Just Continue That Thought...

A thought by Charles R. Swindall, from his book, What if…God Has Other Plans?: Finding Hope When Life Throws You the Unexpected (p. 139). Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) Charles gives an example. He shares, “Many people consider violinist and composer Niccolò Paganini the greatest violinist of all time. The nineteenth-century Italian virtuoso revolutionized violin technique and set the standard for modern violinists. Yet in the midst of these accomplishments, he was no stranger to disability and deep personal struggle. “During one particularly memorable performance, Niccolò Paganini stood before a packed house and played a difficult piece of music. A full orchestra surrounded him, offering thundering support. Suddenly, one of the strings of Paganini’s violin snapped and hung down from his instrument. Beads of perspiration popped out on his forehead. Paganini frowned but continued to play,

A thought by Charles R. Swindall, from his book, What if…God Has Other Plans?: Finding Hope When Life Throws You the Unexpected (p. 114). Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) And we all need help in this area, don’t we? Charles says, “Sometimes there’s a blind spot that needs to be identified. Or there’s a fallacy in someone’s perspective that needs a gentle nudge or a private confrontation. A forgiving spirit provides others the benefit of the doubt. “Sometimes we ourselves are blinded to those things, and others need to allow us a second chance.” He later says, “We all need people around us who are willing to help us see the issue and forgive us, and then help us move on. The goal is improvement and growth. “On the flip side, sometimes a person deliberately does what’s wrong and is unwilling to change. That’s when offering second chances gets tough. In those situations, it’s a real

A thought by Charles R. Swindall, from his book, What if…God Has Other Plans?: Finding Hope When Life Throws You the Unexpected (p. 111). Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) That is true of all of us, isn’t it? Charles says, “Being imperfect and fallible human beings, we regularly fail and sometimes fall flat on our faces. Not once, not twice, but repeatedly, we feel the need to start over. We have trouble getting it right the first time. We want to do it right. We would love to do it right from the get-go and from then on, but we would have to be superhuman to do that. Part of being human is needing second chances. It goes all the way back to our childhoods.” He goes on, “From our earliest years, we learned by failing. Remember learning to hold a glass of milk without spilling it? My father used to say, ‘It will be a great day of success when this family can have one meal without one glass of

A thought by Charles R. Swindall, from his book, What if…God Has Other Plans?: Finding Hope When Life Throws You the Unexpected (p. 44). Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) That’s a good question, isn't it?  Why? Charles says, “Because they’re looking at life horizontally. They mean well. They want you to feel relief. They want you to be happy. That’s what prompts them to say what they say. But sometimes their words are erroneous and can add to your confusion and struggle.” He goes on, “God’s Word helps you filter out things you have no business taking in. Long before you face the storm, I urge you to soak your mind and your heart in the Scriptures. Read those great truths that give you a theological foundation. Ask the Lord to provide you with a spirit of discernment so you can easily determine whether the advice you’re hearing is from the Lord or not. Then when you experience the gale-fo

A thought by Charles R. Swindall, from his book, What if…God Has Other Plans?: Finding Hope When Life Throws You the Unexpected (p. 43). Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) He is, He really is! Charles says, “Allow me to share with you an all-important answer from the end of the Book. God is already there—in your future. Tomorrow morning? Next week? When you graduate from school? In the middle of your career? In your later years? When you’re nearing the end? He’s already there. He goes before you, and He knows what lies ahead of you.” Charles goes on, “I adore my wife. I have for more than sixty years. I want to have her the rest of my life. Yet I may not. Truth be told, she may not have me. Only God knows. Does that mean we’ve served a false God all these years? No, it means that God is God, and He determines the parameters of how many days we have on this earth. If the Lord is paramount in m

A thought by Charles R. Swindall, from his book, What if…God Has Other Plans?: Finding Hope When Life Throws You the Unexpected (p. 41). Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) He really does, He really does! Charles says, “He’s not some crusty old man with a long beard blowing wind out of the north. God is incomprehensibly great. He’s omniscient. He’s omnipotent. He’s omnipresent. He’s eternal. He’s ageless and timeless. He’s good. He’s gracious. He’s loving and just. And He’s always right . . . even when you feel like what happened to you was all wrong.” He goes on, “God is so profound that I’ve spent most of my ministry years as somewhat of a theologian, thinking, Lord, will I ever get this? Now that I’ve reached an age when I’ve begun to piece some of these truths together, I’m realizing it’s still not easy. It’s not easy to trust God in times of devastating loss. Now in my eighties, I remain

A thought by Charles R. Swindall, from his book, What if…God Has Other Plans?: Finding Hope When Life Throws You the Unexpected (p. 39). Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) This is so important to see in this time and situation that we are living! Charles says, “Over these many years in ministry that the Lord has granted me, one of my great goals has been to proclaim this all-important truth: God is in charge. He is over everything. He is sovereign. He rules graciously and powerfully from heaven in perfect wisdom, love, and grace (see Psalm 11). “Whatever you are facing, adverse or delightful, your life is all about God . . . His will . . . His way.” He goes on, “But we easily lose our theological moorings when we insist on living horizontally. When we do, the winds of adversity eventually cause us to drift from what we truly believe. How much better to choose a response of faith that sub