I believe in him; however, there is a lot of pain and suffering that I've been going through. It's important to remember to be grateful for all the blessings. The past few months have been hard, it seems like more and more obstacles have been thrown in my path. My daughter was doing a presentation for her high school english class. The had to write a eulogy, it could be on a living person. She picked me. She spoke about how I can have little patience and short tempered but, she is inspired by me because I don't give up and I am always there for my kids. She remembers the time I knew something was bothering her and I would not give up until she told me what was wrong. She was upset that a classmate was being mean to her. I was able to relate because I have experienced the same situation and to this day I still share a very similar experience with a co-worker. This parallels Jesus' life where he was ridiculed for believing. My work is trying to make me choose between my family or the job. Jobs can come and go whereas your family is with you for a lifetime.

Antonella

I felt abandoned by God in the first weeks of my journey. One of the things that upset me was the leaves changing colors in the Fall. It's a beautiful time of year here in the northeast of the United States. It meant the world was moving on, not changed by my sadness. I came to see this as a sign that God is in control and I could continue to find things to appreciate through my sadness.
I've found many triggers through my grief, but learned that I was able to conquer them and know that I don't have to be in charge to survive.

I know I would be a hopeless mess without God. I was angry with him when my husband passed away - why him? Why so young? etc etc but I also wanted to hang on to him. Norm fully believed he would be with God when he died and I want to see Norm again. The only way to the Father is through the son, so I will continue my relationship with Jesus until I go to be with God the Father and see my beloved again.

Yes, I do trust Him but I agree that trusting him does not free us from suffering. My husband and I were both sick together at the same time. I survived and my husband did not. I really don't question the "why" of that so much as I accept that I am still here so God must need for me to do some more work on Earth until it is time for me to go Home. I don't even very often question why my husband died................I accept that everyone dies and everyone has a time. What has been very, very difficult for me to accept is why my husband had to suffer so much before he died. I do NOT understand but I have come to accept that it is not for me to understand everything that happens. Yes, I trust Him.

My faith, my trust is the essence of my belief in His promise of eternal life and to never leave or forsake us.
We live because He lives.
Pain, yes, despair, yes, loneliness, yes
He holds the world in His hand, He is the author & finisher of life, it is His plan for us.
Do I understand why things happen? No, but our Lord does.
Do I question? Do I wonder? Do I not comprehend?
Yes, yes, yes.
With His grace I will buffet the storms sent my way.
As I pray, search the Scriptures, and wait for His leading, He will enable me to cope.
He is sufficient to meet every need. We can rest upon that assurance.
jdp

Yes, I trust Jesus! Many times, in the first and second years, I asked "why?" Of course, I know we all live and die, but, why did he have to die before he could even retire? It took me a while to realize that I was a little miffed at The Lord. I didn't think I was. It really came as a surprise to me when it finally dawned on me that I was. Lots of reading, praying, etc. for me to come to terms with this epiphany. Without Jesus life wouldn't be worth much, would it? Joely

Thanks for the post, Gerry -

I cannot say I understand all of it. I tend to ask a lot of questions. I have a very strong belief God placed my wife and I together 30 years ago because of everything that happened. We fell in love and were totally dedicated to one another. There was unconditional love between us both ways
and, left to our own decisions, we would have stayed together for a thousand years. We were that pleased and happy to be together.

So one of my questions has to do with WHY. Simply put, why are we created and placed together or perhaps just meet one another and experience so much love and joy and then have it suddenly
end with so much pain and sorrow. I am having trouble with that question and it has been over 18 months. The pain and sorrow is still there and I don't believe it is ever going to stop as long as I
can draw a breath. I am just dumbfounded. How can something so beautiful end up with so much unrelenting pain ?

It does not shake my faith in God. During my 30+ years with my wife, I know that God intervened several times. A couple of times, He intervened with a massive power that could not be explained in any other way. So I know He exists and He is there. I know He is always listening. I still don't understand why His plans for her required her to suddenly leave and I don't understand His plans for me. But I am slowly accepting that perhaps I am not supposed to understand. Perhaps there is where faith enters the picture.

If I had not been exposed to several situations in my life where God intervened, it is likely I would have great difficulty accepting it. But, as I said above, only God could have done the things He did back in 1988, 1994, 1998, 2004 and 2014. They were miracles beyond description. I didn't understand what was happening each time as it was taking place. But, in each case, I had absolutely no doubt that God acted when everything was hopeless and He changed everything. I know He is there 24/7 but I am still struggling with understanding it but it is my faith in God that keeps me going. Without Him, it is hopeless.

Blessings to all - Darrell in Texas

We were born in sin which explains our predicament. We are hopeless without God. (((Hugs)))