Down but not out!

In a period of five years, my wife had cancer, we went through an audit from the IRS that lasted a year, my Mom battled with Alzheimer’s, my Dad got a brain tumor, both parents passed within nine months, and to put icing on the cake I fell through a floor and was injured resulting in four surgeries and over three months off work. It’s like being in a prize fight and you’ve been knocked out and the guy just keeps punching you. All you want is for the pain to stop. Trials. I’ve had a few. My whole family suffered during that five year stint. When I look back I don’t remember joy. Jesus’ brother James wrote: Consider it pure joy my brothers and sisters when you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
Joy is not how I would describe that time in my family’s life. Not at the time. Who knows how many times I’ve read James words and about Paul’s thorn in the flesh and how God’s power is displayed in our weakness. It is only now, after some time of perseverance has taken place, that I can see it. I cant begin to tell you how many times I’ve shared my experience with others who are going through the same thing. I can share with confidence the fact that during all that painful stuff, and by the way, losing my parents is still painful, Jesus was right there. Did it seem like it? Maybe not, but he was doing a work in me. Jesus is no stranger to suffering. He knows pain! He knows your personal pain. How do I know? Because he carried me through it all. He is still carrying me! I now can say I have joy because through the trials God has given me another level of maturity built by perseverance. One day I will be complete. You will too. Are you suffering? Know this. He who is faithful, Jesus our Savior, is with you! He knows your pain! He will give you all you need and on the other side of it, you will be a witness!
Thank you for our trials dear Jesus!

Love ya