[Darris McNeely] I had a recent communication with a long-time, a lifelong friend of mine who has been going through a very serious illness operation and a very long recovery period. One of those types of recovery periods that just seems to never end and it's a very serious problem, the healing and all is going to take a very, very long time and as the days and the weeks draw by in something like this, if you've ever been through this or know someone who has, you recognize the despair, the discouragement wondering will I ever get through this?

Will I ever be the same again? You go back and forth to the doctor, you examine yourself every day, you look and you look for progress and you know it's going to be long-term, you pray, you have been an anointed with the oil that is a symbol of Gods spirit and ask for Gods intervention in that life. And people have encouraged, people have called, people are praying for you, but the trial goes on, the health issue goes on.

And in this case there's just an upbeat situation and as my friend said to me, "We have sought God, we have been encouraged by friends, and the doctors give us a guarded encouragement in terms of the outcome here." And so, we're with all of this, but we haven't forgotten as they said, "the God factor."

The God factor. And that's really what none of us can forget when we are going through something like that. And maybe it's a health trial maybe it is something else that goes on and on and we can't see the light at the end of the tunnel. 

First Corinthians Chapter 10 and verse 13 is one of those scriptures to keep in mind to help us stay focused on the God factor in our life when we're dealing with these things. It says this, "No temptation has overcome, overtaken you except such as is common to man. But God is faithful. Who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape and you may be able to bear it."

God promises that we will be able to bear the trial, the difficulty, He is the factor that is the unknown in so many cases by others, but we can't afford to forget that. So, keep that in mind as we encourage others as we may encounter such long-term trials in our own life. Never forget the God factor.

That's BT Daily, join us next time.