Throughout life, we face different crises and many different types of pain. Most days, we're in an emotional roller coaster. Most of us believe if we do right, life will be great. We believe if we obey God and man's laws, we should never face any hardships, thinking, If I don't harm anyone, no harm should come to me or my loved ones. However, in our lifetime, we will face trials and tribulations, not for our glory but for God's glory.

Many of us have trusted someone only to be betrayed. We've loved and lost in love. The death of a loved one takes us through various stages of grief and pain. Many were facing homelessness, natural disasters, bullying, crime, mental health issues, employment and family issues, hunger, loneliness, and betrayal. We've witnessed men and women of God fall in disgrace. It's easy to say the church isn't real anymore. We should be able to feel safe in God's house. However, things will and do happen.

Sometimes our pain is so great we feel there's only one way to escape it. We turn in every direction, searching for a solution, and there's none to be found. We just want to be whole and normal again. Those of us who are believers ask God, "Why me? What did I do? Why is this happening to me? Haven't I suffered enough?"

Constantly, we go back and forth with telling God we trust Him. We do everything we can to make things work in our favor, but what if our way is not the right way? Just because things don't work out as we planned doesn't mean it's the end. For His children, God always has a plan, and we must know that sometimes we must linger deep in the valley before we can reach the mountaintop.