What led to the eventual penning of this book was a lot of hurt, sorrow and very bad decisions. Those choices lead my family and I into our darkest moments as the protector took on the mantle of destroyer. There was a long time of separation, suffering, reflection, healing, and redemption.
It would be during the separation that I would truly experience God’s love even though I had already been saved for many years. It was one thing to read about it, hear about it and know it in part. However, I found out it was when I plunged myself into the utter blackness of the abyss that God was willing to reach down into its murky depths and lift me up, once I reached the place where I felt too filthy to be redeemed. The light that enveloped me in that darkness was more powerful than I ever realized. His love came upon me like a tsunami that hit me like a feather. This was manifest through the forgiveness I did not believe possible for me to receive from my wonderful wife. It was after this that God would take me through a spiritual purging process and deliver me from things I did not even realize needed removal. Many things were still uncertain for my future but this would be the door to lead to the next phase of my life where God would lay the words of The Beauty of Tribulation upon my heart.
It would be during a period of incarceration that the whisper of those words would blow into my conscience and stir me from my slumber. None of it made any sense considering that I had joined the ranks of other bad people. I was not qualified to do anything noble. I had hurt those I loved and turned against the God whom I told others I loved so much. So why would such a God choose a time such as this? Why would he want me to put such words together to encourage, inspire and edify others in their most painful moments? The bible is very clear that there is no honor in God’s children suffering as an evil doer. I only enumerate my thoughts to make a powerful statement. God taught me that he is not so concerned with the sin in man as much as he is about whether we will give it to him or not. The remedy for sin is and will always be the same, the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Another thing that God taught me was that humility always melts his heart and moves him to show mercy upon the penitent. Godly humility is simple, it is a total casting away of your self-image, concern for self and all earthly cares to completely embrace the truth of his word. In other words, when he becomes bigger in your eyes than you, yourself, someone else or anything else, then you will get his full undivided attention and he will meet your needs. While I still do not understand while during that period of incarceration that God would stir me from slumber over and over and guide my hand in the penning of The Beauty of Tribulation, I realized just how merciful he is. I still struggle with the idea that he placed those words into my hands to help others and I refuse to allow self to get in the way.
While you may not have all the details, I have shared this for one main reason. That reason is to inspire any other child of God who has miserably failed him to realize that it is up to him to say when you are no good. God has no throw aways and will not cast you out unless you continue to refuse his good will too many times. No throw aways ,but marred vessels that he desires to remake over and over again. I encourage you to allow him to do as he pleases regardless of the pain, sorrow and disappointments he allows you to experience.
Title: The Beauty of Tribulation
Author: J.A. Cox
Pages: 98
Genre: Christian Nonfiction
The Beauty of Tribulation was written to provide answers based upon scripture to help us understand things such as:
- The purpose of tribulation in the life of a believer.
- Reasons why it is necessary.
- How God uses it for our edification and his glory.
- How God is not the author of our tribulation.
At the root of it, the greatest purpose is to depict the beauty of our painful, frustrating, and most hopeless moments when we allow God to complete the work he is trying to accomplish through them. As you turn the pages of this book you will be taken on a journey that will delve you deep into the tribulation process and come away with a firm understanding of it, perhaps like never before. Every premise is backed with scripture, focused on what the bible says rather than my own ideas.
J.A. Cox hopes that all who read will walk away with a greater appreciation and devotion toward the Lord in regard to this troublesome subject and inevitable part of our lives.
PRAISE:
“…I think The Beauty of Tribulation will be relevant for Christians seeking a deeper understanding of their faith, as well as for those grappling with questions about the presence of evil in the world and the nature of divine justice. Cox’s approach which blends insightful queries, scriptural citations, and logical explanations, facilitates a comprehensive and engaging learning experience. The book encourages a connection to the experiences of Jesus and offers a perspective on suffering as a path to dignity and honor, both in heaven and on earth. Its insightful and reflective nature makes it a valuable read for people looking to deepen their understanding of Christian theology and the human experience within it.” – The Literary Titan
You can pick up your copy at Amazon or Kobo.
J.A. Cox is a husband, father and disabled veteran. He is passionate about Jesus Christ and has a desire to allow God to use his writing to bring glory to his name and reach others for him. His other passions lie in: 1) Empowering people by teaching about things that he is knowledgeable in in a simple and fun as well as interesting manner. 2)Inspiring others that they may realize how the true potential to overcome their perceived dilemma lies right between their ears and how they allow it to manipulate what their eyes behold. 3) Helping people to realize that being healthy truly begins with realizing how important it is for them to be intimately acquainted with their own body in order for others to help them resolve its maladies that beset it. Along with those, he enjoys entertaining with fiction based on the concept that fact is stranger than fiction and then stretching it just a tad to create some memorable page turning moments that you will likely recall for some time to come.
Author Links
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