Tension & TruthSample

THE DILEMMA

As a counsellor, I often hear the stories of people who are wrestling with ‘tensions & truths.’ The stories of processing the pain of life alongside the promises of God. The trauma alongside the truth. It’s complex, painful, and generally emotionally messy. So how do we manage these complexities? This reading plan aims to give you those tools. Processing handles to help you navigate complexities whilst gleaning from scripture wisdom. Plus we will lean in to learn from Paul the secret of being content in all circumstances.

Scripture is actually full of 'tension & truth' texts.

John 16:33 “I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

John 16:33 is a classic example of the tension & truth dilemma. It speaks directly to the complexity of life filled with troubles and traumas - aka the tension. Alongside, it brings a truth bomb of hope that we can hold onto as we process the complexities of life.

Another example is 2 Corinthians 4:16, which says, “That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are renewed daily.” When I was at bible college, a lecturer would tell us, students, that we were “slowly decaying before his eyes.” Such a comforting thought for a room full of twenty-somethings (insert sarcastic laugh.) I only began to realize the truth of that statement when I passed forty, and every past injury came back to say hello. My body is in the grip of death and decay, yet I don’t feel like I am aging. I feel young in my spirit whilst old in my body. Dilemma!

As you prepare for this reading plan, consider the tension spaces you have grappled with. Use the reflective questions below to help clarify the spaces you seek answers in.

REFLECTIVE QUESTIONS:

1. Consider some of the big questions of life you wrestle with.

• Love and Pain
• Grace and Suffering
• Healing and Death

2. What aspects of life do you struggle to align with the heart of a good God?

PRAY:

Lord, help me process life’s complexities with you honestly and truthfully. I pray you journey with me through this plan to find the secret of being content in all circumstances.