Simply put, there are times when life isn't fair. Death, tragedy, and loss are part of the fallen condition of humanity. It’s ok to experience the full range of emotions, but we don’t allow our grief or sadness to be so overwhelming that it defines who we are as individuals. It’s not the event, but our capacity to be resilient—to become strong again after bad things happen—that will determine our future.

But make no mistake about it, the struggle is real. Your pain is real. For every success story there are a million others who drown their sorrow in alcohol and wind up in rehab, or act out in rage and land in jail, or refuse to forgive or let go and remain trapped in a prison of their own making.

God, the author of life, didn't have to allow suffering. When you look closer you see that God not only permits it, but suffering is so central to the human experience that He sent his Son to earth to suffer and die. Jesus’ redemptive work on the cross is more meaningful because of the pain and anguish He suffered—for our benefit.