Journey With Jesus Podcast

MAR 14, 2026

Why Christians Need to Stop Explaining Every Hard Thing

This may come as no surprise. If it does, then perhaps it is time to wake up to a humbling truth.You are not the main character!That sentence sounds harsh at first. Our culture trains us to believe the opposite. Every story centers on personal fulfillment. Every setback is supposed to be a stepping stone toward something greater. Every closed door must mean a better one is waiting.But life does not always work that way.And Scripture never promised that it would.A Memory From the Summer of 2016Back in the summer of 2016, I had the privilege of playing on my high school’s men’s volleyball team. Where I grew up the sports community was relatively small. Most of us rotated between the same sports depending on the season. Volleyball, basketball, football (soccer for my American friends), and cricket.The same group of guys often played all of them.That year our volleyball team made it into a qualifying tournament that could lead to regional selection. Some players would be chosen from our school team to represent the region and possibly move toward national competition.For us, this was huge.We trained for hours with the limited resources we had. Afternoons after school turned into late evenings. Some weekends were spent practicing as well. Our coach began making encouraging remarks about my chances of being selected.What made it even more meaningful was that I had only recently transitioned from basketball to volleyball. It required adjustment. Different movements. Different instincts. Different teamwork. Thankfully, my teammates helped me grow into the game.Months of training finally led to game week.We played on back to back days and made it to the final qualifier match. The final game was scheduled on a Sunday during a large public celebration. The venue was expected to be packed. Sponsors would be there. Food vendors would be there.And yes, scouts would be there.I was thrilled.But underneath the excitement was another feeling. A quiet disappointment.I had not told my parents much about the games. They had never attended any of them, and volleyball simply was not seen as something serious in our home. To them it was just a sport I enjoyed.In fairness to them, culturally it was not expected that parents attend sporting events or assume these things would lead anywhere significant.But the final match was on Sunday.And in our home, Sunday meant assembling with the saints.No exceptions.To summarize what followed, I did not play in that game. The opportunity passed.The Lesson That Stayed With MeLooking back now, one thought comes to mind.You are not the main character.Life brings missed opportunities, unanswered prayers, disappointments, broken relationships, strained friendships, grief, and loss.When those moments arrive, we naturally want explanations.We want reasons.We want reassurance that something better is coming.And often, this is where bad theology quietly slips in.The Theology of Comforting ClichésIf you have spent time around Christian circles, you have likely heard statements like these:“God gives His toughest battles to His strongest soldiers.”“God needed another angel.”“God closed that door because something better is coming.”“God knows what is best.”Most of these statements are spoken with sincere intentions. People want to comfort someone who is hurting. They want to help the pain make sense.But good intentions do not always produce sound theology.Many of these sayings are not found anywhere in Scripture. Some even contradict what the Bible actually teaches.God does not turn people into angels.Scripture never says suffering is assigned based on spiritual strength.The Bible never promises that every missed opportunity will be replaced with something better in this life.Sometimes things simply hurt.Sometimes prayers are not answered the way we hoped.Sometimes opportunities pass and never return.Trying to attach confident explanations to every hardship can distort our understanding of God. In many cases we are not defending God’s wisdom. We are trying to soothe our discomfort with uncertainty.Scripture does not always give us explanations.Often it gives us something better.It gives us perspective!Scripture Does Not Hide DisappointmentConsider a few moments from the lives of faithful people.Moses led Israel for decades, yet he was not allowed to enter the Promised Land.“The LORD said to him, ‘This is the land which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob… I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not go over there.’”(Deuteronomy 34:4 NASB)Paul pleaded with the Lord to remove the thorn in his flesh. The answer he received was not relief but grace.“My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.”(2 Corinthians 12:9 NASB)Even Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane expressed the weight of suffering before submitting to the Father’s will.“My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.”(Matthew 26:39 NASB)None of these moments were explained away with spiritual clichés.They were moments of surrender.When We Stop Making Ourselves the CenterSometimes the deeper issue is this.We quietly assume that our lives are supposed to reach some kind of climactic fulfillment. A moment where everything makes sense. A story where every hardship eventually reveals a perfect reason.But Scripture does not frame life that way.Solomon wrote,“The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person.”(Ecclesiastes 12:13 NASB)Jeremiah confessed,“I know, O LORD, that a man’s way is not in himself, nor is it in a man who walks to direct his steps.”(Jeremiah 10:23 NASB)Jesus reminded His listeners that all Scripture ultimately pointed to Him.“It is these that testify about Me.”(John 5:39 NASB)The story of Scripture is not centered on human fulfillment.It is centered on God!So What Do We Do With Disappointment?* We stop pretending that every hardship comes with a tidy explanation.* We stop forcing theological conclusions that Scripture never makes.* We stop assuming our lives are supposed to unfold like a carefully scripted story.Instead, we do something far more difficult and far more faithful.We trust God.Even when we do not understand.Even when opportunities pass.Even when the answer never comes.The Christian hope is not that everything will make sense now.The Christian hope is that God will make everything right later.Paul reminds us that creation itself is waiting for that day.“The creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.”(Romans 8:21 NASB)That is the promise.Not perfect explanations now.Perfect restoration later.A Final ThoughtThe most freeing realization in the Christian life may be this.You are not the main character.God is.And strangely enough, once that truth settles into the heart, disappointment loses much of its power.Because the story was never about us in the first place.If This Reflection Encouraged YouIf writings like this help you think more deeply about Scripture and faith, thank you for reading and sharing them with others.And if you feel moved to support the work behind these reflections, you can do so through my <a target="_blank" href="https://buymeacoffee.com/journeywithjesus">Buy Me a Coffee</a> page. Your encouragement helps make it possible to keep writing, studying, and sharing these conversations about faith and life.Either way, thank you for being here! ❤️ Get full access to Journey With Jesus at <a href="https://singhjonathan78.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4">singhjonathan78.substack.com/subscribe</a>

9 MIN

MAR 8, 2026

I Thought I Was Better Than This

After several recent doctor visits and more blood panels than I care to count, I learned something I was not expecting. I was not doing as well as I thought. For a while I had my own explanations ready. Maybe it was lifestyle adjustments. Maybe it was moving to a new country. Maybe I simply missed my mom’s cooking back home. Each of those seemed reasonable enough.Turns out I was wrong.In a previous reflection I mentioned that I began congregational ministry at what many would consider a very young age. I stepped into responsibilities that sounded mature in theory long before they had fully matured in practice. If you knew me in those earlier years, you would have noticed two things quickly. I had energy that seemed endless, and I was not always the most patient listener in the room.I looked different then. I moved differently too. My enthusiasm often ran ahead of my wisdom. I remember my eldest brother once telling me something that has stayed with me for years. He said, “Baptism doesn’t dismiss biology.” I may not be remembering his exact words, but the meaning was clear. In Guyana we would say he was “wising me up.”What he meant was simple. Spiritual commitment does not cancel out the realities of human life. Growth in Christ does not suddenly remove the seasons of physical, emotional, and biological development that God built into our bodies. In other words, he was telling me, “Slow down, Jonny. Do not get ahead of yourself.”That advice has come back to my mind recently.The past few years have carried more weight than I realized at the time. Frustration. Hurt. Confusion. Doubt. Moments where expectations collided with reality. I pushed through most of it, convinced that perseverance meant ignoring the toll it was taking.But the body has a way of telling the truth.My energy dropped. Muscle mass faded. My strength was not what it used to be. Even small things like changes in hair and overall vitality began to show. I blamed genetics. I blamed relocation. I blamed everything except the real issue. My doctor recently explained that my body has been storing high levels of stress over a relatively short period of time.When I heard that, I was surprised.My wife was not. She has quietly watched moments of burnout, fatigue, and frustration that I convinced myself were just normal parts of pushing forward. To her, the diagnosis simply put words to what she had already seen. To me, it felt like a mirror.All I could think was this: How did I not see this coming?At twenty five years old, stress was the last thing I thought would be the reason behind mental and physical setbacks. Yet there it was, staring back at me through a stack of lab results. Over the past week I have spent more time in my head than usual. I delayed posting several reflections that were already written. Too many thoughts were swirling around.Eventually one conclusion settled in.I am not better than the statistics.And if I am honest, the assumption that I was immune to burnout carried more arrogance than I realized. The routines I kept, the efforts I made, the counsel I sought. None of those things are wasted. But they also do not make a person invincible.Scripture has been reminding me of that.Paul once wrote about a season when the weight of ministry nearly crushed him. He said,“For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which came to us in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life” (2 Corinthians 1:8, NASB).That is the apostle Paul speaking. A man whose endurance most of us admire. Yet even he reached a point where the burden felt beyond his ability.Moses knew similar frustration. Leading Israel through the wilderness drained him to the point that he cried out to God,“I alone am not able to carry all this people, because it is too burdensome for me” (Numbers 11:14, NASB).Even Jesus, in the garden of Gethsemane, felt the deep loneliness of a heavy moment. After asking His disciples to stay awake and pray, He returned to find them sleeping. Scripture records His words plainly:“So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour?” (Matthew 26:40, NASB).And then there is Elijah.After confronting the prophets of Baal and standing boldly for God, he fled in fear from Jezebel. Exhausted and overwhelmed, he sat under a tree and wished his life would end. What did God do in that moment?God did not lecture him.God gave him rest.An angel touched him and said, “Arise, eat.” Then Elijah slept, ate again, and regained strength for the journey ahead (1 Kings 19:5–8, NASB).These accounts remind us of something important.Faithful people still feel pressure.Servants of God still experience exhaustion.Even strong men of faith reach moments where their strength alone is not enough.So what do we learn from that?First, honesty matters. Pretending to be fine does not make a person strong. It only delays the moment when reality forces a conversation.Second, humility matters. None of us outruns the limits God placed within the human body.Third, care matters. Sometimes the most spiritual thing a person can do is rest, eat well, pray deeply, and allow trusted people to walk alongside them.Jesus Himself invited the weary with these words:“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28, NASB).That invitation still stands. So what would I like to share with the few faithful readers and listeners here today?Simply this.Do not be too arrogant to think you are better than the statistics.Stress, exhaustion, and discouragement do not only visit those who are weak. They visit those who care deeply, carry responsibility, and keep moving forward when life becomes heavy.Pay attention to your soul.Listen to your body.Lean on God.And remember that even the strongest servants in Scripture had moments where they needed rest, help, and the quiet reassurance that God had not left them alone.If you have been moved and are encouraged by what we do here and our efforts to share Jesus in the way we do, your prayers, words, and furthering it by sharing the posts means a lot to us. If you would like to personally be a part of this effort, you can do so by making a contribution through the link listed below as, “<a target="_blank" href="https://buymeacoffee.com/journeywithjesus">Buy Me A Coffee.</a>” Get full access to Journey With Jesus at <a href="https://singhjonathan78.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4">singhjonathan78.substack.com/subscribe</a>

8 MIN

FEB 20, 2026

The Rationale of Kindness

10 MIN

FEB 19, 2026

As a Gentile among Jews!

Social interactions may truly be afraid of me.That might sound dramatic, but here is what I mean. For as long as I can remember, I have been outspoken. Curious. Willing to step into conversations even when they carried risk. I enjoy the unknown. New places. New people. New ideas. Because of that, interacting with strangers has rarely made me anxious. Not every exchange goes well, but fear has never been the loudest voice in the room for me.Before migrating to the United States, I traveled among Caribbean and South American neighboring countries. I loved it. I learned from it. And in all that traveling, I rarely had to introduce my ethnicity or nationality. The people around me shared similar cultural instincts. No one needed a lesson just to understand where I was from. My background was not a subject. It was simply part of the air we breathed.That changed when I moved here.Suddenly my story became a talking point. I found myself giving geographical summaries, historical overviews, and sometimes even anti-stereotype clarifications. To be clear, I enjoy learning about my ancestry and history. I am not ashamed of it. But there is a difference between sharing your story because you want to and feeling like you need to present a short orientation session just to be understood.This has not only happened in broader society. I have felt it in church spaces as well.Let me say plainly, this is not an attack. It is an invitation to learn.From my limited perspective, it can sometimes feel as though immigrants are expected to know a great deal about American culture, politics, and humor, while others are free to know very little about us and still feel comfortable leaning on stereotypes or asking narrow questions. Many people are well meaning. I believe that. But good intentions do not always soften the impact of careless jokes or dismissive assumptions.Even growing up, with American missionaries living in my family’s home throughout the years, I saw how easy it is for all of us to misunderstand one another. There are fewer people who truly know than those who simply assume they do.Many of us from third-world countries have been conditioned to handle these moments with patience. We smile. We explain. We move on. That is often our culture. But I have been sitting with a deeper concern.Despite our efforts to be spiritually discerning, we sometimes overlook a subtle attitude in the church. It is the quiet expectation of assimilation. What I call, figuratively, “Jewish assimilation” from “Gentile Christians.”I do not mean that literally. I mean the expectation that the outsider should do most of the adjusting, most of the learning, most of the explaining, and most of the tolerating in order to belong.That tension is not new.The first century church wrestled deeply with it. Paul writes, “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks” (1 Corinthians 12:13, NASB). That is not poetic language. It is a Christ-centered reality. The church is one body!He says again, “There is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all” (Romans 10:12, NASB). If the Lord is Lord of all, then no culture holds a higher spiritual status.His words in Colossians sharpens it further: “A renewal… where there is no distinction between Greek and Jew… but Christ is all, and in all” (Colossians 3:10–11, NASB). Culture is real. Heritage is real. National pride is real. But Christ is ultimate.And yet, even with those truths, conflict surfaced. In Acts 15, some insisted that Gentile believers adopt Jewish markers to be fully accepted. The apostles had to confront it directly. Peter reminded them that God had already cleansed Gentile hearts by faith. “Now therefore why do you put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?” (Acts 15:10, NASB).In other words, do not place cultural burdens where God has not placed spiritual ones.That principle still matters. Not only for Christians, but for anyone watching the church from the outside. When unity fractures over culture rather than conviction, it sends a confusing message.So what can we do?Five Practices That Move Us Forward1. Choose curiosity over assumptionAsk instead of guessing. Let people define their own story. Respect begins with listening.2. Listen without rushing to defendIf someone shares an experience that stung, resist the impulse to immediately explain it away. A body cannot heal if one part refuses to acknowledge another part’s pain (<a target="_blank" href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%2012%3A13&version=NASB">1 Corinthians 12:13</a>, NASB).3. Refuse assimilation as the price of belonging!Unity is not “become like us so you can stay.” Unity is “come to Christ and grow with us.” Acts 15 reminds us not to bind cultural expectations where God has not bound them (<a target="_blank" href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2015%3A1–11&version=NASB">Acts 15:1–11</a>, NASB).4. Read more. Learn more. Be resourceful.Love does not stay ignorant on purpose. The ear of wisdom seeks knowledge. This means studying how racial and cultural tensions have shaped churches historically. It means learning from what hindered unity and from what helped it. One thoughtful resource is <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Its-There-Black-White-Scriptural/dp/0991113950/ref=sr_1_3?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.UO0aQ4MuA8azCvUJoGY-MQ.Xk2Fls8pTRkMXFEiHUThDDcOpfNy77XEzzsCBBeTnnA&dib_tag=se&qid=1771453829&refinements=p_27%3AMelvin+L.+Otey&s=books&sr=1-3&text=Melvin+L.+Otey">It’s There in BLACK and WHITE: Scriptural Answers to 37 Questions People Are Asking about Racial Tension in the Church</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Its-There-Black-White-Scriptural/dp/0991113950/ref=sr_1_3?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.UO0aQ4MuA8azCvUJoGY-MQ.Xk2Fls8pTRkMXFEiHUThDDcOpfNy77XEzzsCBBeTnnA&dib_tag=se&qid=1771453829&refinements=p_27%3AMelvin+L.+Otey&s=books&sr=1-3&text=Melvin+L.+Otey"> by Glenn Colley, Ben Giselbach, Hiram Kemp, and Melvin L. Otey.</a>5. Build relationships beyond SundayActs tells us believers were “taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart” (Acts 2:46, NASB). Shared tables create shared understanding. People stop being categories and start being friends when we spend time in each other spaces sharing something as personal as a meal.Closing ThoughtsSome of the most harmful divisions are not loud. They are subtle. The quiet expectation that only one side should adjust. The silent pressure to shrink parts of your story to make others comfortable.The gospel calls us higher. “Christ is all, and in all” (Colossians 3:11, NASB). If that is true, then no Christian should feel like a permanent foreigner in the family of God.If this resonates with you, I would genuinely love to hear your perspective. What has your experience been? Where have you seen growth? Where have you seen tension? Thoughtful dialogue is one of the ways we move forward together.And if these reflections encourage you or challenge you in meaningful ways, consider supporting me through my <a target="_blank" href="https://buymeacoffee.com/journeywithjesus">Buy Me a Coffee link</a>. Your support helps me continue writing, recording, and engaging conversations like this with care and conviction.Thank you for reading. Let us keep learning. Let us keep growing. Let us keep choosing unity that is rooted in Christ rather than comfort. Get full access to Journey With Jesus at <a href="https://singhjonathan78.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4">singhjonathan78.substack.com/subscribe</a>

9 MIN

FEB 14, 2026

No Friend Like Him

“There’s not a friend like the lowly Jesus, no not one, no not one.”Maybe those words take you back to a wooden pew, a song leader waving his hand in steady rhythm, or a voice beside you that sang just a little louder than everyone else. Maybe you have never sung it. Either way, it is one of those lines that tends to stick.When I was about six or seven, I was hooked on music. Rhythm caught me before I even understood it. I did not grow up in a family that read sheet music or played instruments, but I grew up in a house where music was always present.Calypso would play from my dad’s old speakers. Calypso, for those unfamiliar, is a Caribbean genre rooted in storytelling, rhythm, and social commentary. It is upbeat, playful, and often humorous. Reggae would echo through the house on Saturdays while my siblings handled chores. Outside, the streets of my Caribbean town carried their own soundtrack. Music was everywhere.I love music. But this reflection is not really about music.It’s more so has to do with a song my dad would sing to me at any and every chance he got, and the affection behind it. It goes something like this:“Jonny my boy, Mama send you to school to learn to read and write.Jonny my boy, Mama send you to school to learn to spell dumpling.D U M P L I N is not the way it goes.”And on it would go.No matter my mood, no matter how frustrated or tired I was, that song could pull a laugh out of me. Recently, I asked him if he made it up. Turns out it is an actual song. A whole song about spelling dumpling.But for me, it is not about dumpling. It is about belonging.My name is Jonathan. For as long as I can remember, my dad called me Jonnyboy. Eventually I dropped the “boy,” for more serious sounding situations. He often told me how much he loved my name, especially because of another Jonathan in Scripture. Saul’s son. David’s friend. Loyal, gentle, and selfless.My dad admired that friendship. He admired the way Jonathan loved David.“What does any of this have to do with faith?” you might ask.Everything.There was a time when my dad and I were not friends. Growing up as a preacher’s kid was not always easy. Expectations were high. Mistakes felt heavy. There were seasons of tension, arguments, even silence. At one point we stopped talking altogether. The relationship was strained in ways that hurt both of us.By God’s grace, it did not stay that way.Today, my dad relies on me in ways that give me purpose. We talk. We laugh. We serve. We have become friends. Not just father and son. Actual friends.I know not every story ends that way. Restoration is not always mutual. But when it happens, it feels like grace with skin on.And that is what brings me back to the hymn.“There’s not a friend like the lowly Jesus.”On a day when relationships of all kinds are celebrated, it feels right to talk about the Friend who never withdraws, never grows cold, and never keeps score.Let me offer three reasons why.1. Jesus Is the Friend Who Moves Toward UsRomans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”Notice the direction of that love. It moves toward us. Not after we fix ourselves. Not after we prove ourselves. While we were still sinners.And in John 15:13, Jesus says, “Greater love has no one than this, that a person will lay down his life for his friends.”He does not speak in theory. He speaks in certainty. He lays down His life.Human friendships sometimes fracture. Pride steps in. Silence grows. Distance becomes normal. But Jesus steps toward the broken version of us. He does not wait at a distance for improvement. He enters the mess.That should stir something in us. Gratitude, yes. But also surrender.2. Jesus Is the Friend Who StaysProverbs 18:24 says, “A man of too many friends comes to ruin, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”Many have experienced the first half of that verse. Plenty of acquaintances. Few who stay.Hebrews 13:5 records the promise of God: “I will never desert you, nor will I ever abandon you.”Never is a strong word.Jesus does not leave us on read, send our calls to voicemail, or ghost us after a first interaction. He does not withdraw when disappointed. He does not give up when progress is slow. When earthly relationships feel uncertain, He remains steady.That steadiness invites trust. It also calls for faithfulness in return. A friendship with Jesus is not casual. It’s covenantal.3. Jesus Is the Friend Who TransformsA good friend comforts. A great friend shapes.Proverbs 27:17 says, “Iron sharpens iron, So one person sharpens another.”True friendship changes us. It refines us.Second Corinthians 5:17 reminds us, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.”Jesus does not just soothe. He renews. He does not simply sit with us in our brokenness. He leads us out of it.That kind of friendship requires openness. It requires humility. It requires obedience.But it leads to life.When I think about my dad singing that silly song, I realize something. The reason it settles me is not because of the melody. It is because of the relationship behind it. The history. The restoration. The love that survived strain.Multiply that by eternity, and you begin to glimpse the friendship of Christ.There is not a friend like the lowly Jesus. No not one.If distance has grown between you and Him, take a step back. Not in shame, but in honesty. Speak to Him. Open the Scriptures. Return to prayer. Friendship grows where attention goes.And if you already walk with Him, treasure that relationship. Feed it. Guard it. Let it shape every other relationship in your life.Because long after the songs fade and the seasons shift, this truth remains steady.There is not a friend like Him.As I close, let me say this.If this space has encouraged you, if these words have helped you think more deeply about your walk with Jesus, then thank you for being here. Preparing these pieces takes time and intention. It’s a labor of love.My heart with this work has always been simple. Help people draw closer to Christ. Help restore what may be strained. Help strengthen what is already steady.If you believe in that mission and would like to support it in a practical way, I have a “Buy Me a Coffee” link available. It is simply a way to help sustain the time, tools, and resources that go into this. There is no pressure and no expectation.If you are moved to give, thank you. If you are not in a place to do so, your prayers and your continued reading mean more than you know.Either way, let us stay close to the Friend who never walks away.And let us keep walking with Him, together. Get full access to Journey With Jesus at <a href="https://singhjonathan78.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4">singhjonathan78.substack.com/subscribe</a>

9 MIN

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