A number of years ago, a follower of my blog left this comment: How do you personally reconcile the two thoughts — embracing trials and praying God’s deliverance? I grew up in a church that strongly teaches pain and suffering are to be endured – almost to martyrdom, as some sort of penance, even as a way of offering a prayer up for others (i.e. if I have brain cancer I should just suffer and … [Read more...]