What if I told you that the most difficult situation or person in your life right now is actually

a tool in God's hands to accomplish his biggest and best purpose in your life?

You want to learn how this works?

Stay with me.

Welcome to this edition of Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram.

Our mission is to inspire Christians to be genuine followers of Jesus and to empower them to be active disciple makers in our world.

And does that idea Chip just posed sounds strange? Maybe even a bit hurtful that God would allow us to experience pain and hardships?

Well, today, Chip will help us get a better perspective toward our toughest adversities

by revealing a simple equation that will lead us to a more content, joy-filled life.

But before he continues our series, I Choose Joy, if this is your first time listening

or you want to learn more about what we do,

go to living on the edge.org. You'll find resources there on tons of topics and countless

programs to enjoy. Or if you prefer, the Chipp Ingram Map is also a great way to get plugged in

with our ministry. Well, if you have a Bible, go to Philippians chapter 1,

verse 12 for Chips Talk, understanding the power of purpose. What's a circumstance in your life that's

tough? Is there anything in your life right now that you say, if God really loves me, if he cares

for me, and I'm obeying him, I'm doing all that I know

that is right. What's going on? I don't get it. Well, you're not alone. And so if you pull out your

teaching notes, I want you to do a little exercise with me. It says, sometimes the shortest distance

between two points is a zigzag line. Now, I want to say that again,

sometimes the distance between point A and point B, unlike in geometry where it's a straight line

with God, sometimes the distance between point A, this is where you're at right now. This is where you're at in your

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