Insight for Today
A Daily Devotional by Pastor Chuck Swindoll

The Hardest Part of the Christian Life

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For examples of patience in suffering, dear brothers and sisters, look at the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. We give great honor to those who endure under suffering. For instance, you know about Job, a man of great endurance. You can see how the Lord was kind to him at the end, for the Lord is full of tenderness and mercy. (James 5:10–11)

When our older daughter Charissa underwent two eye surgeries, an ordeal I mentioned in my book Three Steps Forward, Two Steps Back, I thought the test was over. It wasn't. Late in the summer of 1979, she suffered a severe fall, resulting in a fracture of two vertebrae in her back. During the early part of that episode, her mother and I were forced to wait on the physical outcome.

The most difficult discipline in the Christian life, in my opinion, is waiting. But God used that to force us to lean on Him . . . to trust Him . . . to believe in Him . . . to release our will and accept His. Words fail to describe the pain of that transfer of wills. Finally, when we made the transfer, empty-handed and totally dependent, Cynthia and I leaned hard on our God. It was a time of great stress.

Today, Charissa's broken back has healed. Our daughter is neither paralyzed nor handicapped in any way. She is whole, healthy, energetic, and a very grateful woman. And—I might add—all the Swindolls have learned again the value of being cast upon our God.

Admittedly, in the pain of it all, I wrestled with Him. But, looking back, I can clearly see that the process required being emptied of our own strength. God designed the process to equip my family—and especially their dad—to be better servants.

Things may not be logical and fair, but when God is directing the events of our lives, they are right.