4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
The Scriptures are powerful enough to teach us, so that when difficult times come we have enough strength and courage to endure. But there is a great lack of exposure to the Scriptures even among those who make the claim of being a Jesus-follower. We have so many things in our lives that seem to take priority over the Scriptures. Our lives are so complex that the simple solution to our internal chaos is dismissed as too simplistic, too easy, too old fashioned. And yet the Scriptures can bring us exactly what we need in our modern world. They first bring us perspective. They share the accounts of real people enduring many of the same difficulties that we endure and they made it through! Others have lost loved ones and survived. Others have had children walk down very dark and destructive paths. Just like we struggle with the place of wealth in our lives, others have struggled and found peace in sacrificial giving. We all need encouragement. Every person will go through difficult times in their earthly journey. And the Scriptures provide a unique way of dealing with those difficulties. You see, these are not just stories someone wrote down a long time ago. These are accounts of God’s people recorded and preserved, because God knew we would need to hear and read these stories. And when we encounter these accounts we can be in touch with God. God is present in these stories. These are not dead words, but words filled with God’s power, power available to those who trust them. So if you need strength and encouragement, spend more time in the Scriptures. They are the best prescription God could write.
The Arnold Journey 