"...There was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me--to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness " Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).

Paul was a man who had more than a passing acquaintance with difficulties. This was the man who said of himself:

I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches (2 Corinthians 11:23-27).

Children of adoption sometimes come to us with baggage similar to Paul's. They've had difficult things transpire in their young lives, and like Paul, survived them all. Some who have gone through extreme trauma turn on God and blame Him for life's difficulties.

We underestimate Satan's power and attribute bad things to God that are really the work of the devil. God may allow things to happen, but He doesn't cause them, and we have to remember that He is the cure! He isn't the source, but He's the Way to endure it:

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:28, 31).

I've blogged a little bit about the health challenge I am currently going through. In fact, on Monday morning I have to report in for a biopsy. Am I scared? I'd be lying if I didn't say at least a little bit! But the thought that keeps me going is that whatever happens, God has my back! I have no guarantees that nothing bad will ever happen to me. The only guarantee I have is that if I have “faith, nothing doubting” God will carry me though.

The same is true of our children and trauma. We cannot promise them nothing bad will happen. We can't erase the things that have happened. But we can foster a relationship between them and the Great Physician who can heal their stripes (Isaiah 53:5).

Looking beyond this life and what is plain to the naked eye is hard. Paul (yeah, the same guy all that bad stuff happened to), said:

For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison (2 Corinthians 4:17).

He calls all those things “momentary, light afflictions.” Now, any one of those things on his list of personal difficulties is enough to do in the bravest of souls, but all of them? And, after getting though them all, referring to them as “momentary, light afflictions?” Clearly, it's possible. But how? He tells us to focus on what's coming. This life isn't always pretty. But heaven is, and it's eternal peace...eternal rest...eternal freedom from ugliness and sin and the bad choices others make. It's freedom from disabilities, mental health issues, illness and death.

Coming from that perspective, I can see why Paul was able to say “Rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4).

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