Comments on: If you’re not suffering now, you will soon – - Preparation is so important http://www.chrisbrauns.com/2010/04/19/if-youre-not-suffering-now-you-will-soon-preparation-is-so-important/ The Web Site and Blog of Pastor Chris Brauns Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:03:54 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: “Have a theology of suffering before it befalls you, so that when it hits you land on solid ground” « A Brick in the Valley http://www.chrisbrauns.com/2010/04/19/if-youre-not-suffering-now-you-will-soon-preparation-is-so-important/comment-page-1/#comment-6019 “Have a theology of suffering before it befalls you, so that when it hits you land on solid ground” « A Brick in the Valley Sun, 25 Jul 2010 10:32:45 +0000 http://www.chrisbrauns.com/2010/04/19/if-youre-not-suffering-now-you-will-soon-preparation-is-so-important/#comment-6019 [...] also, D.A. Carson – - How can God allow suffering and evil in the world? and Piper, “When you hug those who are suffering, you need a place to [...] [...] also, D.A. Carson – – How can God allow suffering and evil in the world? and Piper, “When you hug those who are suffering, you need a place to [...]

]]> By: Paul http://www.chrisbrauns.com/2010/04/19/if-youre-not-suffering-now-you-will-soon-preparation-is-so-important/comment-page-1/#comment-4879 Paul Mon, 19 Apr 2010 20:21:34 +0000 http://www.chrisbrauns.com/2010/04/19/if-youre-not-suffering-now-you-will-soon-preparation-is-so-important/#comment-4879 17 years ago, my mother had an urgent medical condition that almost caused her death. My brother (not a believer) and I were faced with the possibility of agreeing to passive euthanasia, due to her extreme condition. At the time, I was fairly unfamiliar with it and had no idea what was the biblical thing to do when a person's vital organs were shutting down. I immediately picked up the phone in that Texas hotel lobby and called my dear friend, brother, and mentor in Michigan. He and I spoke for over an hour and he wept with me, prayed with me, and counseled me from Scripture on the possibilities of what may be best. Although I went away from that conversation in tears, I was fully grounded in what, for us, was the best thing to do given her condition. By God's grace, we did not have to make that call since my mother showed positive signs of recovering a few hours later. The point? I did not begin to think about calling my pastor when needing to talk because he'd not only <em>not</em> prepared me to suffer the possible loss of my mother, but had not prepared me to think deeply about life and death issues from a biblical view. Teach them well, Pastor Brauns, and may your sheep dial your number! 17 years ago, my mother had an urgent medical condition that almost caused her death. My brother (not a believer) and I were faced with the possibility of agreeing to passive euthanasia, due to her extreme condition. At the time, I was fairly unfamiliar with it and had no idea what was the biblical thing to do when a person’s vital organs were shutting down. I immediately picked up the phone in that Texas hotel lobby and called my dear friend, brother, and mentor in Michigan. He and I spoke for over an hour and he wept with me, prayed with me, and counseled me from Scripture on the possibilities of what may be best. Although I went away from that conversation in tears, I was fully grounded in what, for us, was the best thing to do given her condition. By God’s grace, we did not have to make that call since my mother showed positive signs of recovering a few hours later.

The point? I did not begin to think about calling my pastor when needing to talk because he’d not only not prepared me to suffer the possible loss of my mother, but had not prepared me to think deeply about life and death issues from a biblical view.

Teach them well, Pastor Brauns, and may your sheep dial your number!

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