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Can I be honest? Some seasons in life and ministry feel like one long, relentless storm where our Heart Logic gets tested to its core.
When my family moved to Nashville, we left everything behind—family, lifelong friends, and a beloved church community—all to follow God's calling. We arrived carrying dreams and expectations, our hearts full of purpose. Then reality hit like a tidal wave.
Within the first year, our bank account ran dry, a tornado tore through our city, COVID-19 shut down the world, a Christmas morning bombing shattered our community's peace, and a school shooting left us all heartbroken. And beneath it all, the toll on my marriage from fifteen years of fast-paced ministry became painfully obvious.
Every time we thought we saw light at the end of the tunnel, it turned out to be another freight train heading our way. In those moments, my Heart struggled to believe that life could be good.
Wrestling with Heart Logic
When our Heart Logic is faulty, we believe life never works out, there's no purpose to suffering, and hope fades when things get tough. If we believe that narrative, we live defeated, constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop.
As ministry leaders, we often feel pressure to have all the answers. But some questions challenge our Heart Logic:
- If this is God's world, why is there so much pain and suffering?
- If God is a good Father, why do so many terrible things happen?
- Why do some people seem to live a charmed life while others—faithful, godly people—struggle endlessly?
While God does not always provide neat, tidy answers to these questions, His Word does not shy away from suffering. Instead, it gives us something better—the presence of a God who enters our pain. When Mary and Martha grieved their brother's death, Jesus didn't rush to explain away their pain—He wept with them. That moment transforms our Heart Logic about suffering.
Rediscovering "Life is Good"
When we align our Heart Logic with God's truth, we discover a different story:
- Psalm 23 reminds us we're not alone, even in death's darkest valley.
- Romans 5:3-4 shows us how suffering produces perseverance, character, and ultimately, hope.
- Jesus himself endured the cross for the joy set before Him (Hebrews 12:2).
The "Life is Good" Heart Logic isn't about ignoring pain or pretending everything's fine. It's about holding onto the deep conviction that goodness is present because God is present. When we embrace this truth, we live with:
- Gratitude instead of cynicism.
- Faith instead of fear.
- Hope instead of despair.
- Expectation instead of defeat.
The View from Here
Six years later, I look back on our Nashville season and can say two things with complete honesty: 1) I never want to go through that again, and 2) I wouldn't trade that season for anything. In that valley, our Heart Logic was transformed. We discovered that while life is hard, there is hope because God is faithful and good.
That season taught me that suffering isn't a sign of God's absence but an invitation to experience His presence more deeply. When resources ran out, we witnessed miracle provisions. When relationships strained, we found deeper healing. When hope seemed lost, we encountered Jesus in ways we never had before.
An Invitation to True Hope
Friend, we weren't made just to survive. Jesus came to bring LIFE—life to the full (John 10:10). He is our Living Hope, transforming our Heart Logic from mere survival to thriving regardless of circumstances. Real hope isn't positive thinking or wishful dreams. It's facing reality while holding onto the truth that Christ has overcome the world.
If you're weary, if life has tossed you to and fro, my prayer for you today is this: While there is breath in your lungs, may Jesus put steel in your spine and hope in your heart. May your Heart Logic be renewed by this truth: Life is good because God is good.
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope." (Romans 15:13)
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