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Whether or not you are a person of faith, trials are something all of us go through, and an old adage says, it’s not what happens to you, but what you do with it.

My friend, Joni Eareckson Tada, is a woman who has dealt with the adversity of quadriplegia for more than fifty years and would tell you it’s how you “respond” to troubles that matters most. And, if you follow my blog posts, you know my stalwart for facing trials comes from Philippians 4: 4-6, “praise God in all things,” and that’s something I continue to do. However, after recently struggling through the most difficult and intense time of our life, God has added another spiritual tool for my husband and I to consider. And, because getting through this new trial, is what revealed it, I felt it was important to share our experience of enduring the good, bad, and the ugly in life.

Some might say it’s just a “new take” on that old stoic philosophy. However it’s actually an ancient concept that reaches further back in history than any adage does. Simply put, it’s perseverance. It came to my husband and I after we were finally feeling a sense of normalcy returning, and had made it through the crashing waves of adversity that had repeatedly knocked us down. But it wasn’t until we were on the other side of it, that we realized there was something grand about it all. Something simple, yet profound and lasting to what God was teaching us. It came one night as the light of day faded into evening’s darkness. That’s when God’s revelation started to shine through-it-all for my husband and me.

We were settling into bed as I carefully snuggled-in next to my husband’s tender body, when, once again my eyes glimpsed the line of stitches on his chest. I turned to him and verbalized the thoughts and feelings that were still roaming my mind after several weeks.

“You know, Honey, I’ve been thinking about all that we’ve just come through. Your open-heart surgery was so difficult for you and seeing the excruciating pain you were in afterwards broke my heart. But not being able to embrace your bruised body to comfort and console you afterwards was unbearable. Then, a week later when I contracted Covid shortly after our little Caesar passed away, the sadness and lonely weeks of isolation for your protection was truly tough for me.”

“I know, Honey.” Larry empathized. “The paid nursing care was a lifesaver, but I missed having you by my side.”

“Of course, when I passed out twice several days later and you had to call an ambulance for me, it was awful too. Especially since I’d only been home a few days after my Covid isolation.”

“It sure was.” He knew how horrible I felt about the incident and I knew how scary it was for him. But we were both grateful that I’d pre-arraigned for a freind of his to sit with him that morning, so as it turned out, he wasn’t left on his own that whole day.

As we both recalled more things about our trial, lingering emotions swelled within me, and a serious expression crossed his face, so I hurried to the positive point I wanted to make. “Regardless of how hard it was, there was never a moment when I questioned God’s love for us. He showed up so many times to encourage our hearts along the way. Sometimes God would come in the form of a kind neighbor or church friend at our front door with a meal. Sometimes it was through a concerned friend calling or texting to check on us. But, I think the hardest part was not being able to be there for you when you came home from the hospital.” I choked out further.

Somehow, just speaking that truth caused the dam of tears I’d been holding back to break loose. I’d been restraining them for weeks. Trying to be strong for him. But I could tell he didn’t want to get bogged down with his own emotions. So, I tried to tamp mine down, paused a minute, and took a deep breath. That’s when it hit me like a bolt of lightning.

“You know what?” I lit up with excitement. “God must have been doing something big in all of this. I think that our trials may have happened for the same reason God allowed Job to experience his adversities.”

Recalling a Bible study lesson from many years back, and what the meaning of Job’s plight was, I explained to Larry. “In that study, I learned that the key lesson of the book of Job was about his strength of faith and perseverance in-the-midst of trials. That God had allowed all of it to happen so that Job, and others, would know he had an unshakeable faith. “And I believe that is what God wanted us to see about our faith too. He wanted us to get through all of it and see that our faith didn’t waver no matter how hard it became.”

My husband’s weary eyes fluttered wide open with astounding realization as he carefully turned his battered body towards me and declared: “Did you know that just days before my surgery, I was reading and studying the book of Job? After I got through it, God revealed to me, that it wasn’t about patience, He was teaching Job about perseverance of faith. He was showing Job that he had an enduring faith that gave him resilience, no matter what hit him.”

I was astonished. “That’s amazing! I had no idea you were reading Job then and your interpretation fits perfectly with what I just realized.”So, this new insight regarding our own recent adversities was fittingly revealed to both my husband and I simultaneously. Then Larry added another insight.

“You know, there were lots of times during this trial when God brought people to me that needed to hear and see God’s hand in things. And through it, God gave me a few opportunities to encourage them in their faith.” Larry’s face lit up now.

“Me too!” I added. “Quite often during the time when we had home care help I had the chance to talk to some of the nurses about our faith and even answer some of their spiritual questions. Guess we could say that Part of Job’s story is a little like what you and I experienced too. Only in his case, people who came to see him were questioning his moral and spiritual integrity, not bringing or receiving blessings.”

Days later, and in-light of our revelation, I yearned for more of God’s wisdom about handling trials and my search led me further back into Exodus. After God led the Israelites out of bondage for four hundred-thirty-years. Moses sang a beautiful song of praise and perseverance that begins with: “the Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him…” (Exodus 15:2)

Wow! I thought. Moses and the Israelites not only suffered long they went through years of bondage and ten terrible plagues ending in a grand finale of God parting the Red Sea. We only faced one plague—Covid, and I didn’t have to wait for an ocean to part. But I did have to part my hair differently after that day of fainting, missing my hair appointment, and spending hours in the E.R. Talk about a bad hair day! I laughed at my own silly analysis and knew my heart was finally lifting .

But all kidding aside, what had caught my heart strings now, wasn’t just Moses’ undaunted traverse through adversity. It was also his song of praise. So, it quickly became another eye-opening insight into the principles of both praise and perseverance in the face of lengthy adversity.

Joni Eareckson Tada came to mind once again as I considered our four month trial next to her half a century of suffering. As my favorite contemporary hero in this age of uncertainty, darkness, and upside-down thinking, Joni continues to exude courage in the face of her own lengthy and great suffering. Yet it’s not unusual for her to break into song at the drop of a hat. In her mid-seventies now, she has outlived most quadriplegics, yet she continues to shine with a joyful attitude of song, art, and praise like no one else I’ve ever met. And every experience I’ve had with Joni, has been a lesson of learning how to “respond” to suffering.

One week after our mutual and timely revelation, I sat down at my desk and read in James 1:2 where it says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (NIV Study Bible)

I pray you’ll take a deeper dive into God’s word too. And perhaps you might also find new inspiration in the book of Job or Moses’ poignant song that will brighten your path through any current or future trial. For me and my husband, our enduring faith was revealed during and because of our difficult journey. Or, as another old song declares, “I (we)Can See Clearly Now.”

So, as we enter the month of Thanksgiving, no matter what challenges, trials, or blessings you might experience, remember to thank God for them and, “May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.” 2 Thess.3:5, (New NIV).