HARDSHIP

"I didn’t read the bible, nor pray. I didn’t even look for God. I am looking for my son."



Last May 9, a son of a pastor died of an internal hemorrhage. He dived into a river, but it was a bad dive that caused him his life. He was rushed to the hospital but was dead on arrival. Pastor and his family were greatly distressed and in so much pain in losing a son.



We (the YM Team) went to visit the family to extend our condolences. We heard the story straight from the pastor. As he was telling it, he seemed so meek and discouraged as he described how the incident cost his son’s life. The whole team felt his agony in losing a child.



He was honest in telling us, “I didn’t read the bible, nor pray. I didn’t even look for God. I am looking for my son.” We knew, out of the abundance of pain in his heart that he intended to let us know actually how he felt in still looking for a chance to see his son. It is so hard to let go, most especially when it was your son. We comforted the pastor, but we know words are not enough to cease the pain cause by losing a love one. Before we left, we prayed for peace and comfort for his whole family.



As we were all thinking about it, we arrived at the thought of allowing the pain to take it's course. Sometime we just need to get through all the pain, hardship and trial. Those times sometimes compliment the joy and let us appreciate the help and comfort from God. Just like a caterpillar needs to go through a painful stage inside the cocoon, we endure the hardship, because after that a beautiful butterfly will soon come out and will enjoy flying high.



God didn’t promise smooth sailing in our ministries or even in our personal lives. However, He did promise that He will be with us through tough times in our lives. And that will ensure a great life ahead of us, because being with Him through all of it surpasses all kinds of hardships.