Hearing Jesus Speak Into Your Sorrow – Nancy Guthrie (1)

Far from giving a pump-you-up pep talk to reassure them, he seemed to be preparing them for the worst. “You will be handed over to the courts and will be flogged with whips in the synagogues,” he told them (verse 17). “When you are arrested, don’t worry about how to respond or what to say,” he instructed (verse 19). “All nations will hate you because you are my followers,” he predicted (verse 22). And then he said something that especially catches my attention.

Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill you. They can only kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell. I can’t help but want to say in response, “They can only kill my body? And this should be a relief to me?”

Jesus’ words reveal that there is something far more important to him than protecting us from physical harm. His agenda is Kingdom advancement. His cause may cost us our lives, and evidently he is okay with that. When I say he is okay with that, I don’t mean he is passive about it or applauds it. He cares deeply about what happens to us, and we need to hear him say that, too, in the very next verse: What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin?

But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows. There is something more important to Jesus than our bodily comfort and safety. Do you hear Jesus speaking to you in this, making sure you hear how valuable you are to him, how carefully and lovingly he knows you?

We can never think he is uncaring about the difficulties we face as we live in this world for him. But when we look at Jesus’ life and violent death, when we consider the lives and deaths of his disciples, and when we listen to what Jesus said over and over again about how we will receive rewards for enduring persecution for his sake, it becomes obvious that there is something more important to Jesus than our bodily comfort and safety. While he cares deeply about us and the physical pain we experience, he cares far more about our spiritual conditions.

He knows that these bodies of ours are wearing out and will die before the day comes when he raises them up and renews them. It’s our souls that he is most concerned about.

What a treasure of truth you have in your hands. Learn it for yourself, and God will use you to help others, even as Nancy does. The Word of God has the answers, and that is exactly where Nancy Guthrie, a woman acquainted with sorrow, takes us. If you let Nancy take you by the hand, lead you where she has been, share with you truth that never changes, and cry, “Heal me, O Lord” (Jeremiah 17:14), you will find yourself “hearing Jesus speak into your sorrow” .

. . and there you will find healing. KAY ARTHUR, co-CEO of Precept Ministries International My friend Nancy Guthrie has experienced two of the most profound losses that a human heart should ever have to bear, but out of her valley, she’s heard his words. Really heard. And she wants to share what she’s heard with you. This is no theoretical treatise but a compelling book hammered out on the anvil of a mom’s heart.

You will benefit from hearing these words too! DENNIS RAINEY, president of FamilyLife and host of FamilyLife Today A mutual friend introduced me to Nancy Guthrie as I was going through a personal crisis of my own. My friend felt certain I would draw strength and hope from hearing how Nancy and her husband, David, were coping with devastating loss. He was so right. She spoke to me where I was living, inspiring me to keep pressing on in spite of my pain.

Nancy’s style is straightforward, raw, and yet full of faith. This book is for all those who find themselves unable to sleep in the middle of the night due to an ache in their souls. She takes us even further into the existential question most of us ask when we’re hurting: Does Jesus really know what it’s like to have a broken heart? This is a book I’ll refer to and recommend often to those struggling with unanswered questions about suffering. KAY WARREN, executive director of HIV/AIDS Initiative, Saddleback Church From a crucible of personal tragedy, Nancy Guthrie confronts deep, disturbing questions with unflinching candor.

Never content with the usual answers, she digs and digs, for her own soul and ours. Her authentic message of hope challenges and nourishes both mind and heart. HAROLD MYRA, former executive chairman of Christianity Today International and author of One Extraordinary Day Nancy Guthrie invites us to join her on her journey of grief and loss as she seeks a deeper understanding of Jesus through her pain.

This is a short excerpt from the opening of “” by Unknown, quoted for review and introduction purposes. All rights belong to the copyright holders.

Book Information

• Unique ID: 56491f00fb7426fe
• File Extension: .pdf
• File Size: 881,497 bytes (0.841 MB)
• Title: –
• Author: Unknown
• ISBN: 9781414325484
• Pages: 149
• Language: English (en)

Reading & Word Statistics

• Estimated Reading Time: 195.97 minutes
• Total Words: 39,193
• Total Characters: 211,707
• Average Words per Page: 263.04
• Average Characters per Page: 1420.85

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