"Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers." These two simple verses from Luke's account of the Last Supper launch a profound exploration of the meaning of trouble in a Christian's life. Suffering is inevitable, and if we're honest, the explanations commonly offered often just don't hold up or help very much. But Jesus' perfect metaphor of sifting provides fresh perspective on why we suffer and what the sifting process can reveal in our lives.
Peter was to be "sifted like wheat" -- shaken hard, beaten, and finally separated from his false identity. Satan was the one causing it, but Jesus would allow it. Lawrence's verse-by-verse exploration offers insight, comfort, challenge, and a call to greater intimacy with the God who allows our pain because He wants us to know who we really are and what we can become.
If we believe that Christians are still sifted today, why do we so often judge those who are experiencing hardships? They must have done something wrong. God must be punishing them. But suffering is inevitable, whether it comes in the form of life-shifting catastrophe or the drip-drip-dripping of daily troubles. Sifted will encourage those who are facing trouble now and those who will face it in the future. It will encourage us to see our pain as a means to greater knowledge and intimacy with Christ. Lawrence offers a rigorously honest, deeply challenging, yet powerfully comforting exploration of the trials that beat us down, the good God who allows our troubles, and the incredible beauty the process of sifting can reveal in us.
Rick Lawrence has been editor of GROUP Magazine, the world's most widely read resource for Christian youth leaders, for 23 years and is the co-leader of The Simply Youth Ministry Conference. He's a consultant to national research organizations and a frequent conference and workshop speaker.
www.siftedbook.com
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