Unavoidable suffering is a condition of existence, a part of the mystery that shrouds every life. It is usually the result of broken attachments to those we love or the loss of something cherished.

His life was one of loss and poverty. These difficulties may have pushed his life along to make cruelty easier. There were other, more direct possible causes. He saw hypocrisy in his divorced father, who was a preacher. He also had “friends” who quickly blamed him for the wrongs they committed.

Preparation School was once again in the offing. Just two more weeks and Rhee would ride the school bus ten miles with other students.

Think of a hateful person. Maybe it’s your boss.

Matthew 6:12, 14-15 (NLT): “ 12 and forgive us our sins, AS we have forgiven those who sin against us.” 14 “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. 15 But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” “ 15 But if {they} refuse to forgive {me}, {our} Father will not forgive {their} sins.”

Yes, you failed. It ended badly for you. Bankruptcy, nervous breakdown, divorce, the loss of any relationship with your kids, or maybe a physical adventure that went sideways and ended in you getting to know the fine folks of your local hospital. Endless possibilities come to mind when it comes to the ways we can lose at life.

The many emotions of grief are usually compounded with guilt and regret for things said, things not said, or things done or not done. One often can't get beyond forgiving themselves or others who directly or indirectly affected the loss. This is not only a challenge for those who have lost a loved one to death, but results from many losses in life, such as divorce, foreclosure, relationships, finances and the like.

In the world we live in, people seem to be so beaten down by the everyday struggles of life. I have very few days when I don’t visit with someone who is burdened down and losing hope. Some seem to be so tired and weary. Psalm 46:1 (NKJV) tells us: “ 1 God is our refuge and strength. A very present help in trouble.”

Scissortail Hospice Chaplain Bristow, Oklahoma Children Children are precious gifts from God, and we need to remember them when the family is going through a tragic death. Children who are old enough to love are old enough to grieve.

The Depew Church of Christ recently hosted Lanny Tucker of Eastern European Missions, who shared many exciting stories about providing free Bibles in people’s heart languages with us, including this one: In May 2023, I had the privilege of traveling to Serbia to meet some of our ministry partners distributing Bibles. Drasko Djenovic, our Serbian co-worker guided us to meet nine ministry partners working for Christ in a culture where about 85% practice a very nominal Orthodox faith.