As Christians living in a fallen world, we should not be surprised when adversity comes. It is the natural consequence of living in a creation under the curse of sin (Gen 3:17-19), where “the whole creation groans” (Rom 8:22), and where spiritual warfare rages invisibly behind visible circumstances (Eph 6:12). Adversity takes many forms—physical illness, relational conflict, financial strain, social or political hostility, or simply the grind of daily pressures. Often, these difficulties are part of God’s training ground for spiritual growth (Rom 5:3-5; Jam 1:2-4). And we know that God is always in control of life, and when He turns up the heat, He never takes His hand off the thermostat. And it in this fallen world that we live, work, raise our families, and engage in Christian service.