Count it all joy, I said to myself as frustration threatened to overtake me.

It was my verse for the day, according to an app on my phone. It had been six weeks since my surgery, and the bandage I removed from the suture site revealed I had not healed yet. There was still a small opening that seeped fluid and blood.

I breathed deeply, prayed for total healing, and applied a fresh bandage after cleaning the wound with hydrogen peroxide. Then I revisited the verse I had quoted to myself and saw that it spoke to my situation more deeply.

Consider it nothing but joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you fall into various trials. Be assured that the testing of your faith [through experience] produces endurance [leading to spiritual maturity, and inner peace]. And let endurance have its perfect result and do a thorough work, so that you may be perfect and completely developed [in your faith], lacking in nothing.

~James 1:2-4 AMP

God did not just heal my physical wound. He also used the process of my body’s repair to grow my faith. I needed to endure the healing process and quit imposing my own impatient timeline on how long it would take. It was possible that the incision would not heal until God saw that my faith had grown. Then I would lack nothing for the purpose He had for me then.

The process made me think about God’s all-encompassing love for me.

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

~Romans 5:3-5 NLT

My surgery plan did not list endurance, strong character, hope, and robust faith. But God, in His infinite wisdom, knew I needed these alongside repairing an abdominal hernia. He’s good like that.

When you go through difficult times, remember that God works through pain spiritually and physically.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for loving me so well and always giving me what I need. Help me to see Your working and walk in Your ways. In Jesus’ mighty name, amen.

Genre: Non-fiction

Copyright 2025: Count It All Joy: Angela Dolbear: All Rights Reserved