Can God be trusted?

May I ask what health problems your son has? Also, have you tried fasting and taking your son to places and people that are known for having performed miracles in the past (faith healers, places of worship where the tombs of saints are etc.)?

/nvm

I have been in the worse condition than you are for many many years but why would i blame God ?

Dont you understand that God rely on people like you to raise the problematic boy because you are given a chance to do it in your short life to glorify God and your deed will be rewarded and glorifed by God even until the end of times when you are already in another realm. Cant you see God is actually inside the boy ? Do it for God and not for your family welfare, even thats what God wants to see from you.

Its not easy to bear that cross.

The beautiful song in this video is about a woman persecuted by her neighbourhood yet she bears the cross strongly.
The song begins at 3:55 Mutharaba (sufferings)

The Sheep and the Goats
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

I completely understand where you are coming from in this, I do!

My two oldest children (8, 7) are autistic and I cannot tell you how many days and nights I have cried over them and wondered why God would do that to them and do that to me and my wife. It hurts it does, so I will not diminish your pain. I know it is real. I have also lost 2 children. So trust me when I say I know where you are coming from.

I trust God because my faith in him dictates that he can do NOTHING wrong. Between me and him, he is perfectly right in all he does and I can do nothing right without him.

Now for clarification, it does not mean I have my questions. Nor does it mean I doubt from time to time, but faith is supposed to go beyond the visible, natural realm. Faith is what we stand on.

I have often wondered (usually with great harm to myself) Why I must ask God so persistently for answers. I tell him that me being a father, if my children want something I am there immediately to help them, so why must I keep asking for something that he is supposed to want me to have.

Actually just recently (literally within 2 days) I got upset at him because my water was about to get shut off due to nonpayment and I have been praying and fasting for an answer for a few weeks now. But no answer came. Then the night before he told me to ask a family member to help which for me is usually a BIG no, because that takes a lot of pride swallowing. Especially being a 30-some yr old male, I shouldn't have to ask and beg, but here I was. And they did.

Point being that God will show up, but he will do it according to his plan (which as stated) is perfect. He is not obligated nor bound to the same timeline that we have nor perceive. He stands above time and space and as such can see our present and our future. We need to trust him that when the answers don't come that they will and that he is in control.

It is hard. I know it is hard. My prayers are with you. My heart goes out to you, as a parent of 2 deceased children and 2 special needs children, my heart hurts right now just speaking to you about this. But God still loves you. He still is able. Don't lose sight of Him nor your faith.

May Yahweh bless you and keep you.
May Yahweh make his face shine upon and be gracious to you.
May Yahweh turn his face towards you and give you peace.

A good part of our Christian walk is accepting that Gods will be done. That we live with His guidance and blessing. This life is about Him not us. We don't always find out His purpose for things and He has used many a strange condition to fulfill a need. You have no idea what His purpose is in your defective child. There could be new medicine involved, blessing on another persons walk, we just don't know His will. It's your will your adopted child be healed, you accepted him as is and went through with adoption anyway ? Was part of your deal that God heal him when you accepted this responsibility? Or was it that you would raise him to the best of your ability as is, And ask Gods blessing, seeking out the medical help you can afford ? If I might speak as frankly as you want to and I promise this is not an attack, but what I am seeing: What I see here, is you aren't getting your way with God and have turned bitter. And I fully understand that your situation isn't an easy one but God is God, much greater than any human being.. It simply may not be time yet for God to heal your child because He has another purpose that we don't know about.

I also might suggest, that your adopted child is blessed that someone adopted him. And I suggest seeking God in love not bitterness. Bitterness will never work. God created a perfect world and a perfect situation for Adam and Eve to live in, everything was great, they had glorious bodies with no health issues and in stepped Satan, who just placed a simple question in their minds against God will for the couple s perfect lives. And they sinned and that brought about the start of destruction. be angry with that serpent, not God. God can't stand sin but even then with having to cast them out of the garden, He still provided for them in their iniquity. I'm not going to beg you to change anything but you won't get anywhere this way with God. We must come to him in simple faith. If it isn't His will to heal your child, then pray that He provide the means to care for your child.

Fenhn, it's true that we cannot take that "ask anything" verse to be an iron-clad guarantee. If it were, any one of us could pray for some simply fabulous or harmful things...and God's hands would supposedly be tied.

What if someone who's come through a devastating flood that washed out everything he owned prays that it never rain again? Would you be disgusted to think that it might rain nevertheless? I think that verse is important, even without taking it to some literal extreme.

But the bigger point in this is that God created everything to be Good...but then Man rejected God, giving us a world that is wonderful in some ways but damaged by sin. That's this life; and it was Man's sin, not God's plan. Despite this, he intervened in order to offer men a perfect life to come after this one.

You can't ask someone for permission until they exist. If God waited on permission to bring someone into existence then no one would exist because you have to exist before you can give permission.

When someone says something in the Bible they are often speaking to someone else in the Bible. God is speaking to Jeremiah when he says he formed him in the womb. We can't take that to mean it is the case for everyone in the literal sense. Jeremiah was called to speak for God. When God said "ask anything in my name and I will give it" he was talking to the disciples." We can't take that to mean the same for us. For us Paul says Pray without ceasing. 1 Thessalonians 5:17.

Remember when satan offered the nations to Jesus? He wasn't tempting Jesus with the idea of being the ruler of an Empire. Satan owned the nations, by right. He was offering that right to Jesus. There is a huge spiritual landscape out there that we are not aware of. There is a war being fought right under our noses for those nations. The kingdom of God is being established, but will not be complete until Christs return. He is already ruling but His enemies are not yet his footstool (Psalm 110:1). Remember when Daniel prayed about the restoration of the temple? How long did it take the Angel to get to him? The angel left immediately, but was withheld for 21 days, and escaped only because Michael came to his aid.

Daniel 10:12 "Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words. 13 The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia, 14 and came to make you understand what is to happen to your people in the latter days. For the vision is for days yet to come.”

I have seen seemingly simple prayers take 3 years without ceasing and complex miracles take moments. We just don't know what things contend against us.

Fenhn said:

Not sure where to post this, but feel free to move it to the correct place.

Firstly I want to say that I'm sorry if I will offend you, but this thing is eating me up and I cannot keep this inside. I'm searching for answers and trying to cope with my unmanageable frustration and anger, so in this post I will say things how it is and how I see it and won't sugar coat anything, so please bare with me.

God made us and we had no choice in it. The is no free will like everyone is claiming to have. We did not not ask to be here and many did not ask to be born dead or born with problems or a terrible disadvantage.

There is a verse that says "I have formed you in your mothers womb..." This to me shows God created every single person, which includes some people with disabilities/problems. So it must be His will. He made them that way. That for a start angers me because that shows God is not a God of perfection. People with mental illnesses, Alzheimer's etc etc did not ask for that either, and regardless how much we pray, God will not heal them.

3 years ago, we adopted a boy with LOTS of health problems. We prayed till we were blue in the face, took authority, but nothing happened. The church prayed with us and still nothing happened. Healing seminars dis not help. Regardless how we've prayed against "satans work" in authority, problems remained. That tells me God liked it that way. He created him like that.

Doesn't the Bible say " If a sons asks for fish, will his dad give him a snake?" Yep. And my heavenly dad could not care less of giving us that very thing he said he won't. We didn't get a snake. We didn't get anything! We only asked for healing. Was that too much to ask for?

The Bible says: " Ask anything and my name and WILL give it to you." That is a promise! So God doesn't keep His own promises. That's very sad because that's the very thing that breaks my trust in someone that claims to be perfect and trustworthy. I'm not talking about asking God for a Ferrari or nice house. I'm asking something out of the word of God. Gods will. If His will is not for my son to be well, how can he be good? If sick people stay sick & no prayer helps, no one can be blamed but God as He is the only only who can fix this, isn't He?

I'm sorry but I can't trust a God that doesn't keep His own word and expects us to keep His rules that He is not keeping Himself.

For 3 years I've been in this terrible state of mind and there is no one that could help me. (God included)

I want answers as I'm a SON. I should be able to ask my dad anything and expect Him to answer.

Maybe I expect waaaaaay to much of my heavenly Dad. Always always disappointed!!

I can definitely say God will not come through for everyone. He hasn't for me.

Thank you
Fenhn

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God is nerturing and suffering with you in your imperfection. Does God suffer with us? We know that God the Son did suffer in life and in death.

We are to pray for Gods will for us and the strength to carry out his will.

Minister to your sons needs, comfort him as much as you can.

I'm a recovering drunk, sober 30 years. I didn't ask for the weakness, but my misfortune became my good fortune. It forced me to speak God much more than I would have as a healthy man of wealth and good health.

Fenhn, you are actually blessed. You and your sons experience if unfainess are called to reveal the love of God and the determination of faith.

One day both you and your son will be greatful for your seeming misfortune.

Fenhn said:

Doesn't the Bible say " If a sons asks for fish, will his dad give him a snake?" Yep. And my heavenly dad could not care less of giving us that very thing he said he won't. We didn't get a snake. We didn't get anything! We only asked for healing. Was that too much to ask for?

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I've struggled with this a lot too. I have some moderate (which occasionally spikes to severe) mental illness and my brother has this as well as a lifetime of moderate to severe physical ailments. Prayer has not helped him and resentment to unfullfilled promises has built over time. I've also been a sinner and an addict throughout most of my life, returning to Christ only relatively recently. My brother, perhaps less so.

There are two readings of this passage, one in Matthew and one in Luke, but there is a significant difference between them. I've come to favor the one in Luke.

Matthew 7:9-11

9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

Luke 11:11-13

11What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

Note specifically, what is promised in Luke. The Holy Spirit. Likewise, I think Christ is speaking in spiritual terms. Snakes and Scorpions are likened in other places to evil spiritual forces, specifically in Luke 10:18-20 I think where we are given authority to tread on them.
Imagine having a spirit like a stone, or a spirit like a snake, or a spirit like a scorpion. I have been all 3 in times past. Years ago before abandoning her, I remember saying at one point to my ex-wife "you are a dove and I am a serpent". I was speaking true.

I think what Christ is saying here, is that God will give the gift of the Holy Spirit in place of our fallen nature to those that seek it. He promises to send a good spirit, not like a stone, a snake or a scorpion. And he says that even we, having those spirits, still know how to give good gifts to our children. So too He will be even more faithful.

The 11th Step of Recovery is this "sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, seeking only for knowledge of His will for us, and the power to carry that out". This helped me immensely in my journey. I expressed it this way at the start:

"Two Gods - one of Circumstance, and one of Spirit. One I rarely found, the other I rarely sought"

So I started seeking the God of Spirit instead of the God of Circumstance. I suspect they are indeed one and the same, like staring off into an infinite distance, two lines will eventually appear to come together and be one, and I have seen evidence of this, when I have needed it for others, Circumstances have followed which I could not have arranged or foreseen.

So I am sorry for the trials you and myself and others will have to endure. But I think they are all about getting us to seek that God of Spirit first, first as servants and then as Sons. Trials build character, though sometimes they threaten to destroy it first and I've often felt that might happen to myself or others.

Still. Seek the God of Spirit. We may never work the wonders or healings we wanted for ourselves and others, but we might find that we ourselves are healed, and be part of wonders and healing for others that we never anticipated.

I once asked my wife, what if one of our children turns severely ill, causing great stress on us and maybe even eventual death of that child. I couldn't imagine it, how I could cope. It was one time I was not really speaking spiritually but just wanted her view on that, after all we do have five children,now mid aged adults.. Her answer took me back, she went right into the spirit which is usually my role, and I was not expecting it. She said that we will thank God for the time we had with that child. Ya know, kids are a gift to us, if they are sick or if they are deformed or if they die, they are our gift and we care for them to Gods Glory. We praise Him , we thank Him that they were part of our lives or are a part of our lives.

There is a young man in our bible study. He has a severely deformed and mentally challenged brother in a wheel chair who is actually older than him. No father, the father bailed. This young guy while in high school took on the father role. The year he graduated high school so did the challenged brother at 24 years old. Our bible study member on graduation day wheeled that 24 yo down the isle to get his diploma. Our member is not mad that God did not heal, did not produce a Dad, but he took up the role. My eyes are welled with tears right now, because I know this guys conviction, now 20 yo himself. He stood by his non believing mom, by his messed up brother, went to work to earn some money at a young age, kept up his grades, was there for the brother and just trusted God that it was going to work somehow. And I'm going to say right here right now that that young man is more of man in that matter than I could ever have been. He starts full time college this fall too.

Ask anything in my name and I will give it to you. This is a promise to the children of the house of Israel, not us. Pastors that preach that verse to us today don't know how to rightly divide the Bible. They are applying doctrine to us today that was never meant for us. It was to Israel, before the cross. These are the same Pastors that preach a combination of faith and works to be saved because they don't understand how to rightly divide the Bible.

This is how I understand it and welcome any additions that anyone has... God gave Adam dominion over the earth. When Adam sinned that allowed satan to have dominion. If God stepped in now he would be going against what he said (giving dominion to Adam) and God cannot lie. So because of that we are living under the curse. God knew all this was going to happen from before the beginning. He knew all the problems and issues and still thought it was worth it because of all the people that will be in heaven in the end. God did not create your son with these problems and definitely is not just ignoring you. He feels all your pain.

Today we have all spiritual blessings in heavenly places. I hope this provides some comfort during a very difficult situation.

Fenhn said:

Dave G:Yes I did, but we fostered sick children before and I said to God - ''Because we cannot have children, I will NOT adopt if we get the same amount of problems. We already struggled for 10+ years to have our own and nothing, and then - BOOM, we get problem after problem....''

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Well ya, I'm not surprised at all ! We don't get to set the standard with God, we don't get to make a deal with Him. I'm sorry for your problems but you seriously need a new approach to God through Jesus Christ lord and savior.

I won't be making any further comments. I wish you luck, because now luck is what you have rather than the full armor of God and His blessings. You are doing the cutting off not Him. You are failing this test miserably. Have a good day.

Albion said:

Fenhn, it's true that we cannot take that "ask anything" verse to be an iron-clad guarantee. If it were, any one of us could pray for some simply fabulous or harmful things...and God's hands would supposedly be tied.

What if someone who's come through a devastating flood that washed out everything he owned prays that it never rain again? Would you be disgusted to think that it might rain nevertheless? I think that verse is important, even without taking it to some literal extreme.

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I don't think the comparison between praying for healing and praying for harmful things is fair. The "ask anything" verse does not come with a clause. It's crystal-clear: You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. (John 14:14). There's no condition attached to it.

Jesus did make other statements that had conditions attached to them (Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. (Matthew 17:20)), but John 14:14 is as clear as it can get: if you are a follower of Christ and ask for ANYTHING in His name, He will do it.

Fenhn said:

Not sure where to post this, but feel free to move it to the correct place.

Firstly I want to say that I'm sorry if I will offend you, but this thing is eating me up and I cannot keep this inside. I'm searching for answers and trying to cope with my unmanageable frustration and anger, so in this post I will say things how it is and how I see it and won't sugar coat anything, so please bare with me.

God made us and we had no choice in it. The is no free will like everyone is claiming to have. We did not not ask to be here and many did not ask to be born dead or born with problems or a terrible disadvantage.

There is a verse that says "I have formed you in your mothers womb..." This to me shows God created every single person, which includes some people with disabilities/problems. So it must be His will. He made them that way. That for a start angers me because that shows God is not a God of perfection. People with mental illnesses, Alzheimer's etc etc did not ask for that either, and regardless how much we pray, God will not heal them.

3 years ago, we adopted a boy with LOTS of health problems. We prayed till we were blue in the face, took authority, but nothing happened. The church prayed with us and still nothing happened. Healing seminars dis not help. Regardless how we've prayed against "satans work" in authority, problems remained. That tells me God liked it that way. He created him like that.

Doesn't the Bible say " If a sons asks for fish, will his dad give him a snake?" Yep. And my heavenly dad could not care less of giving us that very thing he said he won't. We didn't get a snake. We didn't get anything! We only asked for healing. Was that too much to ask for?

The Bible says: " Ask anything and my name and WILL give it to you." That is a promise! So God doesn't keep His own promises. That's very sad because that's the very thing that breaks my trust in someone that claims to be perfect and trustworthy. I'm not talking about asking God for a Ferrari or nice house. I'm asking something out of the word of God. Gods will. If His will is not for my son to be well, how can he be good? If sick people stay sick & no prayer helps, no one can be blamed but God as He is the only only who can fix this, isn't He?

I'm sorry but I can't trust a God that doesn't keep His own word and expects us to keep His rules that He is not keeping Himself.

For 3 years I've been in this terrible state of mind and there is no one that could help me. (God included)

I want answers as I'm a SON. I should be able to ask my dad anything and expect Him to answer.

Maybe I expect waaaaaay to much of my heavenly Dad. Always always disappointed!!

I can definitely say God will not come through for everyone. He hasn't for me.

Thank you
Fenhn

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These don't sound like the words of a son. He never promised you or anyone else health in this lifetime. Sometimes He'll heal and other times He won't. And since He's never made such a promise, He hasn't wronged you by not doing so.

So what's His purpose? Perhaps it's so you'll see just how little you do actually trust Him. He's not the weak link in any relationship or situation.

SeventyOne said:

Sometimes He'll heal and other times He won't.

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So, God's just random and whimsical? If He's in the mood to heal, He'll heal. If He's not - tough luck, keep praying, maybe He's in a better mood tomorrow?

That's not the Jesus we read about in the Bible. There was nobody who came to Jesus seeking healing and whom Jesus did not heal. He even healed the lepers who did not return to thank Him.

Fenhn said:

God made us and we had no choice in it. The is no free will like everyone is claiming to have. We did not not ask to be here and many did not ask to be born dead or born with problems or a terrible disadvantage.

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Firstly, I want to say, free will doesn’t mean that everything goes as you want. Free will means you can want whatever you want freely. I have free will.

Fenhn said:

There is a verse that says "I have formed you in your mothers womb..." This to me shows God created every single person, which includes some people with disabilities/problems…

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If that is from Jeremiah 1:5, it is about Jeremiah, not about all people.

Fenhn said:

….So it must be His will. He made them that way. That for a start angers me because that shows God is not a God of perfection. People with mental illnesses, Alzheimer's etc etc did not ask for that either, and regardless how much we pray, God will not heal them.

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I think most diseases are probably because of the way people live, not because of how God created them.

If God has really created someone with sickness, which I don’t think is true, it would mean there is some good reason for that. Unfortunately, I don’t know what the reason then would be. But if you are really disciple of Jesus and expect God to keep the promises that He gave to disciples of Jesus, perhaps you should then also go as Jesus taught. First thing Jesus says people should seek is said in this:

"Therefore don't be anxious, saying, 'What will we eat?', 'What will we drink?' or, 'With what will we be clothed?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first God's Kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well.
Matthew 6:31-33

Perhaps people often seek wrong things and therefore don’t receive what they want?

If I would be sick, I would say to God this: “If this sickness is because of my sin, please forgive me and let me get rid of the sin and help me to be faithful to you and live as you want. If there is some other reason, please be merciful and end the sickness. But if it is your will that I remain sick, please help me to stand it and live as you want. But in any case, do as you think is the best, not my will, but your will I ask”.

Fenhn said:

…3 years ago, we adopted a boy with LOTS of health problems. We prayed till we were blue in the face, took authority, but nothing happened. The church prayed with us and still nothing happened. Healing seminars dis not help. Regardless how we've prayed against "satans work" in authority, problems remained. That tells me God liked it that way. He created him like that.

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I am sorry to hear that. And I pray that God is merciful to you and to your son and heals him. But more than that, I pray that you and the boy learn to know the one and only true God, who is more than doctor, and that you understand, this life is after all just temporary lesson, the goal is to become righteous and find the way to God’s kingdom. Not even the best health is useful without God and if you are not righteous.

Unfortunately, nowadays churches seem to be focusing on external things and don’t really care about God’s word, that is why I think it is no wonder, if their works don’t help you. And I think it is also kind of wrong to rely on them, instead of God. If you are disciple of Jesus, you can have straight connection with God. He hears you, and I hope you hear Him through the Bible.

I understand that sickness and this “life” and healthy body are important, but in Biblical point of view, they are not the point and not the best goal. Disciples of Jesus should rather worry about the state of the soul than the state of a body that is not even meant to last forever.

For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world, and forfeits his life? Or what will a man give in exchange for his life?
Matt. 16:26

It is easier to say than do, but disciples of Jesus should not worry about their body, but rather about how to live best way as God wishes.

I lost my fur daughter (kitty) this past Monday and both me and my wife prayed our hearts out that she would be healed and even in my Church my Priest prayed for her with the whole congregation yet like I said Monday she passed and we are heartbroken. I have been in a wheelchair with Cerebral Palsy all my life and can't do a whole lot for myself and once again my parents prayed, Church prayed, practically everyone I know prayed for me. Guess what I am still in a wheelchair. My Parents were sick and dying, prayed and they are still in Heaven and I could give so many more examples even now I know that God could never answer my prayers and I still know He is God. As Scriptures say:

Though he slay me, I will hope in him



Job 13:5 ff ESV

You can search the whole Bible and see that following God is the hardest thing to do and there is no easy path, no easy answers sometimes, and no answered prayer because God has a plan and what we want may not always coincide with what God wants. It's our faith and trust that will see us through. One more thing the gentlemen who wrote it is well with my soul lost his whole family just prior to writing that, sure we may have pain and heartache but we were never promised an easy prosperous life .