"There is one thing Christians need to get straight", writes columnist John R. Gunn. "That is that the Christian is not promised immunity from sickness, from calamity, from bereavement."
Jesus never promised that fellowship with Him was protection against trouble. He does not promise that His followers will be shielded from disease, suffering and hardship. He did not say, If you will believe in me you will be spared the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. Though disease strikes another's home, your loved ones will be immune.
If it is immunity from trouble you want, you want something Christ does not offer. It's fatal to want God merely as a convenience. If you think that Christ will make life easy and safe and comfortable; that He will invariably shield you from temptation and suffering; that He will plane down all the sharp edges of life so that you will not get hurt, then you're in for a disappointment. But you will not be disappointed if it is Christ's courage and hope and strength and heroism you want.
What Christ promises is something much more wonderful than immunity from the difficult and unpleasant things in life. He promises that we shall not be inwardly defeated in the midst of trials; that His grace and courage can keep us from being spiritual casualties. We must get our expectations right. When we have done that, Christ will never disappoint us. Indeed, we shall find that the half has not been told. We will find that we grow in strength and faith even in adversity. We will find that even though life's tragedies remain, we will have a faith with which to meet them.