Foundations' Blog

Sometimes it’s hard to know what to say, what to do, and how to respond when confronted with challenges. Often our first instinct is to avoid them, ignore them, or pass them off to someone else to deal with them so that we will not take up our time or increase our stress. Oddly enough, this is how many churches and congregants respond to people with mental health struggles. We don’t know what to say or how to help. The struggles seem above and beyond our experience or expertise. We refer them to speak to someone else, give them trite answers, avoid them, or let them know we’ll pray for them and move on. These responses remind me of the parable of the Good Samaritan. 

In Luke 10:25-37, Jesus responds to the question by an expert in the law, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus answers by sharing a parable (30-35):

“A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened ...

Suffering is an unavoidable part of life. Everyone experiences it at some point—some more than others—and it can be challenging to make sense of it all. But what does the Bible say about suffering? How does it address our questions and offer comfort in times of need? Let’s explore how scripture speaks to our suffering and provides insight into why we experience hardship.

In Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, King Solomon reflects on the cyclical nature of life and states that “there is a time for everything – a time to be born, a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot...”

The Bible acknowledges that suffering exists and affirms that it is a natural byproduct of living in a fallen world. In Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, King Solomon reflects on the cyclical nature of life and states that “there is a time for everything – a time to be born, a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot...” The passage also mentions “a time to weep” and “a time to mourn”–both of which are integral parts o...