By Colleen Pulley
For seven years I wrote articles for an on-line newsletter. I spent a lot of time studying people, and how they handled the trials they went through. Those observations were a source for many of my articles. Let me give you an example of this.
Sometimes things happen for no apparent reason, like a bolt of lightning hitting a car on a stormy night, and killing everyone within, irrespective of the fact that the little boy was sweet natured, or the mother was eight months pregnant, or the six year old girl wanted to grow up to be just like her Mommy, or the Father loved his family with all his heart. It just happened.
Some of the greatest lessons we learn in life happen when we are experiencing our most trying trials. These are often referred to as the “Trials of Job”, which life throws at you. If you don’t remember Job, he was the man in the Old Testament that was abundantly blessed. Then he had everything stripped from him to see if he would still believe in God. He did, and the Lord replaced his loses with even greater blessings.
Few individuals go through life without walking through what the Old Testament Psalmist calls ‘the valley of the shadow of death.’ None of us want to experience pain or suffering, but that is part of earth life. What we must realize is the need for the strength to endure the trials we face. Let me give you an example of what I mean. This happened when I was working in a pediatric intensive care unit (ICU).
A little five-year-old lay curled up with her favorite teddy bear in the hospital bed. Her Mommy and Daddy were sitting nervously waiting for the Doctor to come and tell them the outcome of the tests that had been done on their child. I watched them and wondered what they were going to do when the doctor told them their precious little child had Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia.
When they received the news, they were devastated. Suddenly their new boat, their BMW, their Beach House, their investments, and Country Club membership were not as important to them. In fact, if they could erase the trials, they were going to face by getting rid of the things they possessed, they would have happily done it.
Unfortunately, they had to learn about how to love their little girl as she cried through chemotherapy, lost her beautiful long blonde curls, received blood transfusions, weakened, and finally died. The medical staff that had surrounded and supported them through their struggles saw them become seasoned warriors in life.
Several years after their daughter’s death, they were on television speaking about their experience, and how it had changed their lives. They had learned first-hand how important it was to have others there when they needed them the most. They related that for them, their faith was always there during the darkest of times.
The loss of their daughter had helped change the focus of their lives, turning it away from the material things they had, and helped them focus on the truly important things in life. Family, loved ones, kindness, giving, sharing, and expressing everyday their gratitude and gratefulness for the blessings they had. In the end they turned their pain and loss into strengths that helped them endure. Eventually, they became examples to others who would one day have to walk in their footsteps.
Each of us will have challenges and problems to face as we lead our lives. If we turn inward, and tap into our spiritual anchor, the journey will be able to be endured. Just as important to remember is to utilize the help and support of others in the process. May we all remember as sons and daughters of a loving Heavenly Father, to draw upon the comfort and strength to endure our burdens. May we also be mindful of those around us, who need our comfort and strength. Remember that we are never completely alone. Just something to think about. Colleen
Key Words – trials, Trials of Job, pain or suffering, Leukemia, chemotherapy, death, faith, focus, strengths, challenges, spiritual anchor
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