guards Your Heart
Exodus 17 vs. Acts 4: Faith Is Strengthened by Holding Your Stories
10. Your Faith Is Part of a Bigger Story 167
Hebrews 11:1–11: The Timeline Is Longer Than Life
Hebrews 11:13–22: Resolution Is Seen from a Distance
Hebrews 11:32–12:1: Our Stories Are Connected
Acknowledgments 183
About the Author 185
Back Ad 187
Back Cover 188
Introduction
Wonder what in the world God is doing? You’re in good company.
FAITH IS DEFINED as “confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1). A paraphrase might be: We can’t see what God is doing, but we can absolutely trust what is happening outside our view. No wonder our faith can wane. It’s hard to hold on when our deepest prayer hangs in the air, seemingly unanswered. Or when circumstances we desperately wish would change instead drag on, with no end in sight.
Thankfully the Bible is full of people who experienced the same thing.
In their stories, we find our own stories. May some of the overlooked details in their stories bring encouragement to your soul. I started this exploration in my book 40 Verses to Ignite Your Faith and found that many people were encouraged by verses they hadn’t previously noticed. In this book, I will uncover more unnoticed verses in people’s stories and make observations about the way God works that can help us hold on to our faith.
Because we have the advantage of reading these Bible stories years after they were lived, you will see how some stories continued to evolve after the people’s lifetimes. But we will primarily look at how things evolved during their lifetimes—to help us suspend judgment on what is happening until more of the big picture becomes clear. Time can change the story.
For instance, Ruth accompanied her mother-in-law in her grief and ended up in Jesus’s gen