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There is hope! (James 1:2)
[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds.” James 1:2 [/perfectpullquote] I want you to think back to a time in your life that was extremely difficult. Seriously, think about it. What was it like when you were going through it?For me, one of the hardest points in my life was in 2009. Just thinking about that year floods my mind with many negative memories with only one very pleasant one – the birth of my son. My wife had a difficult pregnancy. In the beginning of February, she was hospitalized, put on bed rest, and needed daily shots of blood thinner. Our son was born in mid-February, over a month early, with several health issues. My wife briefly returned to the hospital in May for a follow up procedure. And again, in August when she had a hallucinogenic episode brought on by Tylenol PM; which required a 911 call resulting in a stay in the ICU for 2 days due to Postpartum Psychosis. Afterwards, she was taken to the Behavioral Health Unit and then outpatient. She was in the hospital 12 days! Here I was, a new father, my wife in the hospital, and I felt all alone. And then, towards the end of the year, my wife suffered from Postpartum Depression.
I share this with you not for sympathy, but to remind you that we all face trials. I don’t EVER want to repeat that year, but we have been able to use it to glorify God. We didn’t know this at the time, but there were several other people we knew who had gone through similar situations but kept it quiet because they were ashamed and thought that nobody else had experienced it. As Christians, we should not keep our trials to ourselves, and, as Christians, we should not judge others when they go through trials. I remember one person telling us that we were going through this time because of sin in our lives. How does that build each other up? Answer: it does not.
James 1:2 says that we should be joyful when we experience trials. Why? Because that is how we grow. If our lives were always easy, we would never rely on God for strength and support, but we often seem to turn to Him when we feel weak and in trouble. Romans 5:3-4 says, “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.” My wife and I have been able to help and encourage many people because of what we have gone through. We have hope that God will use our trials to help grow us and help grow the Body. If we had never gone through 2009, we would not be able to understand some of the trails that others go through. When you are going through a trial, remember to not get angry with God and ask “why.” Instead, praise God and ask Him how you can use this to glorify and honor Him.
– Pastor David Guenin
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