I heard about country singer Luke Bryan taking in his nephew after Bryan’s brother-in-law passed away.  A friend responded to the story with this (there is also a link in his comment to the story) “This is the kind of thing I wish dispatchers could read to people who call 911 to say they want to commit suicide because they have a tough life.   http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2015/02/05/gods-plan-country-music-star-is-raising-his-nephew-after-brother-in-laws-sudden-death/”

My mind began to run after this e-mail exchange.  I have had to privilege of saving a man’s life who was suicidal once.  I was chastised by my peers because I did not hand the call off to the jurisdiction that he was driving around in.  I felt that his life and safety were more important than jurisdictional lines.

These kind of issues resonate with me.  My second cousin’s family has been touched by the tragedy of suicide and to me that makes it personal.  In the life of my family we have walked some difficult roads too.  Nothing so tragic as suicide; but,  difficult none the less.

I came to realize that pain and suffering are God’s gift.  What?!  Yes, I said that pain and suffering are God’s gift.  Before you tune me out and turn me off let me explain.  When we suffer it causes us to take a look.  We look outside of ourselves.  We look inside ourselves and eventually we look up to God.  Look at the words of Paul in Phillippians 3:10, “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;”  Look at what Paul says in II Corinthians 12:7-9, “And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.  For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.  And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

God in His wisdom give us these difficult times as a gift.  This gift is for the purpose of drawing us to Him to help us know Him better.

So, how are you doing?