WEBVTT
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Hey, welcome everybody once again to Fly Leaves.
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This is your host, Rick Berg, and I'm great to host today and to be with you and really excited to interview one of our other one of our young adults in our community.
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And of course, we know we're talking about uh what it means to live out this faith in the Russis world.
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And very happy to invite on to the podcast today, Daniel Wagner.
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Daniel, welcome.
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Thanks for having me.
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It's good to be here.
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It's great to have you here.
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And uh I'm gonna get right into your story as I've done to all the other young adults.
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It's just great to kind of hear a little bit about where it all began.
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You know, our family origin is obviously that place.
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And talk a little bit about your, you know, your upbringing as a young youngster in the faith, and then we'll talk a little bit more about how that's evolved over the years.
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Okay.
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Yeah, I grew up in a Christian home.
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Jesus and faith were always like the most important things in in my family's lives.
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I was taught that, you know, that that Jesus loves me and that he died to save me and that I needed his his grace and forgiveness.
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So I was taught from a young age what it means to be a Christian.
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And yeah, so faith has always been a part of my life.
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I've always I've always been really passionate about my faith.
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I've always had an interest in Christianity and wanted wanted to serve God for since I was young.
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So when you were when you were young then, and obviously the faith became an important part of your life, what was it like?
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I mean, I was interested, kind of that whole, you know, that during the high school years kind of leading up to maybe university, and sometimes youth are kind of pulled away during that time.
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Was what was it like for you during that kind of period of time in your life?
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My high school years and going into university.
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I was I was really like I said, I was really a passionate person.
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I I kind of threw myself into everything that I did and did it wholeheartedly, as well as I could, I suppose.
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And I know different when it came to faith.
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My faith was really important to me, and I wanted to be like fully devoted to God, and and I I also had probably like a lot of young people from what others have told me, it's kind of common, but uh I also had kind of grandiose ideas about what I would do with my life and how I might serve God.
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I had ideas about kind of like what it what it meant to be a Christian, and some of it was positive, but some of it was kind of a little bit misplaced, I think.
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It kind of it kind of led toward me having unrealistic expectations for myself, putting too much pressure on myself, that kind of thing, to be a sort of super Christian.
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That's interesting.
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Can you talk a little bit more about that?
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You know, do you have any examples kind of you know, the super Christian idea?
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Where did that kind of I guess kind of lead you into an understanding of who God was, maybe?
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Hmm.
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I think that, yeah, so I had it in my head that I wanted to be, I wanted to be totally devoted to God.
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And I wanted to be shaped by him completely, and like have my life be follow after Jesus really closely.
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And so I wanted to be viewed as someone who was very loving, very generous, very kind, and people kind of began to see me, especially in like yeah, high school and university, and even younger, I people kind of thought of me as someone who is spiritually mature.
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And I think that it's easy for it's easy for pride to get in there when when when that happens.
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It's easy for it was easy for me to kind of want to keep up that expectation or that reputation that I had as someone who was who was really devoted to God.
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So it became it became something difficult for me because I wanted to, I felt like I needed to keep up that reputation.
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And it became eventually something that I would do things that I thought God would want me to do, but I did them, I did them at least in part so that others would look at me a certain way.
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Or or so that I could feel good about myself as as a Christian, as a person.
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So it was it became associated with a lot of pressure.
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Um, felt like I needed to do this.
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And if I don't, if I don't reach out to this person, or if I you know, if I don't pray longer, or if I don't help this this person that I see that might need help.
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For example, I used to reach out regularly to people who were homeless or maybe poor.
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And I think that's important to do, but I I felt pressured to do that every opportunity that came up and felt like if I don't do this, am I being unfaithful to God?
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Am I am I disobeying God?
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Am I unwilling to give everything for Jesus?
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It was like every opportunity became a challenge to to my faith about whether or not I was really devoted to God.
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And so it became full of pressure.
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Yeah.
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Wow.
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So then, you know, would it be fair to say that that kind of you're kind of climbing the ladder?
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Yeah.
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A little bit and trying to, you know, making sure that you always have one step closer to God and that you didn't have one lower too much lower down?
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Yeah, I would say that's true.
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Yeah, that's a good analogy.
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Yeah.
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And so what did that kind of what would uh you know your your days look like then when you put that kind of pressure on you then?
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Like what was it a daily thing or a weekly thing, or it would just happen once in a while?
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Or I think it was daily.
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I I lived with that every day, I think.
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I also like I also, especially during my college years, when I was a, you know, maybe a younger, young adult, I was really affected by the needs that I would see in the world, whether they were close, close at home or maybe abroad in in other places.
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And I kind of was beginning to be overwhelmed by the amount of brokenness and suffering and needs that are out there.
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And to be honest, I think that's reasonable.
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Like there is a lot of brokenness in this world.
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Yeah.
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And like here in Canada, we're not we're not as touched by it as some places are.
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Like some places are in war, are in war right now, you know, and I we don't have we don't have any context for what that's like.
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No.
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But so those pressures, like the those feelings really became significant, really feeling overwhelmed about the needs that were out there.
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And yeah, so I kind of lived with that every day, and it it kind of kind of mounted and and increased over time.
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So it was almost like you you felt a burden for the world.
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Yeah, and you didn't kind of know what to do with it, or what just kind of too much to to handle sometimes.
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Yeah, and and I was I didn't respect my own limitations for what I could handle emotionally or with my own like act, like what I could handle physically, but mostly emotionally.
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Like you can't carry that, you can't carry the weight of the world, yeah.
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You can't carry the suffering.
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And so, but I didn't really respect that.
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And so I kind of tried to take it on myself, which sounds silly because what could I do to really touch it?
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But I felt like, and and here's where pride get gets mixed in as well.
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I think that I began to think that God wasn't doing enough.
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Then like the world is falling apart and he's not, he's not, he's not fixing it.
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And so I had trouble giving it over to God because it felt like he wasn't doing enough to fix it.
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And that just became so that there's pride in there as well.
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I feel feeling like I knew better than God, um, feeling like I couldn't hand it over to him, couldn't uh trust him with it.
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That's fascinating because you know, on the other side, those who you know have no faith at all, they kind of ask that same question.
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They go, like, why would God let this happen?
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Or why, you know, why wouldn't he come in sooner to solve a problem?
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Or yeah, or you know, so it it's it's something that others would ask as well, right?
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Yes.
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And well, I think I've asked that question too.
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Yeah, whatever too, you know, what why, why?
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It's why, yeah.
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Why God, you're you know, you're all powerful, yeah.
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And and and you're supposed to be loving.
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You're supposed to be loving, yeah, yeah.
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How do you how do you answer that question like like now?
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I mean, you know, if if people, you know, because it's a common again, again I said it's a common question, you know.
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Yeah, how would how do you answer that now?
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I think I'm still in the middle, I'm still working through some healing from I I've lived in an unhealthy relationship with God for a long time, and I'm still working through that.
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But I am, I think I have made progress in the last two years.
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And I'm doing I'm in a better place than I was, say, two years ago.
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So I'm still working through that that question, what do you do with the suffering that's in the world and the fact that God is we believe God is all powerful and loving.
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It seems like God doesn't respond to situations the way that we would respond to them.
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He like we would we would view a problem and attempt to go ahead and go and fix that problem.
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Right.
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In this case, the problem is suffering.
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That's that's what we're discussing and brokenness in the world.
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But God seems to take a slower trajectory.
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His answer, according to the Bible, and according to what I was taught growing up, his answer is sending his son to be an infant, to to be born of a woman, to grow up and live in in kind of an un in kind of a an obscure part of the world.
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Israel was not a world power at the time.
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They were under oppression, yeah.
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They weren't weren't free.
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And his answer culminates in Jesus' life and death and resurrection.
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And it seems like that doesn't answer the question, and we still have suffering even after Jesus came, much suffering.
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But it seems like from what from what the Bible teaches, that is God's answer.
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It's how He is making the world right again.
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And because Jesus rose again, it was God's it was God's statement that Jesus would that was the beginning of Jesus' victory over death, death, darkness, death and darkness and sin.
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And so Jesus came into our suffering.
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Jesus didn't simply stay in heaven and and fix it from there.
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He he entered into it and he suffered himself.
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Yeah.
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He knew what it was like to lose a friend, he knew what it was like, he probably knew what it he would have known what it was like to skin his knee, he knew what it was like to experience betrayal, and he ultimately experienced a horrible death.
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So, like if we were God, we would probably think of some way to fix it by just making it happen, snapping our fingers and doing away with this evil.
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But instead, God chose to become a man and and enter into our suffering with us.
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Yeah.
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There's a verse in Hebrews that says, We don't have a high priest, and it's talking about Jesus, we don't have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses.
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But we have one who has been tempted in every way just as we are, yet without sin.
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So like Jesus enters into our suffering.
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Yeah, he takes it on himself, and it seems like a slower, more difficult journey to make things right, but that's what that's that's what he's doing.
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Yeah, yeah.
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Suffering with us, you know, it's often when I'm visiting people, you know, who are in suffering of some kind, and whatever it might be, whether it be dying or suffering with a diagnosis of cancer or a mental illness or family problem, you know, you you want to you want it to you want it to finish.
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Yeah.
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You you want you want that to end, right?
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Yeah.
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And I know that from experience, because I probably said things I shouldn't have in the past.
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All I hope for and pray for is that they would feel the presence of God in their life where they're at.
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Right.
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And that that's all I can bring, because I can't bring anything more than that.
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You know, that's just my job.
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Say, hey, God is with you.
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Yeah.
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And it sounds very kind of like, okay, well, not enough.
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Yeah.
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But like you said, it kind of is enough to know that Jesus has understood our suffering and that he promises to be with us, right?
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You know, in that moment, whatever, whatever, whatever it is, whatever, you know, and and so when you look at that whole, you know, I mean, again, you're mentioning, you know, Jesus identifying with us.
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Well, even you know, he also said, Why?
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Like, why why why are you forsaking me?
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Right.
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Yes.
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So he asked that same question that all of us ask at times too.
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And so it seems to me that it's it's okay to ask those questions.
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Yes, and it doesn't diminish our faith, so to speak.
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You know, would you agree with that?
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Yes.
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I think that's part of the Christian journey to have questions.
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And God is I think God's strong enough and and big enough to take our questions.
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Yeah.
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Um it's okay to have questions of of our father, to ask him things, and to I guess, I guess but what you do with those questions is important.
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Like you can have questions and turn your back on him, or you can have questions and bring them to him.
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Right.
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And he wants us to bring them to bring them to him.
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Yeah.
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And I want to clarify or explain that, like, I do I do believe what I said earlier about Jesus stepping into our brokenness and taking it on himself and experiencing it himself.
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But I still struggle.
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And like you're talking about people that you're, you know, you visit them in the hospital or they're going through a challenging situation.
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You want that suffering to stop.
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So it's still hard.
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Like, like I guess all I can say is all we can hope in is that somehow God knows, and somehow God will will make make things right.
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But I think those words can be pretty pretty hard to accept when when life is really falling apart for people that are really struggling.
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Yeah, yeah.
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You know, you mentioned the importance of bringing things to God.
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You know, those big questions.
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How important is it for or has it been for you to also bring those questions to other people, you know, to have those conversations because sometimes we can just stir with those questions in our own quietness with God, and that's important.
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Yeah, but it seems to me that you know we share this journey together, and it's important to talk together with other people.
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Yeah.
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I think, yeah, I think that's really important.
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We don't have all the answers, and other people have wisdom that we that we don't possess.
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And sometimes they have like definitely older people have the wisdom that or they can have the wisdom that comes with age.
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They've experienced more.
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And yeah, I think it's been helpful for me to talk to to talk to people and to listen, to actually listen and also take advice and take take instruction.
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I wouldn't be where I am today in I'm in a healthier place than I have been.
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And I that wouldn't have been possible if I had not listened to wise counsel from from one friend in particular, a family friend who who's older than me.
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And and we had some we've had some unpleasant conversations.
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Right.
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And they've it's not always been fun.
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And sometimes I'm tempted to hang up the phone on him, but it has helped me.
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It reminds me of a lot of verses in Proverbs where it's like a fool, a fool won't take advice, that kind of thing, but a wise, a wise person listens to instruction to what to sound counsel or good instruction, something like that.
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Yeah, there's a lot of verses like that.
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Iron, iron sharpens iron.
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Yes, that's right.
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You know, yeah.
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So so I mean, uh, I know you uh quite well, Daniel.
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And one of the things I really love about you is that you do have a really caring heart.
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You know, I see the how you interact with other people, and so I know you mentioned a little bit about that struggle of having that whole burden, you know, but God is also placed, you know, kind of in a different place, and your vocation, you know.
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Talk a little bit about where God has placed you, you know, last year and as far as your vocation and how how that's been for you as as his follower.
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So I work at an elementary school as a learning assistant.
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So I help the teacher out.
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It's also called the teacher's assistant.
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I help the teacher out in the classroom, mostly with working with students who need some extra help.
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Yeah.
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And that's been good.
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I've only been doing it for about six months, but but it's been good.
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I I like the school where I'm at and working with kids has been good.
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They're often cute.
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They're sometimes frustrating.
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But yeah, I it's just a good, it's just a good opportunity to to be helpful.
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Kids always need help.
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So so it's kind of it's been good working with kids.
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Like I help mostly I help kids with who are struggling with math and reading.
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Those are the big thing two subjects.
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And they're really important things, math and reading.
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And like, so, anyways, always a temptation has been.
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For me to think like if someone in in front of me is asking for help or in need of something, it's always tempting for me to think to myself, this person isn't suffering or struggling as much as other people are.
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Like, do I really need to pay attention to this because their problem is not terribly significant.
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Right.
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But kids don't see it that way.
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They just they just want your help.
00:23:48.289 --> 00:24:01.410
Um, and so uh it's been helpful for me to kind of humble get become more humble about it and just say, like, I am in this place where I I'm at right now.
00:24:01.890 --> 00:24:04.690
Like I'm not in a war-torn country, you know?
00:24:04.930 --> 00:24:10.210
And if I were there, God would want me to meet those needs however I could.
00:24:10.370 --> 00:24:11.009
Yeah.
00:24:12.370 --> 00:24:20.050
But that doesn't mean that kids in my elementary school aren't don't have real problems or don't have don't have real needs.
00:24:21.170 --> 00:24:29.890
They may not have lost their parents like other kids have in other places, or they may not be facing abuse, though some some of them may, sure.
00:24:30.050 --> 00:24:34.450
But for the most part, they're not, but they still have they still have needs.
00:24:34.529 --> 00:24:34.769
Yeah.
00:24:34.930 --> 00:24:38.450
And so God wants me to God wants me to help them when I can.
00:24:38.529 --> 00:24:38.769
Yeah.
00:24:39.009 --> 00:24:39.730
Does that make sense?
00:24:39.890 --> 00:24:40.370
Yeah, yeah.
00:24:40.610 --> 00:24:41.410
That's that's beautiful.
00:24:41.570 --> 00:24:54.210
I think it's kind of reinforced that whole understanding of vocation from uh Martin Luther, you know, uh, where he says that whatever whatever station you are at in life, yeah, that's whom you serve.
00:24:54.370 --> 00:24:55.009
That's right.
00:24:55.250 --> 00:25:02.690
And it doesn't matter if we see it as a something big in our mind or something small.
00:25:02.930 --> 00:25:07.090
It's they're all it's just serve your neighbor where God has placed you.
00:25:07.330 --> 00:25:07.730
Right.
00:25:07.970 --> 00:25:13.810
And I've always found that really, really helpful because then I'm not saying, okay, what's the biggest need?
00:25:14.050 --> 00:25:14.850
Right, right.
00:25:15.090 --> 00:25:23.009
Because sometimes the biggest need might be visible to our eye, but it might be a bigger need that's not.
00:25:23.330 --> 00:25:24.050
That's right.
00:25:24.289 --> 00:25:31.410
And if you if you bypass that other individual person, that may be exactly who God wants you to see that day.
00:25:31.650 --> 00:25:31.970
Yeah.
00:25:32.130 --> 00:25:35.090
You know, and so I've always found that really, really helpful.
00:25:35.170 --> 00:25:37.490
And uh it kind of keeps you grounded.
00:25:37.810 --> 00:25:38.450
I think it does.
00:25:38.610 --> 00:25:38.769
Yeah.
00:25:39.090 --> 00:25:41.410
And you know, let the children come to me, you know.
00:25:41.730 --> 00:25:43.170
This is the kingdom of God, you know.
00:25:43.250 --> 00:25:46.930
And uh so it's it's it's fascinating that way.
00:25:47.170 --> 00:25:48.450
And Jesus did that too.
00:25:48.529 --> 00:25:54.850
Like he had people that he could have said, Oh, sorry, I can't help you, your situation isn't serious enough.
00:25:55.009 --> 00:25:55.330
That's right.
00:25:55.490 --> 00:25:57.330
Like I've got other people to look after.
00:25:57.650 --> 00:26:06.050
But he had time for kids, he had time for he had time for people that you know, yeah.
00:26:06.690 --> 00:26:10.769
A lot of their situations were pretty critical, but not everyone.
00:26:11.330 --> 00:26:14.289
Well, you I love that because I mean you're you're right.
00:26:14.370 --> 00:26:18.850
I mean, it's it's you know, he had time for people that others didn't want to be with.
00:26:19.090 --> 00:26:19.410
Yeah.
00:26:19.650 --> 00:26:26.529
You know, the woman at the well, yeah, uh, Zacchaeus, yeah, the prostitutes, yes, tax collectors, yeah.
00:26:26.690 --> 00:26:30.130
Just walk by them, you know, yeah, other people like the Pharisees did.
00:26:30.289 --> 00:26:39.330
But he would no, he would enter into conversations with them, yeah, and offer them the gift of eternal life or whatever that might be.
00:26:39.490 --> 00:26:39.970
Follow him.
00:26:40.210 --> 00:26:41.330
Yeah, you know.
00:26:41.970 --> 00:26:43.170
He always had time for people.
00:26:43.410 --> 00:26:50.930
Yeah, you you've had a I mean, obviously, we're gonna have you back on because I'd like to talk to you a little bit more about your journey.
00:26:51.090 --> 00:26:53.970
You know, you've had you've had a number of stages in life.
00:26:54.130 --> 00:26:59.890
I mean, coming from uh even coming from the United States and now living in Canada.
00:27:00.050 --> 00:27:00.370
Yeah.
00:27:00.610 --> 00:27:06.690
And this beautiful relationship that I think that you that you have with your your grandparents.
00:27:07.090 --> 00:27:07.330
Thank you.
00:27:08.130 --> 00:27:13.410
It's a beautiful thing to see, you know, as they age, you know, that you're part of their journey as well.
00:27:13.570 --> 00:27:15.330
And that's again the station of life.
00:27:15.570 --> 00:27:17.410
You serve wherever God places you.
00:27:17.650 --> 00:27:18.050
That's right.
00:27:18.610 --> 00:27:22.130
I have one final question for you uh today.
00:27:22.370 --> 00:27:35.410
And again, that would be just thinking about, you know, again, we're trying to to reach people out in the world a little bit, encourage them in their faith, or at least to be curious about about the faith in Jesus.
00:27:35.890 --> 00:27:44.050
And what would you say to people who are listening on who are maybe going, Well, I got I got those YCAP questions too.
00:27:44.130 --> 00:27:45.570
I'm not sure if I should.
00:27:45.970 --> 00:27:47.330
I don't want to ask them anymore.
00:27:47.650 --> 00:27:51.490
I I'm kind of giving up on God, or enough is enough.
00:27:52.050 --> 00:28:04.130
You know, and there might be other people who are, you know, used to believe and are kind of going away a little bit, and or maybe there's just people who are on the fringe.
00:28:04.529 --> 00:28:06.769
Just I just want to give this a shot.
00:28:06.850 --> 00:28:07.410
I'm not sure.
00:28:07.810 --> 00:28:10.289
What would you say to those people from your experience?
00:28:13.009 --> 00:28:17.090
What would I say to people who have questions who are who are struggling?
00:28:19.970 --> 00:28:21.810
Or who simply have questions?
00:28:21.970 --> 00:28:22.610
Yeah.
00:28:24.289 --> 00:28:45.250
I think I would say that you should ask those questions of God and also bring them to so ask those questions to God in prayer.
00:28:45.410 --> 00:29:02.930
Like maybe you don't pray, but maybe you could start by saying, Hey, if you're there, then I've got some questions, I've got some kind of complaints or wonderings or questions, and I'm wondering if you can help me with them.
00:29:03.170 --> 00:29:05.970
Asking him for help is a good place to start.
00:29:06.930 --> 00:29:14.450
And then I would also say bringing those questions to someone who is trustworthy is a good idea too.
00:29:14.769 --> 00:29:33.170
I'm a Christian and I believe in Christianity, I believe in Jesus, and so I would encourage people to find someone in a maybe a pastor or a respected friend who is a who is a believer in Jesus and maybe bring those questions to them.
00:29:33.810 --> 00:29:41.570
But I I do think that God is big enough to answer your questions, though he may not answer them the way that you expect him to.
00:29:42.930 --> 00:29:49.570
Again, I think it's helpful to remember that Jesus experienced what we experience.
00:29:49.810 --> 00:30:04.370
So we believe that God became man and he entered time, he entered the confines of you know being a human being and all the limitations that that brings.
00:30:05.170 --> 00:30:07.490
And he experienced what it was like.
00:30:08.769 --> 00:30:11.090
He he stepped down into the story.
00:30:11.250 --> 00:30:15.170
Like he's the author of the story, and he wrote himself into it.
00:30:15.570 --> 00:30:31.250
And so we may never get the answer that we are looking for, where things like all of a sudden make sense, like why there's suffering, or how are you gonna make right all this suffering?
00:30:33.090 --> 00:30:41.570
But we can at least remember that Jesus experienced suffering.
00:30:42.690 --> 00:30:48.210
We believe he's the he's the son of God, he experienced suffering, even great suffering.
00:30:50.289 --> 00:30:52.690
And he still had hope.
00:30:53.970 --> 00:30:54.130
Right.
00:30:54.370 --> 00:30:56.289
Like something made him hopeful.
00:30:56.450 --> 00:31:04.529
Yeah, and it wasn't because he was unfeeling or not compassionate, but he's he still had hope.
00:31:04.769 --> 00:31:12.690
So if Jesus still had hope, then it's possible for me to have hope too.
00:31:12.930 --> 00:31:17.730
Yeah, yeah, it's wonderful, and hope to all those who are listening.
00:31:18.529 --> 00:31:19.009
Thank you.
00:31:19.170 --> 00:31:19.730
Yeah.
00:31:19.970 --> 00:31:24.450
Well, Daniel, I want to thank you for joining for the podcast today on Flying Leaves.
00:31:24.529 --> 00:31:25.330
It's great to have you.
00:31:25.730 --> 00:31:26.529
Thanks for having me.
00:31:26.769 --> 00:31:28.529
And I look forward to having you back again.
00:31:28.610 --> 00:31:32.529
And uh for those of you have been listening on today, uh, thank you for being here.
00:31:32.690 --> 00:31:41.090
And again, just feel free to pass on these podcasts to your family and friends, and may this be an encouragement to you as you think about the faith in your life.
00:31:41.250 --> 00:31:43.730
So, again, this is Rick Berg saying goodbye.
00:31:43.810 --> 00:31:45.410
Thank you, and God bless you.
00:31:45.570 --> 00:31:47.490
Take care, see you soon.
00:01:20.930 --> 00:01:23.570
Hey, welcome everybody once again to Fly Leaves.
00:01:23.650 --> 00:01:32.769
This is your host, Rick Berg, and I'm great to host today and to be with you and really excited to interview one of our other one of our young adults in our community.
00:01:33.010 --> 00:01:37.969
And of course, we know we're talking about uh what it means to live out this faith in the Russis world.
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And very happy to invite on to the podcast today, Daniel Wagner.
00:01:41.969 --> 00:01:42.689
Daniel, welcome.
00:01:42.930 --> 00:01:43.730
Thanks for having me.
00:01:43.810 --> 00:01:44.450
It's good to be here.
00:01:44.689 --> 00:01:45.730
It's great to have you here.
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And uh I'm gonna get right into your story as I've done to all the other young adults.
00:01:49.490 --> 00:01:53.090
It's just great to kind of hear a little bit about where it all began.
00:01:53.170 --> 00:01:55.730
You know, our family origin is obviously that place.
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And talk a little bit about your, you know, your upbringing as a young youngster in the faith, and then we'll talk a little bit more about how that's evolved over the years.
00:02:05.329 --> 00:02:05.650
Okay.
00:02:06.689 --> 00:02:09.730
Yeah, I grew up in a Christian home.
00:02:10.050 --> 00:02:17.409
Jesus and faith were always like the most important things in in my family's lives.
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I was taught that, you know, that that Jesus loves me and that he died to save me and that I needed his his grace and forgiveness.
00:02:28.610 --> 00:02:32.210
So I was taught from a young age what it means to be a Christian.
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And yeah, so faith has always been a part of my life.
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I've always I've always been really passionate about my faith.
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I've always had an interest in Christianity and wanted wanted to serve God for since I was young.
00:02:52.050 --> 00:02:57.889
So when you were when you were young then, and obviously the faith became an important part of your life, what was it like?
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I mean, I was interested, kind of that whole, you know, that during the high school years kind of leading up to maybe university, and sometimes youth are kind of pulled away during that time.
00:03:08.449 --> 00:03:12.050
Was what was it like for you during that kind of period of time in your life?
00:03:12.689 --> 00:03:15.969
My high school years and going into university.
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I was I was really like I said, I was really a passionate person.
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I I kind of threw myself into everything that I did and did it wholeheartedly, as well as I could, I suppose.
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And I know different when it came to faith.
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My faith was really important to me, and I wanted to be like fully devoted to God, and and I I also had probably like a lot of young people from what others have told me, it's kind of common, but uh I also had kind of grandiose ideas about what I would do with my life and how I might serve God.
00:04:05.170 --> 00:04:20.050
I had ideas about kind of like what it what it meant to be a Christian, and some of it was positive, but some of it was kind of a little bit misplaced, I think.
00:04:20.290 --> 00:04:31.490
It kind of it kind of led toward me having unrealistic expectations for myself, putting too much pressure on myself, that kind of thing, to be a sort of super Christian.
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That's interesting.
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Can you talk a little bit more about that?
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You know, do you have any examples kind of you know, the super Christian idea?
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Where did that kind of I guess kind of lead you into an understanding of who God was, maybe?
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Hmm.
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I think that, yeah, so I had it in my head that I wanted to be, I wanted to be totally devoted to God.
00:05:02.209 --> 00:05:13.970
And I wanted to be shaped by him completely, and like have my life be follow after Jesus really closely.
00:05:14.530 --> 00:05:37.650
And so I wanted to be viewed as someone who was very loving, very generous, very kind, and people kind of began to see me, especially in like yeah, high school and university, and even younger, I people kind of thought of me as someone who is spiritually mature.
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And I think that it's easy for it's easy for pride to get in there when when when that happens.
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It's easy for it was easy for me to kind of want to keep up that expectation or that reputation that I had as someone who was who was really devoted to God.
00:06:02.129 --> 00:06:12.530
So it became it became something difficult for me because I wanted to, I felt like I needed to keep up that reputation.
00:06:13.090 --> 00:06:32.449
And it became eventually something that I would do things that I thought God would want me to do, but I did them, I did them at least in part so that others would look at me a certain way.
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Or or so that I could feel good about myself as as a Christian, as a person.
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So it was it became associated with a lot of pressure.
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Um, felt like I needed to do this.
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And if I don't, if I don't reach out to this person, or if I you know, if I don't pray longer, or if I don't help this this person that I see that might need help.
00:06:56.370 --> 00:07:02.370
For example, I used to reach out regularly to people who were homeless or maybe poor.
00:07:02.610 --> 00:07:14.370
And I think that's important to do, but I I felt pressured to do that every opportunity that came up and felt like if I don't do this, am I being unfaithful to God?
00:07:14.530 --> 00:07:16.610
Am I am I disobeying God?
00:07:16.850 --> 00:07:19.250
Am I unwilling to give everything for Jesus?
00:07:19.410 --> 00:07:25.490
It was like every opportunity became a challenge to to my faith about whether or not I was really devoted to God.
00:07:25.650 --> 00:07:27.730
And so it became full of pressure.
00:07:28.610 --> 00:07:28.930
Yeah.
00:07:29.250 --> 00:07:29.810
Wow.
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So then, you know, would it be fair to say that that kind of you're kind of climbing the ladder?
00:07:36.930 --> 00:07:37.250
Yeah.
00:07:37.410 --> 00:07:45.650
A little bit and trying to, you know, making sure that you always have one step closer to God and that you didn't have one lower too much lower down?
00:07:45.890 --> 00:07:47.250
Yeah, I would say that's true.
00:07:47.410 --> 00:07:48.850
Yeah, that's a good analogy.
00:07:49.090 --> 00:07:49.490
Yeah.
00:07:49.730 --> 00:07:56.050
And so what did that kind of what would uh you know your your days look like then when you put that kind of pressure on you then?
00:07:56.129 --> 00:07:59.970
Like what was it a daily thing or a weekly thing, or it would just happen once in a while?
00:08:00.129 --> 00:08:02.129
Or I think it was daily.
00:08:02.370 --> 00:08:06.129
I I lived with that every day, I think.
00:08:06.449 --> 00:08:26.850
I also like I also, especially during my college years, when I was a, you know, maybe a younger, young adult, I was really affected by the needs that I would see in the world, whether they were close, close at home or maybe abroad in in other places.
00:08:27.330 --> 00:08:38.289
And I kind of was beginning to be overwhelmed by the amount of brokenness and suffering and needs that are out there.
00:08:38.610 --> 00:08:41.490
And to be honest, I think that's reasonable.
00:08:41.649 --> 00:08:44.370
Like there is a lot of brokenness in this world.
00:08:44.449 --> 00:08:44.769
Yeah.
00:08:45.090 --> 00:08:53.569
And like here in Canada, we're not we're not as touched by it as some places are.
00:08:53.649 --> 00:08:59.649
Like some places are in war, are in war right now, you know, and I we don't have we don't have any context for what that's like.
00:08:59.809 --> 00:09:00.129
No.
00:09:00.449 --> 00:09:11.169
But so those pressures, like the those feelings really became significant, really feeling overwhelmed about the needs that were out there.
00:09:11.809 --> 00:09:20.529
And yeah, so I kind of lived with that every day, and it it kind of kind of mounted and and increased over time.
00:09:21.569 --> 00:09:24.929
So it was almost like you you felt a burden for the world.
00:09:25.169 --> 00:09:33.169
Yeah, and you didn't kind of know what to do with it, or what just kind of too much to to handle sometimes.
00:09:33.490 --> 00:09:48.289
Yeah, and and I was I didn't respect my own limitations for what I could handle emotionally or with my own like act, like what I could handle physically, but mostly emotionally.
00:09:49.090 --> 00:09:52.689
Like you can't carry that, you can't carry the weight of the world, yeah.
00:09:52.929 --> 00:09:54.769
You can't carry the suffering.
00:09:55.409 --> 00:09:58.529
And so, but I didn't really respect that.
00:09:58.769 --> 00:10:06.529
And so I kind of tried to take it on myself, which sounds silly because what could I do to really touch it?
00:10:07.089 --> 00:10:14.049
But I felt like, and and here's where pride get gets mixed in as well.
00:10:14.289 --> 00:10:19.409
I think that I began to think that God wasn't doing enough.
00:10:20.209 --> 00:10:27.089
Then like the world is falling apart and he's not, he's not, he's not fixing it.
00:10:27.409 --> 00:10:34.209
And so I had trouble giving it over to God because it felt like he wasn't doing enough to fix it.
00:10:34.689 --> 00:10:39.409
And that just became so that there's pride in there as well.
00:10:39.490 --> 00:10:46.689
I feel feeling like I knew better than God, um, feeling like I couldn't hand it over to him, couldn't uh trust him with it.
00:10:47.569 --> 00:10:55.889
That's fascinating because you know, on the other side, those who you know have no faith at all, they kind of ask that same question.
00:10:56.049 --> 00:10:58.769
They go, like, why would God let this happen?
00:10:59.009 --> 00:11:03.569
Or why, you know, why wouldn't he come in sooner to solve a problem?
00:11:03.729 --> 00:11:09.889
Or yeah, or you know, so it it's it's something that others would ask as well, right?
00:11:10.129 --> 00:11:10.610
Yes.
00:11:10.849 --> 00:11:13.409
And well, I think I've asked that question too.
00:11:13.490 --> 00:11:16.449
Yeah, whatever too, you know, what why, why?
00:11:16.689 --> 00:11:17.889
It's why, yeah.
00:11:18.209 --> 00:11:21.329
Why God, you're you know, you're all powerful, yeah.
00:11:21.490 --> 00:11:23.490
And and and you're supposed to be loving.
00:11:23.649 --> 00:11:25.490
You're supposed to be loving, yeah, yeah.
00:11:26.129 --> 00:11:29.969
How do you how do you answer that question like like now?
00:11:30.129 --> 00:11:37.089
I mean, you know, if if people, you know, because it's a common again, again I said it's a common question, you know.
00:11:37.490 --> 00:11:39.729
Yeah, how would how do you answer that now?
00:11:40.610 --> 00:11:55.490
I think I'm still in the middle, I'm still working through some healing from I I've lived in an unhealthy relationship with God for a long time, and I'm still working through that.
00:11:55.729 --> 00:11:59.809
But I am, I think I have made progress in the last two years.
00:12:01.329 --> 00:12:05.649
And I'm doing I'm in a better place than I was, say, two years ago.
00:12:09.169 --> 00:12:20.289
So I'm still working through that that question, what do you do with the suffering that's in the world and the fact that God is we believe God is all powerful and loving.
00:12:24.370 --> 00:12:34.049
It seems like God doesn't respond to situations the way that we would respond to them.
00:12:35.169 --> 00:12:43.490
He like we would we would view a problem and attempt to go ahead and go and fix that problem.
00:12:43.729 --> 00:12:44.049
Right.
00:12:44.289 --> 00:12:46.370
In this case, the problem is suffering.
00:12:46.529 --> 00:12:50.529
That's that's what we're discussing and brokenness in the world.
00:12:52.049 --> 00:12:55.809
But God seems to take a slower trajectory.
00:12:57.329 --> 00:13:21.409
His answer, according to the Bible, and according to what I was taught growing up, his answer is sending his son to be an infant, to to be born of a woman, to grow up and live in in kind of an un in kind of a an obscure part of the world.
00:13:22.289 --> 00:13:25.889
Israel was not a world power at the time.
00:13:26.049 --> 00:13:27.889
They were under oppression, yeah.
00:13:28.049 --> 00:13:30.049
They weren't weren't free.
00:13:31.009 --> 00:13:39.009
And his answer culminates in Jesus' life and death and resurrection.
00:13:40.049 --> 00:13:48.929
And it seems like that doesn't answer the question, and we still have suffering even after Jesus came, much suffering.
00:13:50.049 --> 00:13:57.809
But it seems like from what from what the Bible teaches, that is God's answer.
00:14:00.370 --> 00:14:03.009
It's how He is making the world right again.
00:14:04.529 --> 00:14:22.370
And because Jesus rose again, it was God's it was God's statement that Jesus would that was the beginning of Jesus' victory over death, death, darkness, death and darkness and sin.
00:14:24.289 --> 00:14:28.049
And so Jesus came into our suffering.
00:14:30.289 --> 00:14:36.449
Jesus didn't simply stay in heaven and and fix it from there.
00:14:36.689 --> 00:14:39.889
He he entered into it and he suffered himself.
00:14:40.049 --> 00:14:40.370
Yeah.
00:14:40.610 --> 00:14:55.169
He knew what it was like to lose a friend, he knew what it was like, he probably knew what it he would have known what it was like to skin his knee, he knew what it was like to experience betrayal, and he ultimately experienced a horrible death.
00:14:59.250 --> 00:15:10.449
So, like if we were God, we would probably think of some way to fix it by just making it happen, snapping our fingers and doing away with this evil.
00:15:10.610 --> 00:15:15.649
But instead, God chose to become a man and and enter into our suffering with us.
00:15:15.809 --> 00:15:16.209
Yeah.
00:15:16.449 --> 00:15:27.729
There's a verse in Hebrews that says, We don't have a high priest, and it's talking about Jesus, we don't have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses.
00:15:28.289 --> 00:15:33.009
But we have one who has been tempted in every way just as we are, yet without sin.
00:15:33.250 --> 00:15:38.449
So like Jesus enters into our suffering.
00:15:38.689 --> 00:15:50.209
Yeah, he takes it on himself, and it seems like a slower, more difficult journey to make things right, but that's what that's that's what he's doing.
00:15:50.529 --> 00:15:51.809
Yeah, yeah.
00:15:53.169 --> 00:16:18.370
Suffering with us, you know, it's often when I'm visiting people, you know, who are in suffering of some kind, and whatever it might be, whether it be dying or suffering with a diagnosis of cancer or a mental illness or family problem, you know, you you want to you want it to you want it to finish.
00:16:18.610 --> 00:16:18.929
Yeah.
00:16:19.089 --> 00:16:21.089
You you want you want that to end, right?
00:16:21.250 --> 00:16:21.569
Yeah.
00:16:21.809 --> 00:16:27.169
And I know that from experience, because I probably said things I shouldn't have in the past.
00:16:27.969 --> 00:16:34.769
All I hope for and pray for is that they would feel the presence of God in their life where they're at.
00:16:35.009 --> 00:16:35.409
Right.
00:16:35.569 --> 00:16:41.729
And that that's all I can bring, because I can't bring anything more than that.
00:16:41.969 --> 00:16:43.009
You know, that's just my job.
00:16:43.169 --> 00:16:44.929
Say, hey, God is with you.
00:16:45.089 --> 00:16:45.409
Yeah.
00:16:45.649 --> 00:16:49.329
And it sounds very kind of like, okay, well, not enough.
00:16:49.569 --> 00:16:49.889
Yeah.
00:16:50.289 --> 00:16:58.289
But like you said, it kind of is enough to know that Jesus has understood our suffering and that he promises to be with us, right?
00:16:58.529 --> 00:17:11.170
You know, in that moment, whatever, whatever, whatever it is, whatever, you know, and and so when you look at that whole, you know, I mean, again, you're mentioning, you know, Jesus identifying with us.
00:17:11.410 --> 00:17:14.049
Well, even you know, he also said, Why?
00:17:15.009 --> 00:17:17.250
Like, why why why are you forsaking me?
00:17:17.410 --> 00:17:17.970
Right.
00:17:18.450 --> 00:17:18.769
Yes.
00:17:19.009 --> 00:17:22.849
So he asked that same question that all of us ask at times too.
00:17:22.930 --> 00:17:29.089
And so it seems to me that it's it's okay to ask those questions.
00:17:29.490 --> 00:17:34.370
Yes, and it doesn't diminish our faith, so to speak.
00:17:34.610 --> 00:17:35.970
You know, would you agree with that?
00:17:36.370 --> 00:17:36.849
Yes.
00:17:37.089 --> 00:17:41.730
I think that's part of the Christian journey to have questions.
00:17:42.529 --> 00:17:49.569
And God is I think God's strong enough and and big enough to take our questions.
00:17:49.809 --> 00:17:50.210
Yeah.
00:17:50.450 --> 00:18:07.170
Um it's okay to have questions of of our father, to ask him things, and to I guess, I guess but what you do with those questions is important.
00:18:07.410 --> 00:18:13.170
Like you can have questions and turn your back on him, or you can have questions and bring them to him.
00:18:13.809 --> 00:18:14.450
Right.
00:18:15.009 --> 00:18:19.170
And he wants us to bring them to bring them to him.
00:18:19.890 --> 00:18:20.450
Yeah.
00:18:20.690 --> 00:18:34.050
And I want to clarify or explain that, like, I do I do believe what I said earlier about Jesus stepping into our brokenness and taking it on himself and experiencing it himself.
00:18:34.370 --> 00:18:35.810
But I still struggle.
00:18:36.050 --> 00:18:42.690
And like you're talking about people that you're, you know, you visit them in the hospital or they're going through a challenging situation.
00:18:42.850 --> 00:18:44.529
You want that suffering to stop.
00:18:44.769 --> 00:18:45.970
So it's still hard.
00:18:46.210 --> 00:18:59.810
Like, like I guess all I can say is all we can hope in is that somehow God knows, and somehow God will will make make things right.
00:19:02.610 --> 00:19:10.450
But I think those words can be pretty pretty hard to accept when when life is really falling apart for people that are really struggling.
00:19:10.690 --> 00:19:12.050
Yeah, yeah.
00:19:13.250 --> 00:19:16.130
You know, you mentioned the importance of bringing things to God.
00:19:17.810 --> 00:19:19.570
You know, those big questions.
00:19:20.690 --> 00:19:38.769
How important is it for or has it been for you to also bring those questions to other people, you know, to have those conversations because sometimes we can just stir with those questions in our own quietness with God, and that's important.
00:19:38.930 --> 00:19:48.210
Yeah, but it seems to me that you know we share this journey together, and it's important to talk together with other people.
00:19:48.529 --> 00:19:48.850
Yeah.
00:19:49.170 --> 00:19:51.330
I think, yeah, I think that's really important.
00:19:55.009 --> 00:20:02.370
We don't have all the answers, and other people have wisdom that we that we don't possess.
00:20:02.529 --> 00:20:10.289
And sometimes they have like definitely older people have the wisdom that or they can have the wisdom that comes with age.
00:20:10.690 --> 00:20:12.289
They've experienced more.
00:20:13.650 --> 00:20:29.890
And yeah, I think it's been helpful for me to talk to to talk to people and to listen, to actually listen and also take advice and take take instruction.
00:20:32.769 --> 00:20:37.970
I wouldn't be where I am today in I'm in a healthier place than I have been.
00:20:38.210 --> 00:20:53.170
And I that wouldn't have been possible if I had not listened to wise counsel from from one friend in particular, a family friend who who's older than me.
00:20:55.570 --> 00:21:02.289
And and we had some we've had some unpleasant conversations.
00:21:02.450 --> 00:21:02.769
Right.
00:21:03.009 --> 00:21:05.330
And they've it's not always been fun.
00:21:06.450 --> 00:21:16.289
And sometimes I'm tempted to hang up the phone on him, but it has helped me.
00:21:16.529 --> 00:21:30.289
It reminds me of a lot of verses in Proverbs where it's like a fool, a fool won't take advice, that kind of thing, but a wise, a wise person listens to instruction to what to sound counsel or good instruction, something like that.
00:21:30.450 --> 00:21:32.370
Yeah, there's a lot of verses like that.
00:21:32.690 --> 00:21:34.529
Iron, iron sharpens iron.
00:21:34.769 --> 00:21:35.490
Yes, that's right.
00:21:35.730 --> 00:21:36.289
You know, yeah.
00:21:36.370 --> 00:21:41.009
So so I mean, uh, I know you uh quite well, Daniel.
00:21:41.490 --> 00:21:48.130
And one of the things I really love about you is that you do have a really caring heart.
00:21:48.529 --> 00:22:04.610
You know, I see the how you interact with other people, and so I know you mentioned a little bit about that struggle of having that whole burden, you know, but God is also placed, you know, kind of in a different place, and your vocation, you know.
00:22:04.850 --> 00:22:14.050
Talk a little bit about where God has placed you, you know, last year and as far as your vocation and how how that's been for you as as his follower.
00:22:14.850 --> 00:22:19.090
So I work at an elementary school as a learning assistant.
00:22:19.330 --> 00:22:20.850
So I help the teacher out.
00:22:21.009 --> 00:22:22.930
It's also called the teacher's assistant.
00:22:23.090 --> 00:22:29.490
I help the teacher out in the classroom, mostly with working with students who need some extra help.
00:22:29.650 --> 00:22:29.970
Yeah.
00:22:30.370 --> 00:22:31.970
And that's been good.
00:22:32.130 --> 00:22:36.769
I've only been doing it for about six months, but but it's been good.
00:22:36.930 --> 00:22:42.130
I I like the school where I'm at and working with kids has been good.
00:22:42.289 --> 00:22:44.050
They're often cute.
00:22:44.850 --> 00:22:48.450
They're sometimes frustrating.
00:22:49.170 --> 00:22:55.650
But yeah, I it's just a good, it's just a good opportunity to to be helpful.
00:22:56.370 --> 00:22:57.970
Kids always need help.
00:22:58.210 --> 00:23:02.050
So so it's kind of it's been good working with kids.
00:23:02.130 --> 00:23:06.930
Like I help mostly I help kids with who are struggling with math and reading.
00:23:07.009 --> 00:23:09.970
Those are the big thing two subjects.
00:23:10.289 --> 00:23:14.450
And they're really important things, math and reading.
00:23:14.610 --> 00:23:18.930
And like, so, anyways, always a temptation has been.
00:23:19.410 --> 00:23:33.730
For me to think like if someone in in front of me is asking for help or in need of something, it's always tempting for me to think to myself, this person isn't suffering or struggling as much as other people are.
00:23:33.810 --> 00:23:41.730
Like, do I really need to pay attention to this because their problem is not terribly significant.
00:23:41.890 --> 00:23:42.529
Right.
00:23:44.210 --> 00:23:46.289
But kids don't see it that way.
00:23:46.370 --> 00:23:48.050
They just they just want your help.
00:23:48.289 --> 00:24:01.410
Um, and so uh it's been helpful for me to kind of humble get become more humble about it and just say, like, I am in this place where I I'm at right now.
00:24:01.890 --> 00:24:04.690
Like I'm not in a war-torn country, you know?
00:24:04.930 --> 00:24:10.210
And if I were there, God would want me to meet those needs however I could.
00:24:10.370 --> 00:24:11.009
Yeah.
00:24:12.370 --> 00:24:20.050
But that doesn't mean that kids in my elementary school aren't don't have real problems or don't have don't have real needs.
00:24:21.170 --> 00:24:29.890
They may not have lost their parents like other kids have in other places, or they may not be facing abuse, though some some of them may, sure.
00:24:30.050 --> 00:24:34.450
But for the most part, they're not, but they still have they still have needs.
00:24:34.529 --> 00:24:34.769
Yeah.
00:24:34.930 --> 00:24:38.450
And so God wants me to God wants me to help them when I can.
00:24:38.529 --> 00:24:38.769
Yeah.
00:24:39.009 --> 00:24:39.730
Does that make sense?
00:24:39.890 --> 00:24:40.370
Yeah, yeah.
00:24:40.610 --> 00:24:41.410
That's that's beautiful.
00:24:41.570 --> 00:24:54.210
I think it's kind of reinforced that whole understanding of vocation from uh Martin Luther, you know, uh, where he says that whatever whatever station you are at in life, yeah, that's whom you serve.
00:24:54.370 --> 00:24:55.009
That's right.
00:24:55.250 --> 00:25:02.690
And it doesn't matter if we see it as a something big in our mind or something small.
00:25:02.930 --> 00:25:07.090
It's they're all it's just serve your neighbor where God has placed you.
00:25:07.330 --> 00:25:07.730
Right.
00:25:07.970 --> 00:25:13.810
And I've always found that really, really helpful because then I'm not saying, okay, what's the biggest need?
00:25:14.050 --> 00:25:14.850
Right, right.
00:25:15.090 --> 00:25:23.009
Because sometimes the biggest need might be visible to our eye, but it might be a bigger need that's not.
00:25:23.330 --> 00:25:24.050
That's right.
00:25:24.289 --> 00:25:31.410
And if you if you bypass that other individual person, that may be exactly who God wants you to see that day.
00:25:31.650 --> 00:25:31.970
Yeah.
00:25:32.130 --> 00:25:35.090
You know, and so I've always found that really, really helpful.
00:25:35.170 --> 00:25:37.490
And uh it kind of keeps you grounded.
00:25:37.810 --> 00:25:38.450
I think it does.
00:25:38.610 --> 00:25:38.769
Yeah.
00:25:39.090 --> 00:25:41.410
And you know, let the children come to me, you know.
00:25:41.730 --> 00:25:43.170
This is the kingdom of God, you know.
00:25:43.250 --> 00:25:46.930
And uh so it's it's it's fascinating that way.
00:25:47.170 --> 00:25:48.450
And Jesus did that too.
00:25:48.529 --> 00:25:54.850
Like he had people that he could have said, Oh, sorry, I can't help you, your situation isn't serious enough.
00:25:55.009 --> 00:25:55.330
That's right.
00:25:55.490 --> 00:25:57.330
Like I've got other people to look after.
00:25:57.650 --> 00:26:06.050
But he had time for kids, he had time for he had time for people that you know, yeah.
00:26:06.690 --> 00:26:10.769
A lot of their situations were pretty critical, but not everyone.
00:26:11.330 --> 00:26:14.289
Well, you I love that because I mean you're you're right.
00:26:14.370 --> 00:26:18.850
I mean, it's it's you know, he had time for people that others didn't want to be with.
00:26:19.090 --> 00:26:19.410
Yeah.
00:26:19.650 --> 00:26:26.529
You know, the woman at the well, yeah, uh, Zacchaeus, yeah, the prostitutes, yes, tax collectors, yeah.
00:26:26.690 --> 00:26:30.130
Just walk by them, you know, yeah, other people like the Pharisees did.
00:26:30.289 --> 00:26:39.330
But he would no, he would enter into conversations with them, yeah, and offer them the gift of eternal life or whatever that might be.
00:26:39.490 --> 00:26:39.970
Follow him.
00:26:40.210 --> 00:26:41.330
Yeah, you know.
00:26:41.970 --> 00:26:43.170
He always had time for people.
00:26:43.410 --> 00:26:50.930
Yeah, you you've had a I mean, obviously, we're gonna have you back on because I'd like to talk to you a little bit more about your journey.
00:26:51.090 --> 00:26:53.970
You know, you've had you've had a number of stages in life.
00:26:54.130 --> 00:26:59.890
I mean, coming from uh even coming from the United States and now living in Canada.
00:27:00.050 --> 00:27:00.370
Yeah.
00:27:00.610 --> 00:27:06.690
And this beautiful relationship that I think that you that you have with your your grandparents.
00:27:07.090 --> 00:27:07.330
Thank you.
00:27:08.130 --> 00:27:13.410
It's a beautiful thing to see, you know, as they age, you know, that you're part of their journey as well.
00:27:13.570 --> 00:27:15.330
And that's again the station of life.
00:27:15.570 --> 00:27:17.410
You serve wherever God places you.
00:27:17.650 --> 00:27:18.050
That's right.
00:27:18.610 --> 00:27:22.130
I have one final question for you uh today.
00:27:22.370 --> 00:27:35.410
And again, that would be just thinking about, you know, again, we're trying to to reach people out in the world a little bit, encourage them in their faith, or at least to be curious about about the faith in Jesus.
00:27:35.890 --> 00:27:44.050
And what would you say to people who are listening on who are maybe going, Well, I got I got those YCAP questions too.
00:27:44.130 --> 00:27:45.570
I'm not sure if I should.
00:27:45.970 --> 00:27:47.330
I don't want to ask them anymore.
00:27:47.650 --> 00:27:51.490
I I'm kind of giving up on God, or enough is enough.
00:27:52.050 --> 00:28:04.130
You know, and there might be other people who are, you know, used to believe and are kind of going away a little bit, and or maybe there's just people who are on the fringe.
00:28:04.529 --> 00:28:06.769
Just I just want to give this a shot.
00:28:06.850 --> 00:28:07.410
I'm not sure.
00:28:07.810 --> 00:28:10.289
What would you say to those people from your experience?
00:28:13.009 --> 00:28:17.090
What would I say to people who have questions who are who are struggling?
00:28:19.970 --> 00:28:21.810
Or who simply have questions?
00:28:21.970 --> 00:28:22.610
Yeah.
00:28:24.289 --> 00:28:45.250
I think I would say that you should ask those questions of God and also bring them to so ask those questions to God in prayer.
00:28:45.410 --> 00:29:02.930
Like maybe you don't pray, but maybe you could start by saying, Hey, if you're there, then I've got some questions, I've got some kind of complaints or wonderings or questions, and I'm wondering if you can help me with them.
00:29:03.170 --> 00:29:05.970
Asking him for help is a good place to start.
00:29:06.930 --> 00:29:14.450
And then I would also say bringing those questions to someone who is trustworthy is a good idea too.
00:29:14.769 --> 00:29:33.170
I'm a Christian and I believe in Christianity, I believe in Jesus, and so I would encourage people to find someone in a maybe a pastor or a respected friend who is a who is a believer in Jesus and maybe bring those questions to them.
00:29:33.810 --> 00:29:41.570
But I I do think that God is big enough to answer your questions, though he may not answer them the way that you expect him to.
00:29:42.930 --> 00:29:49.570
Again, I think it's helpful to remember that Jesus experienced what we experience.
00:29:49.810 --> 00:30:04.370
So we believe that God became man and he entered time, he entered the confines of you know being a human being and all the limitations that that brings.
00:30:05.170 --> 00:30:07.490
And he experienced what it was like.
00:30:08.769 --> 00:30:11.090
He he stepped down into the story.
00:30:11.250 --> 00:30:15.170
Like he's the author of the story, and he wrote himself into it.
00:30:15.570 --> 00:30:31.250
And so we may never get the answer that we are looking for, where things like all of a sudden make sense, like why there's suffering, or how are you gonna make right all this suffering?
00:30:33.090 --> 00:30:41.570
But we can at least remember that Jesus experienced suffering.
00:30:42.690 --> 00:30:48.210
We believe he's the he's the son of God, he experienced suffering, even great suffering.
00:30:50.289 --> 00:30:52.690
And he still had hope.
00:30:53.970 --> 00:30:54.130
Right.
00:30:54.370 --> 00:30:56.289
Like something made him hopeful.
00:30:56.450 --> 00:31:04.529
Yeah, and it wasn't because he was unfeeling or not compassionate, but he's he still had hope.
00:31:04.769 --> 00:31:12.690
So if Jesus still had hope, then it's possible for me to have hope too.
00:31:12.930 --> 00:31:17.730
Yeah, yeah, it's wonderful, and hope to all those who are listening.
00:31:18.529 --> 00:31:19.009
Thank you.
00:31:19.170 --> 00:31:19.730
Yeah.
00:31:19.970 --> 00:31:24.450
Well, Daniel, I want to thank you for joining for the podcast today on Flying Leaves.
00:31:24.529 --> 00:31:25.330
It's great to have you.
00:31:25.730 --> 00:31:26.529
Thanks for having me.
00:31:26.769 --> 00:31:28.529
And I look forward to having you back again.
00:31:28.610 --> 00:31:32.529
And uh for those of you have been listening on today, uh, thank you for being here.
00:31:32.690 --> 00:31:41.090
And again, just feel free to pass on these podcasts to your family and friends, and may this be an encouragement to you as you think about the faith in your life.
00:31:41.250 --> 00:31:43.730
So, again, this is Rick Berg saying goodbye.
00:31:43.810 --> 00:31:45.410
Thank you, and God bless you.
00:31:45.570 --> 00:31:47.490
Take care, see you soon.
