The Hardest Part of the Christian Life
by Charles R. Swindoll

James 5:10–11

When our older daughter Charissa underwent two eye surgeries, an ordeal I mentioned in my book Three Steps Forward, Two Steps Back, I thought the test was over. It wasn't. Late in the summer of 1979, she suffered a severe fall, resulting in a fracture of two vertebrae in her back. During the early part of that episode, her mother and I were forced to wait on the physical outcome.

The most difficult discipline in the Christian life, in my opinion, is waiting. But God used that to force us to lean on Him . . . to trust Him . . . to believe in Him . . . to release our will and accept His. Words fail to describe the pain of that transfer of wills. Finally, when we made the transfer, empty-handed and totally dependent, Cynthia and I leaned hard on our God. It was a time of great stress.

Today, Charissa's broken back has healed. Our daughter is neither paralyzed nor handicapped in any way. She is whole, healthy, energetic, and a very grateful woman. And—I might add—all the Swindolls have learned again the value of being cast upon our God.

Admittedly, in the pain of it all, I wrestled with Him. But, looking back, I can clearly see that the process required being emptied of our own strength. God designed the process to equip my family—and especially their dad—to be better servants.

Things may not be logical and fair, but when God is directing the events of our lives, they are right.

 The most difficult discipline in the Christian life, in my opinion, is waiting. —Chuck Swindoll Tweet This

Adapted from Improving Your Serve: The Art of Unselfish Living, Copyright © 1981 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. (Thomas Nelson Publishers). All rights reserved worldwide. Used by permission.