Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2-4)

You may remember Brit Hume as a national news anchor, but not know that he became a committed Christian during one of the hardest times in his life.

Challenges drive some people away from faith; others see the necessity of Jesus through them and are drawn closer to him. For Hume, his greatest challenge came from the suicide of his son, Sandy.

Despite having been a nominal Christian most of his life, Hume said that the one thing he recognized almost immediately after the tragedy was that he truly believed God could help.

The death was not something anyone expected, but somewhere in the middle of all his grief, questioning, and searching for peace, Hume said that he felt closer to Christ than ever before.

These are not easy truths but are lifelines to God’s care when we are clinging to faith from the ragged edges of life. When all else is stripped away, we can still find meaning, and hope, and reason to carry on in the comfort of a God whose love continues beyond life’s regrets and earth’s boundaries.

We do not rejoice for earthly trials but find joy in a sovereign God whose eternal love and unending care provide the steadfastness that is needed for this world’s inevitable storms.

Prayer: Father, when I experience life’s inevitable tragedies, help me to draw comfort and strength from assurances of your abiding presence and eternal care.