Kung ipahintulot man niya na kayo’y magkasakit o magdanas ng hirap, siya na inyong Guro ay hindi magtatago sa inyo. Saan man kayo pumaling, sa kaliwa o sa kanan, maririnig ninyo ang kanyang tinig na nagsasabing, “Ito ang daan, dito kayo lumakad.”

Isaias 30:20–21

In life, we may struggle and experience adversity and affliction. However, our compassionate and caring God will not forsake us, He will be with us to guide, support, and help us.

Naranasan ito ni Imelda, isang teacher na may asawang seaman. Halos mag-isang pinalaki ni Imelda ang kanilang dalawang anak. When her older son got sick and died of dengue, Imelda struggled. It was even harder for her to tell her younger son about the death of his brother. Hindi niya alam kung paano iyon tatanggapin ng anak. But to her surprise, she heard encouragement from her son, “Masaya na si Kuya sa piling ni Lord.” Napawi ang sorrow ni Imelda at naka-move on silang mag-ina. Pero hindi nagtagal,  na-diagnose ng leukemia ang kanyang bunso, at pumanaw matapos ang mahabang gamutan. In her grief, she asked God why He also had to take her younger son, when she could no longer bear another child. God’s answer came in a dream. Imelda saw herself caring for scores of orphans and children from poor families. Not long after, she headed a ministry of orphaned children. God replaced her two sons with less fortunate children to love and care for.

God’s will for our lives is to love and care for people, not only through our gifts and strengths but also through our pain. Suffering is inevitable but for those who have faith in Christ, the Bible says in 1 Peter 5:10 (NIV)  that “after you have suffered a little while, God will restore you and make you strong, firm, and steadfast.”