Tag Archives: spirituality

by | October 17, 2025 · 10:51 am

Coping with Overwhelming Distress

Part Three: Be Hopeful

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peacewill be with you” (Philippians 4:8-9).

Strategy #3: “Be Hopeful. Focus on what God is doing. Not on what God is not doing.”

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve asked myself, full of frustration and distress over yet another report of abuse, exploitation, or horrific destruction of lives, “Where is God?” Yet, when I start spiraling downward in my mind and emotions, I have to remind myself that this line of thinking isn’t going to help me or anyone else.

Instead of focusing on everything that is wrong in the world, it’s much better when I look for and concentrate on all that is right. Instead of letting myself become frustrated with all that God is not doing that I would like him to do, it is so much more life-giving to look for and focus on all the signs of God’s goodness, care, and blessing.

As one recent example, a woman shared again with me how much pain and suffering she’s had to endure because of being sexually abused as a child and again as an adult. The damage done was profound. Her life has been irreparably scarred. Yet, I’m sharing her story with you, because of what God has been doing in her life through her long process of seeking healing. After attending two retreats for abused women and men, I saw hope in her eyes and heard strength in her voice, which I had not seen or heard in a long time. She has no answers for why God allowed this abuse to take place, but in contemplating the suffering of Jesus Christ, while being gently guided by trained facilitators and a therapist, she’s been experiencing God’s loving, transforming presence in ways she once thought impossible.

Here’s another example from a few weeks ago: With only three to six months to live, a dear friend of mine shared how he’s been experiencing God amid his losing battle to cancer. In hospice, with a tube permanently inserted into his nostril and an IV attached to his arm, he told me that he felt a great sense of peace despite recurring moments of great pain. He has reconciled with his sister, has been supported daily by family and people from his church, and is confident that his life is secure in God’s hands through his faith in Jesus. Little did he or I know that that his final day would come much sooner than expected. Instead of three to six months to live, he died just a few days before I wrote this post, less than one month after our initial conversation. God did not heal him or spare him from pain, but God was present to him when he needed God’s peace and reassurance that he would spend eternity with his loving Lord in heaven. And for that he was deeply grateful.

Likewise, over the past couple weeks here in the borderlands between Myanmar and Thailand, I’ve heard many expressions of grief, frustration, anger, fear and hopelessness, just as I’ve heard in my ministry to people living in war zones and refugee camps elsewhere. But over and over again, my students, colleagues, and friends also speak about many unexpected blessings, too. Amid so much evil, loss, and pain, they also see God providing, sustaining, and encouraging them in many ways. And they, too, feel grateful.

The lesson in all this is clear to me. I may never understand why God doesn’t do more to help those who are suffering unjustly and cruelly, but the more we choose to focus on what is good, right, true, and lovely (Phil. 4:8-9)—hopeful aspects of life which derive from the goodness and love of God—the more peace, joy, and strength we’re going to experience from day to day.

As this three-part series draws to a close, I urge you to keep leaning on your faith in Christ and relationship with God as you seek to cope with whatever overwhelming distress you may be experiencing. And always remember these three tips, which have been so helpful to me personally:

  1. Be self-compassionate. Take good care of yourself. Seek refreshment in the Lord.
  2. Be constructive. Focus on what you can do, not on what you can’t. And,
  3. Be hopeful. Focus on what God is doing, not on what God is not doing.

And the God of peace will be with you.

With the love of Jesus Christ,

Dr. Tim

Leave a comment

Filed under Practical Christian Living, Spirit-Led Living

Tagged as , , , , , , ,

by | September 12, 2025 · 11:24 am

Coping with Overwhelming Distress

Part Two: Be Constructive

In my previous blog post, I talked about the importance of self-compassion as a key strategy in coping with overwhelming distress in our lives. In this post, I offer a second strategy, which I’ve observed among those who are successfully managing the stresses of living in war zones and refugee camps. This strategy has also been very helpful to me personally when I feel overwhelmed by the magnitude of horrors and need in my own country and around the world.

Strategy #2: “Be constructive. Focus on what you can do (not on what you can’t).”

Sometimes, the staggering needs of others feels crushing to me. I see the horrible things happening all over the world. I certainly want to help, but I don’t know where to start or how I could possibly make a lasting difference. It seems that whatever I do will only be a drop in the bucket in an ocean full of suffering and need. I start to feel overwhelmed, and my emotional distress gets bigger and bigger.

But Jesus showed us by his example that we don’t have to respond this way.

There’s a story in the Gospels that says so much about who Jesus was and how we might respond to the immense needs of others today. Jesus and his disciples had given so much of themselves in their ministries. They were hungry, tired, and needed a break. On top of it, Jesus was reeling from the tragic death of his cousin and fellow evangelist, John the Baptizer, who had been cruelly beheaded by King Herod. As they made their way by boat across the Sea of Galilee in search of a quiet place to rest, they discovered a huge crowd of people who had traveled by land ahead of them. And this is how Jesus responded:

“When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things” (Mark 6:34).

When Jesus saw how needy the people were, his heart went out to them. And then he took action. In this situation, he responded by teaching them many things, which would have included how God loved them and called them to trust and obey God’s will for their lives, and he would have explained what that meant in practice in their marriages, families, and communities. On other occasions, he would heal the sick, cast out demons, advocate on behalf of the oppressed, work miracles, provide forgiveness, or simply offer a kind, gracious comment or gesture toward someone who needed mercy or encouragement.

What he didn’t do was let himself become overwhelmed by the immensity of their need or by the widespread suffering caused by injustice, oppression, and lack of adequate spiritual guidance. No matter how distressed he may have been by what he saw that day on the shore and throughout his lifetime, he kept his focus on God and on what he could do to help. He didn’t allow the extent of the problems throughout society or the evil deeds of others to undermine his own faith and his zeal for fulfilling God’s good purposes for his life.

None of us is Jesus, but with God’s help, we can learn to detach from feeling so overwhelmed by all the needs and suffering in the world. Through prayer and the Holy Spirit’s working in our hearts and minds, we can replace our anxious stewing with compassion, which sees and cares about the concerns of others but does not take on emotional burdens that do not belong to us. Instead of sinking under the weight of our distress, we can instead focus on taking action as the Holy Spirit leads and enables us. We will assess our abilities, knowledge, skills, resources, and opportunities that God gives us, and then take action.

Theological students with Jill and me in a refugee camp

One of my theological students (pictured on the far left above), whose home state in Myanmar is currently being torn apart by war, posted this advice online recently: “Think positive. Act positive.” He’s right on, of course. While he could easily succumb to self-pity or overwhelming distress from all the horrors and destruction his people are experiencing, he is choosing to maintain a positive mental attitude and to put his energy into constructive action. For example, he cares for his widowed mother, looks after four younger siblings, and has organized a dormitory for high school aged students from his ethnic group, who live and attend school inside one of the refugee camps in Thailand, all while taking courses at the seminary where I teach. Think positive. Act positive. It makes a difference.

Of course, every time I read about another bombing, more families driven into the jungles, or someone else mistreated or killed, my heart breaks or my anxiety spikes. But I’ve learned the hard way that I just can’t afford to let someone else’s tragedy turn into an emotional catastrophe for me. Taking on too much responsibility for the problems of others doesn’t help them, and it only hurts me.

As you continue to search for ways to cope better with your overwhelming distress, don’t be afraid to feel compassion for those in need or who are suffering greatly. But learn how to care without being crushed. Let go of trying to carry something you were never meant to carry. Instead, think positive and act positive. Focus on what you can do, not on what you can’t.

May God guide you and enable you to let go of what is beyond your control and give you peace as you live, love and serve as God intends for you to do.

With the love of Jesus Christ,

Dr. Tim

2 Comments

Filed under Hope, Spirit-Led Living

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , ,

by | August 22, 2025 · 4:59 pm

Coping with Overwhelming Distress

Part One: Self-Compassion

Are you tired of feeling angry, sad, or hopeless so much of the time? I sure am.

When I returned from Thailand in June, I came home very tired. I was grateful for all the opportunities I had had to teach and minister to refugees and church leaders along the Myanmar-Thai border, but I felt stressed and worn out. The needs were great, and I felt my limitations keenly. Then, as I saw with horror what was happening in my own country, as well as in many other places around the world, my distress began multiplying. My peace and joy dissipated. I was angry most of the time, and I increasingly felt like I was fighting a losing battle.

For my own sanity and well-being, I needed to do something different. But what?

Over the next couple months, I’m going to be writing about some of what I’ve been learning about coping with overwhelming distress. Starting with this post, I’m going to be sharing three strategies that have been helpful to me personally. I hope that they will also be useful to you as well.

Strategy #1: Be self-compassionate. Take loving care of yourself and look to God to refresh your heart and mind.

The Psalmist (King David) tells us that in his times of distress he found what he needed in his relationship with God, whom he knew as his loving shepherd. In the now famous Psalm 23, the first few verses go like this:

“The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul” (Psalm 23:1-3a, NIV).

David didn’t criticize himself for feeling afraid, overwhelmed, or discouraged by his circumstances. He also didn’t try to tough it out or shame himself for needing comfort or help from God. No, in his distress, David acknowledged his needs and reached out to his Shepherd for the restoration and refreshment he could not provide for himself in the same way.

As I prayed for wisdom to know what would help me in my distress this summer, the answer came fairly quickly. Contrary to the voices that sometimes creep into my head, the answer was not to “suck it up,” chastising myself for being weak. Shaming myself for complaining when the IDPs (internally displaced people) and refugees have it so much worse than I would only drain me of whatever energy I still had. Pushing harder and trying to do more was not going to help either. That would only burn me out.

Instead, what I most needed was to be kind to myself. I needed to see how very distressed and troubled I was feeling, and to respond to myself with compassion. Just as I have often tried to be gracious and generous to others amid their suffering, it was time for me to show the same empathy and consideration toward myself. And the result has been transformative.

Slowing my pace and resting more has been healing. Playing sports has been fun, and working out regularly has made me feel better physically and emotionally. Walking in the forest, boating on the lake, or just being out in nature as much as possible has been nourishing and literally a breath of fresh air. Enjoying time with family and friends has satisfied my cravings for love and affection. And getting alone to think, write in my journal, pray, read the Bible, or just sit and listen to music has been so helpful. I need to stay grounded to (re)gain and maintain perspective. It’s how I stay connected to my Shepherd as well as to myself.

By tending to my needs in these ways, I wasn’t giving up on those I cared about and have been called to serve. Not at all. I have been exercising self-compassion. I’ve been treating myself kindly and tapping into the many resources God has provided for my nourishment, enjoyment, and renewal—both for my sake and for the sake of all those God has entrusted into my care.

How about you? How are you coping with your anger, weariness, and anguish these days? 

When you take care of yourself in the ways God intends for you, it’s not self-indulgence, self-pity, or self-centeredness. It’s self-compassion, which flows from the very heart of your loving Shepherd, who sees you in your distress and wants to make you lie down in green pastures and lead you beside still, restorative waters. The Lord doesn’t only care about what you do for others. He also cares about you and wants you to believe that you, too, are worthy of kindness and compassion.

So, take good care, beloved ones…

With the love of Jesus Christ,

Dr. Tim

For more spiritual resources: https://fhlglobal.org/resource-library/

2 Comments

Filed under Hope

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | May 1, 2025 · 8:47 am

The Journey to Joy

How Jesus can help you get back on your feet

Right before he was crucified, Jesus said to his disciples, “You will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy…. Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy” (John 16:20, 22, NIV).

What a wonderful and hopeful promise. Yet, we all know that the journey to joy is not always an easy one. It certainly is not something that can be forced, especially when you’re feeling the heaviness of sadness or grief. Who can be joyful when you’re heart-broken, frustrated, discouraged, or simply overwhelmed by life or all that’s wrong with the world?

Nevertheless, Jesus, on his way to the cross, knowing all the suffering that still lay ahead for him and his disciples, could still speak about joy. Joy that no one could ever take away.

What did he have in mind, and is that joy available for us today?

In my previous blog post, I wrote that sometimes in our lives it’s time to grieve. When we’ve experienced great loss, we need to feel your feelings, give ourselves permission to be angry or sad, and cry our bitter tears. But grief need not be the sum of all our emotional experiences. There is a pathway to joy again for those who know where to look and where to go.  

When evil asserts its destructive forces, people will suffer, sometimes horribly. That’s a fact. Life is full of pain and suffering for every human being, and sometimes the weight of it all threatens to crush us. Yet, while we may have little or no control over the amount pain we feel—especially when we are physically sick or there are abusive people in our lives—psychologists tell us that it is possible to mitigate the extent of our suffering. And Jesus tells us, despite the worst of what we might have to endure, joy is not far off.

Jesus revealing himself to two disciples after the resurrection (Luke 24:31)

In the case of the disciples, Jesus said their grief would turn to joy. That was his promise. Not an easy life, health and wealth, power or privilege. In fact, early Christians sometimes were persecuted horribly, many lived in poverty their entire lives, and ten of the original 12 disciples were martyred.

Yet, at the same time, somehow, there would also be joy. The disciples would literally see Jesus again. They would be able to resume their close, intimate relationship. Their grief would turn to joy—a joy no one would be able to take from them (John 16:22). And that has been the experience for countless millions of people who have come to know and experience Jesus in their personal lives ever since.

For me personally, I feel so much joy every time I hear again the good news of the Gospel—even if it is for thousandth time: “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16, NIV). Knowing and believing that God loves me and generously offers me forgiveness, salvation and eternal life is so marvelous that I cannot find adequate words to describe the joy I feel. And it doesn’t stop there. Whenever I sense God’s gracious, merciful, kind, generous, healing, or life-giving presence, the peace and joy I feel is indescribable.

Over the past five years, one of my greatest sources of joy has come from commiserating with other like-minded people of faith, many of whom are also grappling with so much death, destruction, and suffering in the world. Many conversations can devolve into angry outbursts or rehearsing the same offenses and fears again and again. But the turning point for me often comes when we stop complaining or wringing our hands in fear and start praying.

When I pour out my heart to God with a brother or sister in Christ, a deep peace often settles over me. And more than once, I’ve opened my eyes to see one or more of my prayer partners beaming with the same joy that I was feeling. In such moments, I don’t feel so alone or hopeless anymore. Jesus’s living presence has been revealed. I see him in them, and they see him in me. God has not abandoned me in my suffering. There is still goodness in the world. Jesus Christ is present and at work in me and among others who know, love, and serve him as I do.

As Jesus said: In this world you will have much grief, but your grief will turn to joy.

No matter how much you may have lost or what you may be going through right now, Jesus’s promise to his disciples is for you, too. You don’t have to suffer alone, without hope and without joy.

The journey to joy begins and ends with Jesus. See where he is. Embrace him. And you will have a source of comfort and joy, forever.

With the love of Jesus Christ,

Dr. Tim

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13).

Leave a comment

Filed under Hope

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , ,

by | April 6, 2025 · 9:29 am

What kind of person do you want to be?

Charge to Kawthoolei Hope Theological Seminary graduates (March 30, 2025)

Graduates, congratulations! You’ve successfully completed your degree. And we’re here today to celebrate your great accomplishment. At the same time, as you probably know, graduation ceremonies are also called commencements. And that’s because, we are not only celebrating what you’ve achieved. We’re also marking the beginning of a new chapter in your life.  

After graduation, you are going to move from a time of academic learning to a new period for productive service in the Kingdom of God. With your education, you are now better prepared to move into positions of leadership, service or ministry—whether it is back in Kawthoolei and Burma or here in Thailand or somewhere else in the world. Wherever you go, you can be sure that you have important things to do and valuable contributions to make.

So, with your future in mind, I’m going to ask you three questions to help you go forward into this next chapter: Who are you? Who do you want to become? And how are you going to become that person?

Let’s take each of these three questions one at a time.

  1. Who are you?

All your lives, someone else has told you who you are. Your parents, your friends, the church, your teachers, and even your enemies. You’re a son or daughter. You’re Karen, Karenni, Chin, or some other ethnic group from Burma. All this is true, but who are you at the core of your being? Who are you in God’s eyes?

One of the things I’ve struggled with in my life is guilt and shame. Some of it is my own fault. I feel guilty about things I have done that I shouldn’t have done. Like sinning, disobeying God, hurting other people, and things like that. I also feel guilty about things I should have done but didn’t do. Like reaching out to someone who needed my help, or being more generous or sacrificial with my time and resources. I know nobody is perfect, but sometimes it’s hard to accept that I fall so short of the man, the husband, the father, the friend, the neighbor, that God wants me to be.

Shame is even more painful. According to psychologists, guilt is feeling bad about something I’ve done wrong. Shame is feeling like I am wrong. Whatever is wrong with me is unacceptable, and maybe unforgiveable. And when shame gets too intense, it becomes toxic. It poisons our minds. And the result is either, we just give up trying to be good. Or, we try and try and try to be as good as possible, or to accomplish as much as possible, or to impress other people as much as possible, trying to make ourselves feel better.

The only problem with trying to overcome shame by trying so hard is that it doesn’t work. Other people might be fooled, but we’re not fooled. We think we know the truth about ourselves: We’re bad, and there’s no hope for us. That’s what they call toxic shame.

Thank God, one day I attended a seminar on shame that set me free. The teacher explained that there is only one cure for toxic shame and that is the love and grace of God. I had to believe that God saw everything that was wrong with me, including all my sin, failures, and shortcomings. But he still loved me. Through Jesus, he forgave me. And what he wanted more than anything else was for me to believe him and to love him in return.

In that moment, I suddenly remembered the day my first son was born. I shared this story with some of you during the seminar last week. The nurse put my newborn son into my arms and without thinking I heard myself say to him, “No matter what you do in your life, I will always love you.” Remembering that moment in the middle of the seminar made me think, “If I could feel this much love for my son, how much more could my Creator love me!”

Two years later, my brother-in-law came up to me one day with a very strange question. He asked me, “Tim, who are you?” At first, I was taken aback. How am I supposed to answer a question like that? He knew me very well. I’m a man, a husband, a father, a minister, a teacher, an American. What kind of answer was he looking for? I said a quick silent prayer, because I knew this question was very important to him for some reason, and I wanted God’s help. Then, suddenly the answer came to me. Who am I? I am loved. That’s who I am.

2. My second question, as you enter this new chapter in your life, is who do you want to become?

Some of you already have plans and commitments. Some of you are still uncertain about what you’re going to do after graduation and how God is calling you. But apart from whatever role you’re going to play in your family, church, school, or community, who does God want you to become?

According to the Apostle Paul, in Ephesians 2:10, if you have put your faith in God’s grace, as we have been talking about tonight, you are now “God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus, to do good works, which God prepared in advance for you to do.” In other words, the person God wants you to become is the person God is already creating you to be. 

In his letter to the Galatians, Paul said that God’s calling is not to try to impress other people with your religiosity, accomplishments, status, cleverness, skills, or anything else like that. Rather, he said, in effect, none of that matters, because “what counts is a new creation” (Gal. 6:15b). What he meant was that through Christ’s presence in your heart and mind, you now can become more and more like him (Rom 8:29). Through the filling and leading of the Holy Spirit, you can discern all the good work that God intends for you to do. In other words, the person God wants you to become is not more full of yourself. It’s to become more full of Jesus.

It’s that simple. I didn’t easy, I just said simple. God’s vision for you is to become more and more like Jesus Christ in your heart, mind, and behavior—that’s what makes you a new creation. And with Christ at the center of your life, you will draw on your education, intelligence, skills, personality, and opportunities to do all the good works that intends for you to do.   

3. This leads us to our third question: How are you going to become this person—the new Christ-like creation that God has called you to become?

By now, you know that it is not easy to think and act like Jesus. Every one of us has to deal with temptations, human weakness, forces of evil, and so many other limitations and challenges. Sometimes, we feel confused and unsure of how to best serve God’s purposes.

Fortunately, there is an answer. And we find it in Paul’s letter to the Philippians.

In chapter one he calls the Philippian Christians “partners together with him in the Gospel” (1:5). As believers in Jesus Christ, loved by God, and saved from their sins, the Philippians devoted their lives to serving Christ and the Gospel. However, Paul, the founder of their church, had been arrested. He was being persecuted, and now they were facing persecution. They were scared and intimidated by their enemies. They started fighting among themselves.

So, the Apostle Paul writes them a letter both to remind them who they were and who God was calling them to be. And along the way, he explains how they can faithfully live out their calling.

He says many things, but I want to focus on the most important reason that they should have confidence going forward with their faith and calling. In chapter one he simply says, “He who began a good work in you is faithful, he will complete it.” (Phil. 1:6) Then, in the next chapter, he wrote, “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to do what pleases Him” (Phil 2:13).

The answer to our third question, how can we hope to become the people God has called us to be is simply this: God is the one who will do it.

Your job is to keep submitting yourself to God and to keep listening for the leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit. You must cooperate with the Spirit and work as hard as you can to do the good works God puts before you to do. But God is the one who can transform your heart and mind and make you more and more like Jesus. The Holy Spirit is the one who enables you to become the person God is calling you to be.

Looking back on my life, I can see that I never could have planned all the things that I’ve done or learned or accomplished on my own. I had many more weaknesses and limitations than I realized. And I made many mistakes as well.

But God has been very gracious to me and has led me all along the way. Through all the ups and downs, and despite my many failures and weaknesses, God taught me many things. I was humbled by my failures, but I learned from them. And through so many trials, God kept calling me back to himself and encouraging me to not give up.

And so I’ve learned, for me to fulfill my calling and to become the person God has called me to be, the most important thing is maintaining a close relationship with God. I must keep humbling myself, listening to others, asking for help when I need it, and keeping my eyes on Jesus. I am far from perfect, and sometimes I don’t know what I’m supposed to do next. But I trust God to complete the good work that he began in my life. I trust God to lead and guide me, and to make my life fruitful. And then I keep moving forward as best I can. 

Today, I’ve raised three questions for you to think about as you start the next chapter of your life: Who are you? Who do you want to become? And, how are you going to become the person God is calling you to be? You must answer these questions for yourself, but God’s answers are these:

Who are you? You are a dearly loved child of your Creator God. Your Father in heaven wants you to rest in his love and to know, love, and serve him in return.

Who does he want you to become? God wants you to become more and more like his Son, Jesus, and to use you to shine Christ’s light and love into this broken world through your good deeds and words of comfort, encouragement, and hope.

How are you going to become more like Christ? Only through the work of the Holy Spirit. You must set as your highest priority maintaining a close relationship with God by listening and cooperating with the Spirit in every way possible.

No one can do these things for you. We travel through life in community, but every great leader in the Bible, from Abraham to Moses, David, the prophets, Mary, Elizabeth, Jesus, Paul and all the apostles had their own personal relationship with God. And so my charge to you today is this: Seek God with your whole heart, mind, and strength and put the Lord first in every aspect of your life.

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word. —2 Thessalonians 2:16-17. Amen.

Leave a comment

Filed under Commencement Address (Charge to Graduates), Spirit-Led Living

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , ,

by | February 25, 2025 · 11:11 pm

The Light of Day

Why keeping our eyes on Jesus is so helpful

What do you think? Is the sun rising or setting in this photo? Without context, it’s not always so easy to tell the time of day.

Likewise, when darkness casts a thick shadow over our personal lives, or over our country and so many other places around the world, we may feel confused and uncertain about what’s really happening. What does all this turmoil, violence, and destruction mean for us and the people we care about? Is the light we’ve been depending on going to keep shining, get brighter, or God-forbid, go out altogether?

Personally, I’ve been going through all the stages of grief lately (shock, bargaining, anger, depression–but not yet acceptance) over the cataclysmic changes in my own country and all the upheaval and fallout globally. As I’ve written about before, I especially feel a lot of empathy for my students, colleagues, and friends trying to cope with ongoing, unimaginable oppression, abuse, and hardship in their war-torn contexts—especially those trying to survive in Eastern Congo, Myanmar, and along the Thai-Myanmar border, where I am serving now.

But this blog post is not about social and political problems, or even empathy for those who are suffering the most in our lives or around the world. It’s about how you and I can cope with the prevalence of darkness in our lives, especially when the light appears to be dimming in so many places for so many reasons for so many people. At times, I am tempted to despair. And you may be, too.

But I don’t. Despair, that is. And here’s the reason why.

The Apostle John wrote about him in the Bible, when he said:

“In him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it” (John 1:4-5, NRSV).

John was speaking, of course, about the incarnation of God in the form of Jesus Christ. He was saying that Son of God came into this world to shine the light of God into our darkness. Despite appearances to the contrary at times, our Creator is good and does care for us. Regardless of how bleak our circumstances or how unloving or hurtful others may be, in Jesus, there is light. There is love. And there is hope.

The key is to know where to look for the light and how to let the light of Jesus shine more brightly in our hearts and minds. You may have your own way of drawing on the light of God, but in my experience, if I want more of God, I have to reach out to him as a matter of intentionality and discipline. I have to pay attention to what’s beautiful, good, and inspiring in creation and in my family and among my friends. I must surround myself with others who can encourage me with their experiences with God, especially my brothers and sisters in Christ who remind me that I’m not alone and that God does answer prayers. And then what probably helps me the most is getting outside myself to do something loving and kind for somebody else. When I help lighten the burdens of others or simply show up to encourage them in their distress, I often feel better. I intend to be a conduit of God’s love to them, but I wind up experiencing God’s love for me in the process. And the light in my life gets brighter for me as well as for them.

These are dark days for many people. Perhaps for you, too. But do not assume that the light in your life is about to go out. Suffering may be an unavoidable part of human experience, and great losses are inevitable for all of us in this life. However, John’s word of hope remains true: “In him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.”

May Jesus be the Light of your day today and shine more and more brightly in your heart and mind in the days ahead.

With love always,
Dr. Tim

Photo: Sun rising in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

6 Comments

Filed under Hope, Light in the darkness

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | February 13, 2025 · 7:04 pm

Do the Good Thing

“[God] has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8, NIV).

These are really tough times for so many people, for so many reasons, in so many places globally. In addition to the violence, oppression, and exploitation destroying lives in Myanmar and Eastern Congo, where I teach and minister, an abrupt U.S. foreign aid freeze is wreaking havoc among humanitarian organizations and producing fear and despair in millions worldwide. As you probably know by now, hospitals, clinics, food and medicine distribution, and many other critical services have already been shut down, and the world’s suffering is rapidly multiplying.

But all this is an old story. And it’s one I don’t want to get lost in. What I mean is the story of humanity’s selfishness, cruelty and neglect of the needy is as old as time. We have no choice about living in the world as it is, but I for one don’t want to let all the evil and suffering crush me or turn me into an angry, bitter, cynical person myself.

Running away, hiding, closing our ears, fuming incessantly, hating, or striking out with rage aren’t the answers. Those responses belong to our fight, flight, and freeze instincts. They’re normal reactions, which are sometimes helpful under certain circumstances (for example when the internally displaced people in Myanmar instinctively run for cover when they hear military jets flying overhead). But long term, thoughtful action rather than instinctive reaction does more good. Instead of being consumed by negativity and powerlessness, biblical writers teach us to stay focused on the good that is within our power to do, and then do it. Every day. As best we can according to the opportunities, abilities, and resources available to us.

The prophet Micah lived in a society where the rich were violent, exploitative, and oppressive (e.g., 2:1-2; 6:10-12). Those in power were manipulating the judicial system to favor themselves and subvert justice (e.g. 3:11; 7:3). And, unsurprisingly, the result was societal breakdown and widespread suffering among the most vulnerable and weak (e.g., 3:1-3; 7:1-6).

Micah’s response to these societal ills was to speak truth to power. He rebuked those who were in a position to do good but instead used their advantage selfishly and harmfully. In no uncertain terms, he called the powerful, the rich, and the unscrupulous religious ministers to repent and renew their commitment to living by godly values. What is the good thing that the LORD requires? Micah asks rhetorically. You should already know, he answers: “To act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God” (6:8).  

Micah was written to call the powerful and privileged to repentance, but his ethics and standards are for everyone—including those of us who might be incensed by the seeming heartlessness and self-serving behavior of others. Everything we do should be measured against God’s standard of justice, mercy, and humbly walking with God. In other words, every time we’re tempted to judge, dismiss, push away, harden our hearts toward someone else, accuse, blame, lash out, or self-righteously justify ourselves at the expense of others, we should ask ourselves, “Am I being fair?” “Is this a situation in which God would want me to be merciful?” “Is my attitude humble and godly?” Or as Jesus would ask, “Am I acting out of love for my neighbor?” (Matt. 22:37-40; Mark 12:29).

Of course, when we try to apply this simple formula today, things can get complicated very fast. We live in a complex world with so many layers of competing needs, dysfunction, corruption, misinformation, partial truths, limited resources, and forces well beyond our control. Yet, we have to try.

Embracing godly values is what keeps us grounded in what is right, good, and true, so that we don’t get sucked into negativity or forget that we are called to put into practice what we preach to others. Walking humbly with our God is what reminds us that none of us is without sin. Every one of us has been the beneficiary of God’s grace and mercy, and God expects us to pass on what we have received freely.

At a time when there is so much human need and suffering, and so much chaos and turmoil within the United States, the world does not need any more self-righteous, judgmental religious people, or worse, those who are inflicting harm on others in God’s name. Nor do we accomplish anything by putting our heads in the sand or running away from the current crisis, or by throwing up our hands in helplessness. No, the enormity of the needs in the world and the magnitude of distress in America demand that each of us do something, something good, for the sake of others. Something that passes the Micah 6:8 test and fulfills Jesus’ command that we love our neighbors as we love ourselves.

The only truly good people are those who do good, as God defines goodness. So, let’s not be defeated by evil but join ranks with those who overcome evil with good (Rom. 12:21).

Photo: Tham Hin Refugee Camp, Thailand. The tattered poster on the board promotes a UNHCR (UN Refugee Agency) program, which is just one of many resources for impoverished refugees that has been defunded the United States administration. The hospitals in this and six other refugee camps have also been forced to close their doors due to the freeze.

1 Comment

Filed under Loving Others

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | December 31, 2024 · 5:00 am

A Different Kind of Happy

Saw Newton, two of my Karen students, and I being hosted by the pastor of one of the churches in Umpiem Refugee Camp, on the Thailand side of the Myanmar-Thai border.

Faith-inspired happiness

This holiday season, I’m thinking a lot about those who are far away from home, those who cannot go home, those who no longer have a home to go to, and those who may still live at home but no longer feel safe or happy in their own home. That means, I’m thinking a lot about so many of you–my students, colleagues and friends in Myanmar, Thailand, and the Congo, and also about so many others I know who are carrying such heavy burdens right now. I know this past year has been tough in many ways for so many, and the year ahead may be full of even more uncertainty.

At the same time, as we move into a new year, I see something else at work in your lives. Something hopeful.

The Psalmist wrote: “The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desire of all who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them. The LORD watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.” (Psalm 145:18-20, NRSV)

Repeatedly we read such hopeful messages in the Bible. Though evil doers cause so much pain and destruction, God is still able to fulfill our heart’s desire and accomplish his good purposes in our lives. Even in our darkest night, nothing can extinguish the light of Jesus Christ or snuff out God’s forgiveness and salvation. Amid our suffering and long wait for God to bring justice to this broken world, the Holy Spirit comforts us by reminding us that God is watching over us.

We may not always perceive God’s care, and too many of the world’s population see no hint of God’s justice throughout their lifetimes. But the consistent witness of the Bible is that the world is not spinning out of God’s control, despite appearances to the contrary. No one knows when God may undermine evil doers, overthrow cruel tyrants, and subvert systems of oppression, but God will ultimately right the wrongs and save those who love him and put their trust in him. Our job is to continually pray for God’s will to be done and for God to deliver us from the evil one (Matt. 6:9-13) and to focus on the good that is within our power to do—loving God and loving our neighbors as ourselves (Matt. 22:37-40).

When I stop to think about all this, I feel happier. I’m happy to be loved by my Creator, to know him, and to believe that my life has meaning and purpose because of God’s ongoing work in my life. I’m happy to not have to face the troubles of this world alone. I have support. I have help. I’m also happy that I am surrounded by other people who, like me, know and love God and want to serve him by helping others and contributing to the world. We have so much in common that even our shared tears, along with all we are working for and experiencing together, fill the empty, longing places in my heart.

And all this makes me happy, very happy, most of the time. Of course, I struggle with sadness, anger, frustration, despair, and fear like everyone else. Sometimes, all I can do is cry out to God or try to distract myself from my pain. But having such a personal relationship God and surrounding myself with other like-minded and like-hearted followers of Jesus has made all the difference. It’s this kind of faith-inspired happiness I treasure the most. And that’s what I am wishing, hoping, and praying for you, too, as we go into another year.

So, Happy New Year. Take heart. “The LORD is near to all who call on him, who call on him in truth.”  

With the love of Jesus,

Dr. Tim

President, Faith, Hope, and Love Global Ministries (www.fhlglobal.org)

1 Comment

Filed under Hope

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , ,

by | August 16, 2024 · 12:13 pm

Deep Calls to Deep

A Reflection on God’s Comforting and Inspiring Presence in Nature

“Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help and my God. …Deep calls to deep at the thunder of your cataracts; all your waves and your billows have gone over me. By day the LORD commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life” (Psalm 42:5, 7-8, NRSV).

Some of my most treasured experiences have come from sitting by the lake in northern Wisconsin, watching yet another beautiful sunset and sharing the moment with the love of my life. With so many troubles and concerns always on my mind—especially for my students, colleagues, and friends who have been suffering for years in Myanmar, Thailand, and Eastern Congo—taking time in nature is so therapeutic.

When I contemplate the wonders and beauty of God’s creation, listen to the cry of the gulls soaring overhead, and almost feel the velvet-like softness of the rippling waves gently rolling to the shore, I feel peaceful once again.

What is it about being in nature that draws me to God and transforms me? How is it that I can start out weary and drained and leave renewed and reinvigorated?

“Deep calls to deep,” the Psalmist wrote. I get it. Somehow in the presence of God’s handiwork, it becomes easier for me to perceive God’s presence. I can believe again that I am not alone in this world and that there is something good and hopeful that is worth believing in and working for.

In this vision of goodness, beauty, kindness, and love, my desire to participate in God’s sacred love flow is rekindled. And while I cannot say what hope there may be for those I care and feel so much compassion for, I know that I cannot turn away from their pain or mine. I cannot carry all the burdens that so easily overwhelm me. It’s too much. But I can continue to care and to love to the best of my ability. I can offer whatever I have to those who need a helping hand, a smile, a word of encouragement, a relevant Bible verse, or just a listening ear. I can let God’s love flow through me, trusting that the Holy Spirit will use me if I simply make myself available within my limits.

I think the secret of this kind of renewal of the heart and mind is this. The more I lift my eyes to look at my Creator and contemplate the goodness in creation, the more my despair dissipates. The more my angst over my powerlessness recedes, and the more comfortable I am with my limitations. It’s not resignation or surrender, it’s acceptance and trust.

I have such limited ability to save others anywhere near as much as I would like to. But by re-grounding myself in God and renewing my weary and broken heart, I find new strength to reach out once again and be present to those in need. In those moments of deep connection with my Creator, the Holy Spirit reminds me that God is still actively at work in the world for good, and I still can participate and contribute, despite my frailty and limitations. And that is enough.

4 Comments

Filed under Faith, Knowing God

Tagged as , , , , , ,

by | May 3, 2024 · 3:55 pm

Grieving Our Losses

…honestly, yet hopefully

[Four minute read]

Serving victims of oppression, brutality, and destruction in Myanmar, Thailand, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo has forced me to grapple with unimaginable trauma and despair afflicting those living in or fleeing war zones. Their suffering and losses are often unimaginable to someone like me, who grew up in a comfortable, relatively safe, Midwestern town in the United States. Yet, there they are. Right in front of my eyes.

Sometimes, all they have left is their tears. Sometimes, all they can feel is their rage. Their future has been decimated. Their hope shattered. Biblical promises fall flat. God seems cruelly absent.

Just recently, one of my former students in Myanmar, Pastor “Kyaw”, texted me with some tragic news. His village had been bombed. Several were killed or injured. For many, everything they owned went up in flames. More than 200 homes now lie in ruins, including his own. As is true for some three million people throughout Myanmar, most of the people have sought shelter in an internally displaced persons (IDP) camp or have fled the country. Their village has become a ghost town.

How are they going to survive? How are they going to cope psychologically, emotionally, and spiritually? What will be the long term of effect of such trauma and loss?

In talking with Pastor Kyaw, Psalm 137 came to mind. I’m sure the ancient Israelites were asking themselves the same questions during their exile in Babylon (6th Century BC). They had been conquered by an invading army. They were forced from their beloved villages and country. They had lost everything that was “home” to them and were now captives in a foreign land. As far as they could see, they had no hope. No future.

“By the rivers of Babylon—there we sat down and there we wept when we remembered Zion…. O daughter Babylon, you devastator! Happy shall they be who pay you back what you have done to us! Happy shall they be who take your little ones and dash them against the rock!” (Psalm 137: 1, 8-9, NRSV)

According to the famous psychiatrist, Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, those who suffer significant loss typically move through five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance (On Death and Dying, 1969). 

  • “Denial” is when you are still in shock or just can’t get your head around what just happened or what bad news the doctor told you is going to happen. 
  • In “Anger,” you rage, sometimes quietly, sometimes loudly. You never dreamed that something like this would happen to you. And if someone betrayed you or let you down—whether it is yourself, someone else, or God—you might be really angry about it, and wind up lashing out with hateful or violent words to hurt whomever you blame for your loss.
  • In the “Bargaining” stage, you might obsess on how you might have prevented the tragedy. “If only I had done [this or that] ….” Or, if you’re grappling with bad news for the future, you may make desperate promises to yourself, to others, or to God. “I promise I will do better….” hoping to somehow prevent the inevitable.
  • In “Depression,” the horrible truth has finally sunk in, but it may feel like too much to bear. Your energy and drive are gone. You may be plagued with guilt, shame, or despair. You may not even want to get out of bed in the morning. 
  • Fortunately, depression need not be the final stage in grief. For most people, at some point, there comes “Acceptance.” Here, you finally accept what you cannot change in the past or something that is going to happen. You may retain an emotional tie to someone or something you have lost, but the bond you feel ceases to be debilitating. Your strength and motivation to live return. 

I don’t know for sure which stage the ancient Israelites were in when Psalm 137 was written. It’s obvious they were in a lot of pain, and they certainly hadn’t reached the acceptance stage. They were still weeping and raging. The psalmist was even dreaming of the most cruel kind vengeance imaginable. His feelings were raw and real, but only one snapshot within his undoubtedly long grief process.

Thus, we should not think this psalm is blessing hatefulness or brutal retribution. Rather, it acknowledges the need for honesty about our darkest and most troubled feelings en route to healing and wholeness. Our instinctive reactions may look really ugly at times, but honesty must precede transformation.

When I feel distraught or full of rage, as painful as it may be, it’s usually best if I let myself feel my feelings. I try not to condemn myself for feeling hateful or vengeful, but I don’t act on these feelings. I recognize that I’m grieving, and such reactions are normal. I need to be honest about how I’m feeling, but I don’t have to stay stuck there. Truly, I don’t want to waste my life being angry all the time.

After Jesus’ horrific killing, followed by his astonishing resurrection, the time came for him to say goodbye to his disciples. One more loss for the disciples. Yet, according to the Gospel of Matthew (28:19-20), Jesus urged his disciples to look forward, not backwards. He told them to focus on their calling, which in their case was to preach, teach, and demonstrate the truth of the Gospel. And he assured them that they would not be alone. “And surely,” Jesus promised, “I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:20b). 

When I come to the depression stage, sometimes, I just need to feel sad. My sadness honors the fact that I cared a lot about whatever was (or will be) lost. Yet, as upsetting or devastating as the situation may be, I don’t want to spend the rest of my life feeling sad. Depression is not my destiny. I may not feel hopeful at the moment, but I can choose to believe that God is present and at work in my life for good. And I can reach out to Jesus to ask for help to escape the darkness and despair.

I don’t know what kind of loss you might be grieving right now, or what stage of grief you might be in. But based on my ministry among victims of war and great loss, my personal experience, and the teaching of the Bible, I can assure you there’s more to your life and future than whatever you’re experiencing at the moment. It won’t always feel this awful. There will be a better day. No matter what you may have lost, you still have an important purpose in life. There’s work for you do—people who need your love and care. Other grieving or struggling wayfarers, who need a word of encouragement or simply a helping hand. …those who do not know the hope you have of an enduring relationship with God through Jesus.

So, grieve your own losses honestly. Be compassionate and patient with yourself as you work through the various stages of grief. Yet also remain hopeful. You are not alone, and Jesus Christ has called you to share in his ministry of love in this broken world full of so much sorrow and pain.

Leave a comment

Filed under Hope

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , ,