What my father's death taught me about redemptive suffering

On 16 April, 1997, when I was nine years of age, my father died.  Without going into the details, let’s just say that his death was caused by complications related to ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease or Motor Neuron (e) Disease.  While I was aware my father was dying (and always prepared for his death), I was surprised he died as suddenly as he did.  On 16 April, 1997, when I was nine years of age, my father died.  Without going into the details, let’s just say that his death was caused by complications related to ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease or Motor Neuron (e) Disease.  While I was aware my father was dying (and always prepared for his death), I was surprised he died as suddenly as he did.   To this day, my father is still a hero.  I am not going to say I come from Non-Christian background, but, more of a culturally Christian background.  My father was Lutheran, and always made sure we said grace before meals, and sincerely cared for his four children.  The thing is though, I don’t remember him ever complaining.  I think he was more scared of leaving his wife and kids than he was of dying.   I am sure my father knew his Bible.  In fact, I know he did.  He would regularly engage Mormons (LDS) in friendly debate.  I am also sure that he knew to rejoice in his suffering.  My father was a very funny man, and never let his disability get the best of him.  He was also very friendly, and enjoyed fishing.  So, what does this have to do with anything?   Well, you may think this is about my father rejoicing in his suffering, and, in a sense, it is.  But, a few years ago, on the anniversary of his death, I spent, pretty much all morning, walking around the small town I lived near, and just cried.  For hours.  And while I still cry over my dad’s death, from time to time, as there is very little written about adult children coping with the death of a parents as a child, the anniversary of his death doesn’t hit me so hard.   I suffer, not as my father suffered, I suffer differently than my father suffered.  I most certainly have my own issues, but, I think we have to remember the positive.  See, Christianity is a religion that requires suffering.  Jesus Christ, Our Lord himself, suffered to save us from sin.  While we need not complain every time suffering comes our way (not that complaining is never justified), we need to think of the good, as well.   My two youngest sisters have a different father.  They would not exist if my father had not died.  While I miss my father, I thank God for my sisters.  I honestly couldn’t imagine life without them.  I guess what I’m trying to say is this: sometimes, good can come out of suffering, I believe that.  My little sisters are a good that came out of that suffering.  I guess I’ll leave you with a passage to reflect on.  “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.  Through him, we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.  Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us”.  (Romans 5:1-5, ESV, Catholic Edition)*Bible version used, ESV Catholic Edition with Deuterocanonical Books, Copyright 2017 by Crossway.