August 16, 2022
Understanding Why You Went Through Something Difficult
My Dad had health problems for the last 30 to 40 years of his life and my mom was his caregiver. He spent the final year of his life in a nursing home. He was blind, immobile, and in a diminished mental state as the result of a major stroke. My Mom was faithful to go care for him everyday at the nursing home. It was a difficult task that she did faithfully because of her love for him.
Recently another member of our family has been diagnosed with a serious health issue that requires constant care. This relative’s daughter is the only child and has the tremendous responsibility to care for her dad pretty much on her own. I was talking with her the other day and she commented about how much support and inspiration my mom had been to her in sharing about how she had ministered to my dad in his most dire times of need.
As she said this about my mom I thought about how, as hard as it was to go through this difficult times in our lives, God was using this experience for my mom to now be able to share insight and provide help for this young lady. As much as we dislike pain and suffering many times when we go through them, we become better equipped to help others who are going through similar experiences.
They say that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. I would add that it also makes you wiser and better equipped to share your experiences to help others. So, when you are going through a difficult time ask God, “What are you trying to teach me through this so that I can be used to help others?” It sure beats the attitude of whining and complaining about what you are going through.
Maybe your suffering isn’t about you. Maybe it is about being a witness and testimony about how God is helping you through the tough times. Read the book of Job in the Old Testament. Because of Job’s faithfulness all throughout the crisis in his life, God richly blessed him in the end.
In love with Jesus – Gary Mimbs