Trials

In the fall of 2021 my husband had a MRI of his upper spine. It was a long over due test that we didn't even know he needed. Many years of leg numbness, pain and other doctors opinions finally led us back to living in MI where God worked everything out so perfectly. 

After moving from FL to MI and living with my parents for 9 months, because the housing market was unreal, we finally had an offer accepted for a house. We were so excited! The next day, which was a Monday, Jason, my husband, got his MRI results while he was at work. He happened to look on his my chart where the results were posted. The only thing is, they were not suppose to be posted until after the doctor called him. He called me scared and in tears as he tried to read it to me. Me, who worked in the medical field prior to having kids, could barely understand as he tried to pronounce the medical terms. The one he understood was, tumor. He was able to leave work and come home to have me read it along with calling his doctor, who apologized that he wasn't able to speak with him prior to Jason seeing the results.

He was given 3 possible outcomes of the tumor. Without going into too much detail, the only outcome that didn't involve chemo was the outcome God allowed for Jason. The tumor was non cancerous and he had genetic testing which came back negative. That was a huge praise. The neurosurgeon said he has no idea how Jason got this tumor. He called him a mutant. He is doing great but the nerves were so shot that he still has numbness in his left leg. He has to continue to get a MRI yearly as this type of tumor can return. Talk about a trial. That week was one of the hardest weeks we've ever been through. Not knowing if my husband had cancer or not and wait until we knew, to then plan next steps was definitely difficult. Trials are not something anyone wants to go through but in the end we look back and see how the trial we just went through has changed and transformed us. Hopefully for the good.

The word trial is found in the Bible six times. It does not have the same meaning each time it is mentioned. Even though this word is found so few times in the Bible, it doesn't mean it's not worth mentioning.

Trials, hardships, sufferings or whatever you want to call them are sown throughout the Bible. Christ would use them in illustrations or parables. They were to show us that we are not the only ones going through them and to learn from them. There is an end to our trials. How we get there is so important. Our mind set, our character, actions and words are all being tried, watched and scrutinized. The trials never stop. They happen for a reason. They help refine us and strengthen our faith. Where or who do we go to first when a trial arises? We, as Christians, should walk through our trials with Christ by our side with the confidence knowing that He will see us through. Leaning on Him and trusting His every move.

"Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ suffering; that, when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy."      I Peter 4:12-13 KJV

At the end of our trials, hopefully we can come through them with joy, relief, a deeper faith and spiritual growth. To look back and be able to see God's hand through it the whole time is an amazing feeling.

*Our trials are nothing for our Savior to handle. We just need to give Him full control.

~JuneAnn Miller