Following Jesus alongside others provides encouragement and the example of other believers in situations similar to our own. If encouragement gives way to comparison we can succumb to feelings of failure and lack of worth, not because of any inadequacy in us, but because we’re not the same as someone else. And God has not …
Sometimes advice is given that we don’t trust because the person given the advice can’t understand why we feel the way we do. Rebecca Reynolds observes that Jesus is different. He tells us, and he knows exactly how and why we feel as we do. When the Bible speaks about fear – which is often …
Union with God in Jesus is a unique relationship. Though there are similarities with aspects of human relationships the complete non-dependence of God and the absolute dependence of we humans means all comparisons with other relationships have limits that need to be reconised. They contribute to helping us understand, but they don’t define the relationship. …
The Gospels contrast the disciples of Jesus who were not consistently clear about what they wanted with those at the margins (like blind Bartimaeus) who were completely focussed on their need. Jesus keeps asking a question (actually or implied) of those he encounters to help them understand that their present desire was masking their need …
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