Our pastor’s teenage son is waiting for a kidney from a yet to be determined donor. He is on dialysis for ten hours a day. His dad was found to be a match and was going to give him a kidney, but it was found that he had something wrong with one of his kidneys and was turned down. Before his mother could be tested it was found that she had breast cancer. She would need surgery, chemo and radiation. This ruled her out of course not just because of her physical problems, but also because a person cannot donate an organ until five years after having radiation. So this fine young man waits while many people pray that a donor will be found. Needless to say this is a very tough time for this wonderful family. Our pastor remains strong even as he endures the emotional experience of watching his wife go through the pain and sickness of chemo and the stress of wondering when a donor will be found for his son. Despite these heart wrenching concerns he continues to preach powerful sermons. I think his sermons which are always excellent, have been more passionate and powerful the last few weeks.
Every day I see and hear about people who are hurting emotionally as well as physically. I know a man, another pastor, who just lost his daughter. I believe it was yesterday when he preached her funeral. I know he is hurting, yet because of his faith in God, and because he knows his daughter is with Jesus he was still able to proclaim the glorious word of God. I’m sure he knows what suffering is and he knows what God’s Word says about gaining strength through suffering and tribulation and trials.
I know parents whose children have drifted far from God. They are devastated because their child has turned against them and in some cases, as grandparents, they never see their grandchildren. Some are struggling with health issues brought on by cancer or other diseases. They face one battle after another. Marriages are broken, jobs are lost, financial troubles cause great loses, and loneliness, despair, hopelessness, and feelings that no one cares or loves them anymore convinces them that life is just not worth living. Many will go to bed tonight asking God why. Why O God is this happening to me? Please God take away my suffering! Do you hear me God? Perhaps a different kind of praying might give us comfort when we are suffering or going rough trials!
Lord, may I count it all joy when I fall into various trials, suffering, grief and the times when I don’t think I can take on one more horrible situation. I know God that this time in my life is a time in which you are of testing my faith. God I know that there are many times in my life that I am given more than I can handle, but with Jesus by my side I can make it. My suffering makes me stronger within my spirit. Yes God, you strengthen me through the toughest of times, and I will trust in you even if I may be in the final days of life. My Lord, my God I will live trusting you and I will die trusting you for you are my Salvation and my Rock. If I lose it all I know that because of my faith in Jesus you will give me everything in eternity. So God I thank you and rejoice in these difficult times. I praise you because you know what is best for me and what is best for this world. Amen
Read James 1:2-3
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