Tim Challies

Emerging From Our Trials Unscathed

It’s undoubtedly one of the most-told and best-loved stories in the entire Old Testament. It has all the hallmarks of a great tale—heroes and villains and peril and deliverance. It tells of faithful young men who faced unjust persecution, faithful young men who were sentenced to die a horrific death—to be consumed by flames in a fiery furnace. Yet it also tells how they were unexpectedly and miraculously delivered; how, though they were thrown into the flames bound hand and foot, they walked out of their own accord; how, though they were surrounded by a superheated fire, they emerged unscathed. Because Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego honored God in life, they were preserved from death.

One of the details never fails to fascinate. After they came out from the flames, the people nearby observed that “the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them.” These men passed through the fire of the furnace without a single hair being singed, without a single thread being scorched, without as much as a whiff of the smell of smoke sticking to them. They came from the flames just as they had gone into the flames—without the least trace of harm.
And this strikes me as a lovely illustration of the way God expects us to pass through trials of our own, whether that trial comes in the form of persecution or betrayal or illness or bereavement. We are to pass through our trials unscathed by them all, unsullied and unharmed. We will not be unchanged, of course, and neither should we be. We will not be unimpacted, for our trials are not nothing—they are real and meaningful and make themselves known to body, mind, and soul. We are after all, humans, not robots and Christians, not stoics.
But our trials should make us better, not worse. They should strengthen our character, not diminish it. They should grow our virtues, and amplify our Godward desires, and more prominently display the fruit of the Spirit. We may emerge from them with broken bodies and broken hearts, but should never emerge from them with broken vows, broken honor, broken character.
To the contrary, we should emerge from our trials with deeper joy (even if also with deeper sorrows), with greater love (even if also with a deeper understanding of evil). Our trials should make us more patient and loving, more kind and godly, more loving toward God and more eager to love our fellow man. All that we endure should not just make us long for heaven, but give us the character of heaven, and not just make us long to see the face of Christ but to imitate the virtues of Christ.
And this is possible. This is possible because the One who was with those young men in their trial is with us in ours. The One who spoke to them speaks to us and the One who comforted them comforts us. As he was in the furnace of their affliction, we can be certain that he will be in ours as well.
Those young men passed through the fiery furnace without picking up the bitter smell of smoke. And just so, we are to pass through every trial without picking up any trace of bitterness, without surrendering our joy, without charging God with even the least wrong.

A La Carte (September 19)

I wanted to remind you, in case you missed it on the weekend, that ChristianBook.com has Seasons of Sorrow marked down by 40%.

Today’s Kindle deals include a number of commentaries published by Crossway.
(Yesterday on the blog: Not a Matter of Pitch or Tone)
All Souls Tribute to Queen Elizabeth II (1926-2022)
This is a fitting tribute to the Queen on the day of her funeral.
Will You Be Good at Your Thing Today?
Here’s a good question: Will you be good at your thing today, whatever your thing is?
Why Difficult Conversations Are Getting More Difficult
“In this climate, to have what we may call a difficult conversation – where someone is challenged about their beliefs, choices, or actions – feels as if it is going to be majorly problematic.”
The Gospel of Cancel Culture
“‘Cancel culture’ is a recent social phenomenon. The term was first used in 2016 and it describes the increasingly popular practice of publicly rejecting, boycotting or withdrawing support for (‘cancelling’) particular people or groups because of their unacceptable social or moral views and actions.”
Student Debt and the Great Commission
“Much ink has been spilled in recent weeks over the US government plan to cancel (or reshuffle the responsibility of) some students’ educational debt. Whatever you may think of the proposal, here is one thing I know: Student debt is one of the greatest barriers to getting young people to the mission field.” Lisa LaGeorge explains.
When We Pray | Citizens
This is nice new song by Citizens.
Flashback: The Order and Causes of Salvation and Damnation: An Infographic
Whatever you do, linger. Bunyan has a lot to teach us through this infographic.

The highest honour in heaven will be the reward of the greatest humility on earth. —Matthew Henry

Not a Matter of Pitch or Tone

God commands us to sing. Yet while some of God’s people are gifted singers, the plain fact is that others are not. In any congregation it’s likely that some have near-perfect pitch while others are functionally tone-deaf. Those who struggle to sing may be self-conscious, tempted to stay quiet or to do no more than mumble along. Should they? Not at all, for singing is a matter of the heart before it is a matter of pitch or tone.

In Ephesians 5:18-19 Paul writes, “Be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart.” What matters far more than the sound that comes out of the mouth is the posture of the heart. There is more beauty in an off-pitch voice that is the outpouring of a submissive heart than in a perfectly pitched voice that is the outpouring of a rebellious heart.
Though few Christians have voices that are truly professional, every Christian has a voice that can be confessional—that confesses and publicly professes the great truths of the Christian faith. Jonathan Leeman says rightly that “the most beautiful instrument in any Christian service is the sound of the congregation singing.”

(This little devotional is drawn from my book Knowing and Enjoying God)

Weekend A La Carte (September 17)

I am going to be offering period reminders that, if you’ve read and appreciated Seasons of Sorrow, leaving a review (or even a simple star rating) at Amazon will take just a few seconds and be a big help.

There are a few new Kindle deals today.
(Yesterday on the blog: Turnaround)
We Are Not Disposable
This is such a good and important article from Samuel James’ Substack (which is well worth a subscription). “I’ve written before about Facebook, and how the Facebook of my freshman year of college seems almost like a dream that I had one time. The idea of a website whose only ethic was friendship and only currency was neighborliness seems too ridiculous now to say out loud. But that was really how it was back then.”
Preaching a Funeral of a Nonbeliever (Video)
Hershael York has some wise counsel on how pastors should approach preaching the funerals of nonbelievers.
Shia LaBeouf and the Church as Sales Pitch
“In preparing for the lead role in a movie about Padre Pio (an Italian Franciscan friar later canonized as a saint), the actor Shia LaBeouf, best known for Transformers, lived for a time in a monastery, submitted to several spiritual mentors, and then converted to Catholicism.” Trevin Wax considers a couple of his comments from a recent interview.
Who’s More Sinful: Men or Women?
You probably know the answer to the question: neither. But John Piper’s answer covers quite a lot of interesting territory and is worth reading.
Is the Future of Christian Music on TikTok?
Is the future of Christian music on TikTok? It’s quite possible as CT shows in this recent article.
The Deadly Disease of Pornography (Video)
YouTube’s algorithm saw fit to suggest this interview with Carl Trueman and I’m glad it did.
Flashback: The Ministry of Presence
The ministry of presence is the ministry of being there—of simply gathering with the church on Sunday. This may seem like a little thing, but it matters. It matters a lot.

The Scriptures teach us the best way of living, the noblest way of suffering, and the most comfortable way of dying. —John Flavel

Turnaround

There are a lot of people in the world who are in positions of leadership, but there are not a lot of true leaders. There are many people who achieve positions of prominence, but few who can back up that position with the ability to lead. And though the shelves of bookstores are groaning under the weight of all the books dedicated to the topic, and though they seem to sell in such vast quantities, still few of us can say we are being led well.

New to those shelves—the shelves, at least, of stores that sell Christian books—is Jason Allen’s Turnaround. For the past 10 years, since he was 35 years old, Allen has been the president of Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He took on the position at a time when the seminary was in grave peril—it was mired in controversy, burdened with debt, and financially upside-down. Its campus facilities were in a state of disrepair and its faculty undistinguished. Little wonder, then, that there was talk of closing it down.
Today, though, MBTS is a thriving and world-class institution that is financially solvent, that has strong campus morale, that features some lovely new buildings, and that is the envy of many other seminaries. Under Allen’s leadership and through God’s kind providence it has experienced a significant turnaround.
That turnaround forms the narrative thread that is the basis of Allen’s book. “This book,” he says, “turns conventional leadership wisdom on its head. I am not a leadership expert hocking new insights or new approaches, nor do I plan to sell you a never-ending stream of leadership resources. In fact, I’ll make another confession: if you’re looking for a leadership guru, you’ve come to the wrong place.”
Faithful leadership is actually simple, he insists. That’s not to say it’s easy. But it is foundationally simple. Leadership, he argues, “is largely intuitive, commonsensical, and yes, spiritual in nature.” That intuitive, common-sense, spiritual kind of leadership is described in the book’s ten chapters. In the first he describes the importance of knowing your specific context and in the second the significance of strong convictions. From there he moves to defining mission and pursuing vision. He shows how leaders must cultivate trustworthiness, cherish the teams they put in place, and insist on accountability for themselves and others. He writes about stewarding money well, communicating clearly, and fostering just the right kind of culture. He continually uses the turnaround at Midwestern as an illustration of these principles in action.
I have long observed that some of the most effective books are those that describe principles through the lens of narrative, and in this book Allen does that with great effectiveness. He illustrates 10 essential principles and practices in the remarkable story of an institutions’s transformation. It is interesting, it is helpful, and it is challenging—challenging to anyone who is in a position of leadership, whether in home, in church, in business, or anywhere else. I am glad to recommend it.

Buy from Amazon

A La Carte (September 16)

I’ve just been told that Christianbook.com is discounting Seasons of Sorrow to $14.99 for the next few days. That’s a great price for those who have been waiting for a discount.

Over at Westminster Books you’ll find a sale on favorite titles by P&R Publications. There’s lots to choose from at between 40% and 45% off.
Technological Fundamentalism: Faith In The Digital Age
“None of us can imagine a world without smartphones, streaming services, and social media. Even though this digital trinity is less than 20 years old we all believe our lives are more ‘meaningful, bright, lively, centralised, and fast,’ because of it. And, as [Wendell] Berry says: ‘thanks only to more purchasable products,’ the future, ‘is going to be even better.’”
Missionary Job Description: Feel Awkward
I enjoyed this reflection on awkwardness and the missionary life. “Shortly before we launched as missionaries to India, I was gifted a book. The title was something like Home at Last. This book disturbed me.”
Ask TGC: Do Parents Have Rights That Protect Against Transgender Ideology?
Joe Carter answers an important (US-centric) question on parental rights.
Parenting Adult Children
Here are a few lessons on parenting adult children.
Pastors Teach
“We want the kind of man who will hardly stop teaching, even if you put a gun to his head. As he learns, he wants to teach. As he studies, he thinks about teaching. He breathes teaching. We might say he’s a teacher at heart. He loves to teach, with all the planning and discipline and patience and energy and exposure to criticism that good teaching requires.”
Who Wants to Play?
This is a very interesting reflection on work and play.
Flashback: What Not To Say at the Beginning of a Worship Service
If we’ve got just 75 or 90 minutes a week to accomplish all that corporate worship can and should accomplish, we can’t afford to waste a minute.

Just as surely as night follows day, authentic disciples follow Jesus Christ. —Steven Lawson

A La Carte (September 15)

I have done a couple of interviews in the past days and wanted to link to them: Equipped with Chris Brooks on Moody Radio; and No Lasting City podcast.

Today’s Kindle deals include a very long list of works, many of them academic.
(Yesterday on the blog: A Conversation with Alistair Begg & Bob Lepine)
The Fight of My Life (Listener Discretion Advised)
The Fight of My Life is a tragic yet well-written, well-produced, and immersive “podcast experience that journeys with Ruby, through the hell of an online sex trafficking den and out again to the light of justice, healing and restoration.” It is difficult to listen to, yet tells a story that is shockingly common. Though it is written with appropriate discretion, it deals with a difficult topic, so listener discretion is advised.
A Prayer for the Smartphone Hooked Christian
Eddie Ssemakula’s prayer could probably speak for just about any of us.
Judge Not
Kevin DeYoung: “It is not uncommon to meet people who seem to know only three verses from the Bible: ‘Judge not’ (Matt. 7:1), ‘God is love’ (1 John 4:16), and ‘Let him who is without sin . . . be the first to throw a stone’ (John 8:7). These people—professing Christians or not—are not really interested in understanding the Bible on its own terms. They are happy to sloganize the Scriptures if it suits their purposes.”
The Need for Confession in a “Copy” and “Edit” Age
“God, in His infinite wisdom, has made transparency and confession a necessary component of spiritual health. If we are to grow in Christ, then we must allow someone, or a few someones, to see beyond the cropped and edited version of ourselves.”
On Losing Consciousness In Public
Seth’s old habit of suddenly losing consciousness in public has him thinking about other matters.
We Remain Stagnant Under Unrepentance
“My friend wounded me again. As he perused my recent Facebook posts, I sank in my chair. Post after post was harsh, antagonizing, and self-aggrandizing. I wrote and spoke as though I was an authority figure on any and every topic I engaged with on my page. He graciously called me to repentance as we sipped hot coffee in his loft apartment.”
Flashback: The Ministry of Being a Little Bit Further Along
The great majority of the help people need as they navigate life’s trials, the great bulk of the counsel people seek as they encounter life’s questions, does not require the input of experts, but merely the attention of someone who knows God and who knows his Word.

It is easier to build temples than to be temples to God. —Matthew Henry

A Conversation with Alistair Begg & Bob Lepine

Last week I participated in a launch event for Seasons of Sorrow that took place just prior to the Getty Music Sing! Conference. I was blessed to have Alistair Begg and Bob Lepine participate in a discussion, then to have CityAlight and Sandra McCracken debut the song inspired by the book, “In the Valley (Bless the Lord).” Overall I though the entire event went very well and I appreciated receiving quite a lot of kind feedback afterward.

The good people at Getty Music were kind enough to record the event and to then make it available to us. Alistair Begg’s Truth for Life is hosting the media and we wanted to share it with you today in the hope that it will benefit you. You’ll find that it unfolds like this: It begins with the trailer for my book, than with me reading an excerpt. Alistair and Bob join me for a discussion about sorrow and suffering, and then CityAlight and Sandra McCracken lead “In the Valley (Bless the Lord).”
You can watch it or listen to it at Truth for Life. (Note the little “Listen / Watch” switch above the player to toggle between audio and video.)
You can also watch it on YouTube, but please note that this version does not include the performance of “In the Valley (Bless the Lord).”
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You can listen to the studio version of the song “In the Valley (Bless the Lord)” at YouTube. It will be available on Apple Music, Spotify, and so on in the next few days.
Finally, you can learn more about the book and find links to purchase it right here.

A La Carte (September 14)

Thanks for all the kind feedback on yesterday’s launch of Seasons of Sorrow. As you read it, please consider leaving a review at Amazon.

Westminster Books has deals on some new and noteworthy books.
(Yesterday on the blog: A New Song: In the Valley (Bless the Lord))
An Insight Into Influencers
“Who are the most influential people in the lives of teenagers? Most of the potential answers to that question probably haven’t changed much across centuries and cultures: parents, siblings, wider family, friends and educators. But now, in the 21st century, we have to add to that list YouTubers and social media content creators.”
Did Jesus Send Us Looking for ‘Persons of Peace’?
You’ve probably heard of the missions strategy of seeking out a “person of peace.” This article explains why this isn’t necessary.
Let’s Make Sure We Are Preaching The Gospel Of Grace Not A Gospel Of Works
This is important: “In the immediate aftermath of her death, it is inevitable and right that we celebrate her life. A degree of hagiographic overstatement is to be expected as we pay our respects. However, as gospel ministers, we need to be careful that, at this very moment at which the Christian faith and its fruits are in the public eye, we do not inadvertently create the impression that the Christian faith is a works religion, with eternal life secured by a good life of sacrificial service.”
How to have an Elders’s Retreat
Clint Humfrey: “If you’re a pastor, have you thought of having a retreat day with your elders? Likely it’s because you see the need to develop camaraderie, common vision, and to simply take a step back from the ministry of the church and evaluate together. For all of these reasons, a retreat can be a good idea. Here are six suggestions for putting on an elders retreat.”
Everyone Is Guilty, but Anyone Can Be Pardoned
“If a man kills another man, and neither of them put their trust in Jesus, how is it just that they both end up in Hell? It makes sense that the murderer is punished. The victim, however, was unjustly killed. Why should he be punished, as well?” This article answers well.
What Does “Vanity” Mean in Ecclesiastes?
This is quite an interesting take on some possible meanings for the “vanity” of Ecclesiastes.
Flashback: 7 Books To Help You Understand the Times
A new worldview based around a very particular conception of social justice is quickly gaining traction. Traditional understandings of sex and gender are being overthrown. New words and new ideas have suddenly sprung into our common parlance.

The lowest laborer who has grace and fears God, is a nobler being in the eyes of his Creator than the King, ruler, or statesman, whose first aim it is to please the people. —J.C. Ryle

A New Song: In the Valley (Bless the Lord)

My book Seasons of Sorrow: The Pain of Loss and the Comfort of God is now available. And so, too, is the song that was inspired by it. “In the Valley (Bless the Lord)” was written by CityAlight and features Sandra McCracken. It is (or soon will be) available wherever good music is sold or streamed. You can listen to it on YouTube right here and right now:

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Song Story
Some time ago, the songwriters for CityAlight reached out to ask if I would like to collaborate on a song. Intrigued by the idea, I suggested they read the manuscript for Seasons of Sorrow to see if it might inspire a song. My great wish, I told them, is that it would be a song suitable for congregational singing. Over the months that followed we did some back-and-forth and the result is a lovely song titled “In the Valley (Bless the Lord).” Every song has a story and the story of this song is one of sorrow and loss, a story of passing through a dark valley. But it is also a story of God’s sweet comfort and of his people blessing his name even in the darkness. I trust that it will give words to your heart as it has to mine.
We sang the song at the book’s launch event and have sung it once congregationally at my church. In both cases I was struck by how easy it is to sing and how easily even very untrained singers can pick it up. I recommend trying it!
Lyrics
Verse 1When the path that I fearedIs the way He has setAnd I long to give in and retreatStill to Jesus I holdAs I face every stepFor the Lord he will give me His peace
Chorus 1Bless the Lord, He will give me His peaceBless the Lord, He will give me His peaceAnd if I should remain in the valley todayBless the Lord, He will give me His peace
Verse 2When the road that I treadFills my heart with despairAnd it seems like my grief has no endStill to Jesus I holdWho will walk with me thereAnd the Lord he will give me His strength
Chorus 2Bless the Lord, He will give me His strengthBless the Lord, He will give me His strengthAnd if I should remain in the valley todayBless the Lord, He will give me His strength
Verse 3On the road that You walkedWith the weight of the crossAll my pain and my sorrow You heldSo to You I shall holdYou redeem every lossFor my Lord You have given Yourself
Chorus 3Bless the Lord, for He gives me HimselfBless the Lord, for He gives me HimselfAnd if I should remain in the valley todayBless the Lord, for He gives me Himself

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