Haliegh Tucker is in Children’s Hospital in Little Rock. Haliegh is 18. She functions at a 6th grade level. She has been in a medically induced coma for over a week. Haliegh has Pancreatitus which is causing her major organs to randomly shut down. Haliegh lies there motionless. She is one of the kindest, sweetest, most gentle kids you’ve ever been around. If I could tell you her whole story it would break your heart. I look at her at I ask God, “Why?”

I don’t know why good people have terrible things happen to them. I do know that almost everyone on this planet suffers tragedy in their lives. We get no clear explanation for everything that happens. But, what if the suffering of God’s people is a calling and not a curse? What if, through our pain, others can see our faith and be drawn toward a relationship with Jesus?

It was true in the life of Christ. The centurian and all those with him watched Jesus suffer and, at the end of the day, they proclaimed, “Surely this must be the Son of God.” Paul led people to a faith in Jesus through ship wreck, prison, chains, court rooms, and martyrdom. The first century believers turned the Roman Empire upside down because they suffered joyfully. Someone once said that “The Tree of Life is watered with the suffering of the saints” and I believe it.

Nathan Harper and I were about to leave Haliegh’s room and we stopped to pray for her. Nathan said, “should we ask the nurse to join us?” I agreed and asked Rachel if she wanted to pray with us. She stepped over, grabbed Nathan and I by the hand and I voiced a prayer for Haiegh’s speedy recovery. When I had finished, Rachel looked up and said, “Thanks for including me.” Maybe that is what our suffering is all about; the inclusion of others into the Kingdom. This is our calling.