Here is my response, which I shared with some friends walking through the cancer battle of their teen daughter:
Have any of you had your own set of "light momentary afflictions" in your homes and marriages lately? And thought to yourselves, "I should not be struggling with this when other people have real problems like cancer?" We have.
And I think that ourselves and Satan try to tell us that it's important to pray for and support a family with REAL problems. But at the same time we struggle and fail to apply God's word to our "ordinary" lives. I am guilty of it, recently. I'm embarrassed to admit that I've thought we have had a pretty cruddy year, but nothing "fancy, like cancer" to put in our Christmas letter.
I have been guilty of apathy and independence in my marriage. I have not been content to serve my family in housewifely ways. Instead, I want to do something awesome like go to Africa or adopt 5 kids (notice I did not ask for sickness or loss). So far God has not opened those doors. But He is helping me to understand that He honors ordinary, non-newsworthy, daily faithfulness, including the ministry of prayer. He may use it to prepare us for a harder trial or responsibility in the future. Or, this may be "all" He requires of us in this life time.
Just like our sin has long-lasting ripples of consequence, so does walking by faith. So as Scott & Lina choose to walk by faith, by God's grace through these trials, let's choose to benefit and be encouraged to walk our current paths by faith, as well.
We long to share their burdens in many ways. May spiritual growth be one of our consequences.
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