General Index
Abraham, 60
Adam and Eve, 161
anger, 77
awareness, in suffering, 57, 59
belief, as struggle, 97
Bible, the: content of, 44; honesty of, 23–24, 107–8; interpreting, 34, 138; message of, 109, 155; and suffering, 33, 44–45; theology of, 147
bitterness, 34; and envy, 78–79
blessings, 76; counting, 96–97
blindness, spiritual, 199
busyness, 97–99
CES (conceptual, emotional, spiritual grid), 47–48
comfort, in God’s people, 195–96, 200
communication, 196
community: comfort of, 200; as God’s design, 195; and personal insight, 199
complaint, 196; danger of, 128; and discouragement, 125; lifestyle of, 122, 125, 126; vertical, 122–24
confidence: in Jesus, 113–14; as opposite of denial, 115
control: desire for, 161; illusion of, 162
counsel, 200
cross, the, 140
delusion, 20; of independence, 21, 63; of strength, 29, 198
denial: as antithesis to faith, 109; no need for, 110–11; as temptation, 107; trap of, 103–15
dependence, 28
depression, 131
Devil, the. See Satan
discouragement: fighting, 121; as lens on life, 123–24; lies of, 119; and moral paralysis, 124–28; power of, 119; and spiritual war, 117–18; trap of, 117–28; unchecked, 119
divorce: experience of, 206; pain of, 81
doubt, 34–35; battle of, 97, 100; and Jesus, 100–101; of judgment, 92–93, 95; struggle with, 118; of wonderment, 91–92, 95
encouragement, 99–100
Enemy, the. See Satan
envy: and bitterness, 78–79; as burden, 77; dangers of, 73; effects of, 73, 81–83; lies of, 83; patterns of, 83
eternity, lens of, 82; comforts of, 82–83
expectations: and identity, 132; small, 133; unrealistic, 29–30, 35, 36
experience, interpretation of, 47
faith, 108
fear: of aloneness, 66; defeat of, 67; and distorted vision, 66; and forgetfulness, 63–65; and meditation, 61–62; motivated by, 65; reasons for, 66; as spiritual war, 62–63; and suffering, 68; as temporary, 67–68
God: comforts of, 134; and control, 162, 166, 176; as eternal, 67–68; faithfulness of, 154–55; as Father, 170; glory of, 152–53; goodness of, 79–81, 156; grace of, 134; presence of, 146–47, 157; promises of, 177; rule of, 166–70; satisfaction in, 208; sovereignty of, 161, 163, 167, 169, 170; and suffering, 49; as ultimate, 205–6; will of, 163, 166
Goliath, 60
gospel, the, narrative of, 12
grace, 34; comforts of, 55, 141–42; as gift, 139; inseparable, 140–42; intervening, 137–38; providing, 139–40; uncomfortable, 135–37, 181; in weakness, 28
gratitude, 96; vs. complaint, 128
heart, the: assumptions of, 31; as center of personhood, 31; and fear, 66, 118
Holy Spirit, the: as helper, 137; and prayer, 137
hope: doorway to, 162, 193; loss of, 132; reason for, 178; vertical, 132
human beings, as fragile, 179
identity, 98, 131, 133; assignment of, 132–33; as difficulty, 206–7; and expectations, 132; as God’s children, 132, 141, 142; security of, 147; struggle with, 132; true, 134
independence, as delusion, 21
isolation, 195–96
Jesus Christ: as advocate, 110–11; as hope, 208; love of, 141; as ruler, 170; as second Adam, 82; suffering of, 45, 113; sympathy of, 111–14
joy, in suffering, 180
materialism, 37–38
meditation: focus of, 59–61; control of, 59–62; defeated by, 60; and fear, 61–62
mystery, 162–63
Nebuchadnezzar, 165–66
Paul (apostle), weakness of, 191–92
potential, defining, 133
prayer: rich, 137; unrehearsed, 138
presence of God, 146–48; blind to, 80–81; as identity, 153, 208; in the tabernacle, 152–53
present, the: comforts of, 77–78; as temporary, 78
pride, 27, 28; of productivity, 28; of self-reliance, 36–37
promise, of God’s presence, 148, 157
redemption, 139
remembering, and psalms, 63–65
Satan, the: attacks of, 155; lies of, 94, 95–96, 155–56; work of, 155
Scripture. See Bible, the
security, 37
self-reliance, 28, 181; as pride, 36–37
self-righteousness, 181
self-sufficiency, 190
selfism, 38
sin: damage of, 30, 180; presence of, 36; and selfishness, 38, 124–25
spiritual warfare, 21
strength, as delusion, 29
suffering: awareness in, 57, 59; call in, 201; comfort of, 183; and control, 161–62; dangers in, 55; delusions in, 20; effects of, 44; and fear, 68; God’s use of, 182–83, 185; and the heart, 31, 34; joy in, 180; as ministry, 183; nature of, 23; not punitive, 33; physical, 20; power of, 21, 150, 181–82; purpose of, 175–86; as spiritual experience, 48; as spiritual war, 21, 46; as teacher, 184–85; theology of, 24; as tool for growth, 180; as transformational, 149; as not ultimate, 205–6; and weakness, 111–12
tabernacle, the, 152–53
temptation, traps of, 55
theology: bad, 146; confessional, 92; functional, 92, 122; of the Lord’s presence, 147; poor, 32, 34
Tripp, Luella, 16, 17, 18, 19, 22, 145, 194–95
trust: as rest, 165; weakened, 127
understanding, limits to, 165
warfare, spiritual, 94; and envy, 84; fear in, 62–63; as suffering, 46
weakness, 28–29; admitting, 112, 198; and discouragement, 127; exposed by suffering, 111–12, 190; honesty about, 198; as instrument of grace, 28