Lent: It Is Well With My Soul

In this sermon series titled "Gospel Character", we've been looking at passages in 1 and 2 Samuel to ask what builds character, and what makes a life. This message takes us to one of the hardest places in David’s story. David was known as a man after God’s own heart, yet in 2 Samuel 11 and 12, his life completely falls apart. Nathan confronts him, David is awakened to his sin, and then we are faced with a painful question: if God has forgiven David, why does David still suffer so deeply?

This is not just a theological question; its also deeply personal. Many of us know what it is like to suffer and immediately wonder, "Is God punishing me?" Others know the grief of deep loss and sorrow, and this passage doesn't let us look away from those realities. It is one of those passages we might rather skip, but because it is in the Bible, we know God wants us to face it.

In this sermon, we wrestle honestly with the reality of suffering, what to reach for in the middle of it, and how we begin to recover through it. This passage will not answer every question we have, but it does give us something solid and true to hold onto when life feels dark, confusing, and painful.