Cain’s Crouching Bear

Cain was angry when God accepted Abel’s offering and not his.

But God didn’t shame him. He said,

“Sin is crouching at your door… but you can master it.” (Genesis 4:7)

There’s a shift happening: from a serpent in a tree to a beast at the door. The temptation remains the same, but it is personalized.

Cain’s issue wasn’t with Abel.
It was with what was bubbling inside—and what he chose to do with it.

So… what do you do with your parking ticket?

Why God Trains Us Through Inconvenience

God’s training program isn’t punishment.
It’s preparation.

He’s forming us to be co-heirs, image-bearers—people who carry spiritual authority with humility and grace.

When I reflect on that dream, I realize my anger came from:

• A sense of injustice

• Fear of loss

• A scarcity mindset

But if I really believe in God’s abundance—the God of galaxies and blueberry bushes—why would a $50 parking ticket rattle me? It’s peanuts in the grand scheme of things.

Here’s the truth:

Formation often comes through frustration.

Sometimes God orchestrates it.
Sometimes He lets it unfold.
But always, He invites us to grow, repent, and become.

What feels like a setback may be mercy in disguise.
This is boot camp—for eternity.

Reflection Question

What’s one moment of frustration this week that might be part of your Boot Camp?

The 2025 “Conferência das Águas” River Pastors Church Conference

From the Field: When Obedience Looks Like Losing

(Note: I recorded these testimonies at their 2023 conference. I changed the names, but the stories remain true).

Erika’s Fight for Light

Erika stepped into neighborhoods where drunkenness guarded the doorways.

She walked past men slumped in shadows.
Past laughter soaked in liquor.
Into homes where idols sat heavy in the air.

Some days she cried on the way home.
Some days she wanted to quit.

But the Spirit whispered,

“Don’t give up. The seed is already growing underground.”

Pablo’s First Discovery Group

Pablo was terrified when he launched his first Bible group.

Everything went wrong:

• Families broke apart

• Children grew sick

• Boats leaked

• Gasoline ran out

But prayer anchored them.
And the river baptized them in perseverance.

He laughed as he shared his testimony at the conference:

“I had to first create shame in my own heart—
Get over my pride. Get over my fear.”

This is boot camp. And God’s people are passing the test.

Not every battle is fought in the elements.
Some are fought in the heart.

“God and one willing person are enough to change things here on earth.”

Deanna’s Journey to Healing

“I feel like I am on a pilgrimage with curves and unknowns to a greater sacred place of God’s presence and trust.”

“Give me your lantern
And compass,
Give me a map,

(MSG ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭43‬:‭3‬-‭4‬).

Email: rick.bergen@xtrememercy.com

Prayer Points

• Strength to Persevere – For leaders like Erika and Pablo, as they walk through hidden battles and visible resistance.

• Deep Formation – That God would use frustration and setbacks to shape eternal character in all of us.

• Kingdom Vision – That God’s people would see beyond momentary pain to eternal purpose and reward.

• Deanna’s Healing – For continued progress, peace, and encounters with God’s presence on the pilgrimage.

Silent Retreat in the Fraser Canyon

I spent two nights alone in a cabin near Boston Bar.

When I opened the car door, a branch of Saskatoon berries fell into my lap.
A sweet reminder:

God was already there.

Time alone with God—and loving the people He places in our path—is still the best way to prepare for eternity.

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