Welcome to The Lion Within Us, a podcast serving Christian men who are hungry to be the leaders God intends you to be. I'm your host, Chris Granger. Let's jump in. All right, fellas, this is your spiritual kickoff episode. Let's get into it. Okay, so scripture that we're going to be looking at this week, Lamentations, third chapter, two verses, verses 31 and 32. Okay, it says, For the Lord will not reject forever. For if he causes grief, then he will have compassion according to his abundant loving kindness. Okay, so man, beautiful verses, guys. And we're just gonna see how we can simplify and apply them to our life. That's what the spiritual kickoff episodes are all about. How do we simplify and apply it to our life? Again, Monday through Friday, I do this live in our community at the Lion Within Us. So if you're looking for some encouragement along your week, guys, check it out. Again, we don't put this content anywhere else. It's a great way you can hop on with tons and tons of other guys and catch the the live feed as we go. Or if you can't make that, it's all good. We put the video right there within the Lion Within Us so you can access it whenever you want. So really it's just 100% free. It's just something we just try to give away. The cool part that not many people know about is we also open up access to our prayer request area. So that place gets used all the time. So, fellas, if you got prayer requests, if you got needs, we got them. We got you covered. I'm telling you, one got when prayer requests get dropped. These guys, they just jump on. You talk about prayer warriors. I'm just uh I'm always encouraged to see how fast these guys just hop in and just jump to praying. Okay. All right, so all that's found at thelionwithin.us. So we need to understand before we get into this scripture, basic fundamental stuff. Where's lamentations? Okay, like this is a not a book that you would you go look at very often. So it can be challenging at times to figure it out. So this one is actually in your Old Testament after Jeremiah, before Ezekiel. Okay, so you're gonna get past Proverbs and Psalms and all that stuff, then you'll get you'll find this book of Lamentations, okay? And and we're gonna be talking this week about brokenness and and and how it can so often feel like God has forgotten you. You know, and I'm telling you guys, as as uh for the different men that I speak with, it can feel so common to experience that that is where's God at? Like it got God's just turned away. Maybe you felt like you've been rejected or you've been betrayed or you've had some loss or just some just some major injustice. We see so much injustice happening around around us. And it's just got you questioning everything, right? Uh and that even questions God's goodness. You know God's good, but you just that's just not what I've been experiencing, right? And you look around, and maybe you see, you know, I struggle with this where you see like it looks like everywhere around you, everybody's just thriving, and you're just barely making it, wondering why your story looks like this. Well, scripture like this gives us encouragement. I mean, I'm as I literally am sitting here recording this. Now it'll come out later. I just had two surgeries. Last week, I'm back on crutches. I have a staph infection, my body is is is fighting hard. And I've sat here with this versus right here and thought about it. I'm just comforted by it says he's not going to reject forever. Because that grief is real. And I'm experiencing this, and maybe you've experiencing it right now as well. And and um sometimes it just doesn't feel fair. Am I right? I mean, I finished all the PT. I was running guys in the physical therapist's office the week before they sent me back to the hospital to have two more surgeries, which literally put me back to ground zero. And that to me just doesn't seem fair. And maybe for you, is that relatable? Maybe you felt like God just has not felt you, dealt you a good hand, right? Uh maybe you grew up and you had some dysfunction at home, or you're carrying some wounds from a fa from a from a dad or a mom, or maybe you lost a job unfair, or or you just feel like your your buddies just turned your back on you and and and maybe I can relate to this one, you feel abandoned by your church. Like it's just your your church has hurt you, right? And in those seasons, it's easy, particularly if we isolate, to think if that God has forgotten us. It's just easy. I'm just being real. But scripture is very clear here at Force, guys. It it tells us God who causes grief, okay, surrounds that grief with compassion. So it's it's not cruel, it's it's correction that he's given us born from love. So his his discipline and delay are never detached from his mercy, right? We can't detach that because when we can't see his hand moving, and there have been there are lots of times in my life where I can't see his hand, I can trust his heart. But there is a conditional if in this verse, okay? Because it says right here, it says if, or may your verse, some some of your translations may say though, depending on translation. It says right here, the pain isn't permanent, right? Because it says if he causes grief, right? So that that pain isn't per permanent, it's it's uh conditional, it's not continual. Your suffering has a season, right? And this is not a lifelong sentence, right? It may come and go, like right now, I'm in a I'm in the season where it's here, but I also recognize to be true it's not gonna last forever. It's just not. But it consumes our days when what's here, but compassion is is coming. And this is kind of like the rhythm of God's mercy we get to see. We see waves of compassion that never stop rolling in, even when we can't feel them. And this really is a kind of gives us an insight to the character of God because we see grief coupled with compassion. And that's really what is striking about this passage, is because they live side by side, right? They're not they're not opposites, they're partners. It's almost as like this God allows grief not to destroy us, but to draw us closer to Him. So the same God that allows the pain provides the path for the healing, and that's his nature. He's coupling grief with compassion because he refuses to leave us broken. See how that works. And the crazy part is the world's at the trap for us. And what it does, most guys, when they feel alone and rejected, they turn to other cheap substitutes, like vices or women, or work, or money, and we chase things to numb the hurt. We just do. For me, it was food, bro. Like I turned to a pack of Oreos in a second. But every time that we run to the world, we get the same result. I'm done eating the chips with Oreos or whatever. I don't feel full. I feel empty. Because peace can't be found there. It can't be found in a bottle, it can't be found in a browser, it can't be found in the approval of others. Nope. It's only found in him. Jesus tells us that. He's like, peace I lead with you and I give you. Not as the world's gives, do I give you? So that's the peace that we can count on. Because the world's peace, like your high, is going to fade. Like, bro, I went from the high of serving and helping uh encourage 3,000 guys at a conference to the ultimate low of being in a hospital hooked to IBs. In the period of about 12 hours, that happened. So we have to remember that, you know, if the enemy's whispering these little lies to us, like he's been forgotten or you don't count, we just gotta rebuke that crap. Because God's word tells us different. We see right here. And his abundant loving kindness or his ascend, this is not seasonal or circumstantial. Like it just he gives this to us. This is unshakable, it's steady, it's continual no matter where we're at. So we gotta lean into a couple truths, fellas, okay? If life is feeling unfair, we need to remember that we are not cast off forever. This versus in Lamentations tell us that. We need to remember that his compassion is greater than our grief. We need to remember that his mercies are new every morning. And the Spirit of God walks with us, not sometimes, but always, because we're not going to find any peace outside of that, fellas. Tons of noise out there, but only true rest comes with him. So I'm telling you, I'm just not telling you, I'm encouraging you. If you feel rejected, then please remind yourself that God chose you before the foundation of the world. He chose you. If you feel forgotten, he has carved your name, right? He has it in the palm of his hands. And if you feel unworthy, then you were worthy enough that Christ came to die for you. That's it. So grief is gone, it's going to visit you. I'm not going to sit here and tell you that you know being Christian is all cupcakes and rainbows and butterflies and puppy dolls' breath. No, it doesn't work that way. Too many people think that. No. Grief is real. We're not able to avoid that just because we follow Christ. But the compassion that that comes with that grief really is available when we lean into God's love. That's the promise. That's what lamentation is showing us here. That God who tares is the one who collects, who allows the tears, rather, is the same God who collects them. So if you're standing in a storm right now, please just remind yourself that his mercies are greater than any misery you're going through. Please hold on. Recognize that the hand of God that allowed this season is the same hand that's going to lift you out of it. And that his loving kindness is not temporary, but this is eternal. Because you were never forgotten. You're being formed through this season. And I just want to encourage you. I mean, I'm I feel like I know I'm being formed right now. And even saying the words, sometimes I don't believe them. But that's why I have to keep reminding myself. I have to keep telling myself these truths. Because the question this week is what lies from the enemy do you need to rebuke today? And if you're in a season, if you're in a grief, a season of grief or going through some very difficult, challenging things, it can feel like you are absolutely stuck and you can't move. And I want more for you. I want to encourage you. Just want to let you to do all I can to equip you to walk in that truth that comes with him. And if you never taking the opportunity in your life to fully surrender your life to your Lordship of Christ, what are you waiting on, bro? Like, seriously, today is today. When we see all these truths in God's word, they all seem to make a deeper connection and an impact once you accept that Christ as your Lord and Savior. Because if you've never done that, there's simply words on a page. Okay? That's God's word. It's living and breathing, it's active. But without the divine insight of the Holy Spirit, you're never going to be able to understand God's word the way that He wants you to. So that's that starts with first understanding the true understanding of the gospel. And what is and what is God's plan? What is the redemptive plan for us? Right? It starts with understanding how we were created in his image. Like we're an image bearer of God. That's pretty cool, if you ask me. You know, I mean, you may look in the mirror and see some dude that's jacked up, and God looks and he's like, Yep, I made that. And he made you just the way he wanted. Exactly the way he wanted. No flaws. And things were perfect. Like when you come, if you go back to Genesis, the very first, which is the first book of the Bible, guys. If you're not familiar with that one, go back and check it out. And you'll see how God created Adam in his image and he put him in the garden to do the work and to cultivate and all this stuff, right? And it was great. Adam was hanging out in a garden with God. It doesn't get any better than that. Until sin entered the world. And then that fractured your relationship with Adam, man, and God. And this has been the gap that exists ever since. And fellas, the problem is we try to overcome this gap on our own. And unfortunately, there is nothing we can do to overcome the sin that's in our life. We can't. All these things are good things to do. Pray, read your Bible for sure. But they're not enough to pay the penalty for our sin. So if there's nothing we can do to overcome it on our own, what are we going to do then? Well, we need someone to step in and do for us what we can't do for ourselves. And this is where Jesus comes into the scene. Okay, so he literally left heaven on a rescue mission for us to be born of a virgin, fulfilled all the different prophecies, did all the teachings, all the miracles, showed us the new way, understanding the uh what he wanted us to understand so far as salvation, the free gift and how it comes through him. He is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to father except through me. I mean, Jesus is it. All the way to the point where he willingly went to the cross and gave his life up for you. And maybe you've never heard it put that way, but he gave his life up for you. Every that's mind-blowing. Like, would you willingly go on a mission where you knew you were going to die for someone else so that they could be saved? I don't know many people that would do that. Not particularly take on the weight of sin for the whole world. And he paid it. He paid it, paid it in full. So he paid the penalty. They laid him in a tomb, right? Jesus died. And if the story, the narrative stops there, then what are we doing? Just worshiping a dead guy. But that's not where it stopped. This is the fundamental difference in Christianity because three days after Jesus was crucified, he rose. He overcame death. He lives. And now he's ascended to the right hand of the Father, and he is it. He is the path to salvation. There is no other name under heaven that has been given amongst men by which we must be saved. It is Jesus. So Oprah, Shira. All these people out there who are preaching these different paths to heaven, they're just wrong. I don't mean to be the bearer of bad news. I wish it was easier like that. I wish there was multiple paths, but it's not. It's just Jesus. He's it. So what do you have to do? Well, you have to just admit that you're a sinner. Have that fundamental understanding that I'm a sinner in need of a savior. Then you have to believe that Jesus is the Son of God. He is the Messiah. There's no other path, there's no alternatives, there's no door two or door three. Jesus is the way. Then you confess Him as Lord and Savior. And I mean Lord and Savior of your life. Not just Sunday when it's easy to be a Christian, bro. Anybody could be a Christian on Sunday morning sitting around a bunch of other Christians. No. No. Lord of your life at all times. Monday morning, Tuesday morning, Wednesday night, Thursday, whatever, Friday, the weekend. Wherever you find yourself, He is Lord of your life. Means He's Lord over your finances, your career, your marriage, your parenting, everything you do. And secret, there's no more secrets. He is Lord over it all. And you confess and you give it all to him. So if you've never done that, then you're missing the greatest strength, opportunity, power we have. And that's the power of the Holy Spirit that we have that comes to indwell in us when we surrender our life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. But it only happens when we take that step of obedience. Like, I can't do this for you, bro. Your mom can't, your wife can't, your girlfriend can't, your kids can't. No, this is an individual decision you have to make. The hard part is I can't do it for my loved ones. Like I can't do it for my kids. I wish I could, but it doesn't work that way. Faith is very relational, it's very personal. And God wants that relationship with you. So if you've never accepted Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, let's do it today. Like do it right now. You don't have to be sitting in a church pew at an altar call to do this. You could do this right now and then take the next steps of obedience in your discipleship journey. So, Father, just thank you so much for this chance just to share the gospel in a simple way. Hopefully it's it's landing on the ear, the ears that need to hear it, God, uh, and in such a way that they know they have they've run too long and too too far without you. They recognize the need for repentance and to turn to you, God. And they're not going to turn to a bottle or to another woman or to a pornography website anymore. They're going to turn to you. Because that's the only healing that we know that truly lasts, that is eternal, that brings the peace that passes all understanding. When we turn to you. So I just pray they hear this, they recognize it, and they repent, and they accept you as Lord and Savior. We love you, Lord. In Jesus' name. Amen. All right. So look, if you just accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior, touch down, let's go, okay? So I want to hear from you, okay? Send me an email, Chris at thhelionwithin.us. Shoot me an email. I'm going to send you over some resources just to get you started. You probably have all that you need, but I want to make sure you get connected, give you some scriptures to start thinking through and wrestling through. And also just want to be an encouragement to you. So I'd love to hear from you, okay? Uh, other than that, just share this stuff out with others, fellas. This is how we grow the lion within us is we we put out work that we think is good work, and then we encourage guys to simply share it with others. And if they do that, um, be it the podcast, you can share that, give us a rating review, that'd be awesome. Uh, if you want to go check out our book, Unleashing the Lion Within, go to Amazon, get you a copy of the book. Maybe you want to head over to the lionwithin.us, join our daily spiritual kick call, join our community, or consider our mastermind groups, guys. We have several different ways we try to connect and encourage guys along their their discipleship journey. Uh, if you like reading the Bible on the Bible app, hey, let's go. Search for the Lion Within Us right there, okay? We have tons and tons and tons of reading plans on the Bible app directly. So go check that out. So just open up your Bible app, do the little search menu to type in the Lion Within Us. Boom, you'll see our page right there. Follow that page, and then every time a new plan comes out, which we try to put a couple out every month, you'll be notified and you can hop right on them and join them, okay? All right, fellas. Well, look, come back on Wednesday. You're going to really enjoy this conversation. I thoroughly, I thoroughly did. This is one that uh I had circled on my calendar because I knew it was gonna be a great one. It did not disappoint. Look forward to you guys checking that out. Other than that, fellas, hope you have a great day. Give us a rating and review. If you want to be a donor of the show, head over to the lionwithin.us slash donate. That would be awesome to have your support there. And other than that, just reach out if we can encourage you in any way. All right. Have a great day, guys. Get after it and just keep on leasing the lion within. Let's just say it out loud. Marriage is one of the greatest gifts that God can give a man, and one of the most consistent places where we can feel unsure of what we're doing. Even the strongest marriages have moments where you look at your wife and you think, you know what? I love you. I'm so committed to you. But right now, I have no idea what I should do next. And that's why we launched something new inside the Lion Within Us community. It's our very first support group. And it's for husbands. And we're calling it committed and occasionally confused. This isn't just a place for men in crisis. Though if you're there, hey, you're welcome. This is for any man who refuses to coast and wants to take his marriage from good to great. So inside you'll find an active chat and a feed, honest conversations, and brotherhood that says, you're not alone. We've been there. Let's bring this to God and grow. And we're also doing a monthly couples night where your wife is invited because we're not letting the world set the agenda for our homes. Now, if you want access to this support group, it's very simple. Go to thelionwithin.us and join the Lions Den. Okay, that's the LionWithin.us. Start your 30 day free trial of the Lions Den community, and boom, you have instant access to the committed and occasionally confused support group. We'll see you inside the den.