Sometimes, our struggles with grief and depression are made worse by feelings of guilt. We feel badly that we’re not more optimistic about what we’re going through. Often the problems is that we’ve underestimated the depth of human pain and missed the balance of the Bible’s teaching regarding suffering.

When suffering enters our lives, we naturally ask difficult questions. But the Book of Job reveals a deeper question being asked of us: Do we love God only for His gifts, or because He is worthy of worship?

Recently, I had a comment from a listener who said, “If you give the same Bible to two billion people and tell them to interpret it for themselves, won’t they come up with more than two billion interpretations?” They then explained that the Catholic solution to this problem is the Pope. I'd like to consider the problem the listener raises and the solution that he offers.

Ever feel like your prayers are hitting the ceiling? Psalm 77 captures that struggle—and shows us a surprising path forward. If you’re tired, discouraged, or doubting, this reflection might be exactly what your heart needs today.

Painful trials have a way of testing our coping strategies. The Book of Job introduces a man whose suffering included unimaginable financial devastation, unrelenting physical pain, and the tragic loss of his children. His story helps us to see the limitations of some of our usual responses and gives us more effective means of relief.

Stress at work, problems with kids, and our mental health push us to look for peace in different ways. But the instructions for the Peace Offering in the Book of Leviticus teach us to confess, connect, and celebrate in order to experience lasting peace.

The grain offering of Leviticus teaches us how to respond to the love and forgiveness of God. It pictures an ancient act of devotion that shows how God delights in sincere expressions of love, no matter how simple.

Desperate for acceptance, I went to wild lengths in university to fit in. Years later, Leviticus, a book many avoid, transformed how I viewed acceptance. The background of a sacrifice called a sin offering reveals a deeper, lasting acceptance from God that goes beyond masks and striving.

The King James Version is a good translation that's stood the test of time. But how should we understand the many modern translations that have been released in recent years? Are they more reliable or have they corrupted the Word of God?

Many see Revelation as a book of secrets that magically point to current events and signal what is about to take place in the geopolitics of our day. But the Book of Revelation tells us how it’s to be read, and if we would just follow its directions, we would benefit from the book and better understand its message. We still might not agree on all of the details, but we would be a lot closer, and we would have a common basis for our discussions.