I once had the privilege of sitting down with underground pastors in China who had been imprisoned a long time. When I asked them about their persecution, surprisingly, they said, “It was a gift.”
Not a gift they would wish for anyone. They were referring to how their loneliness and isolation drew them closer to Jesus. They relished that closeness and dependence on Christ.
For decades, one amazing giant in the Christian faith has been Joni Eareckson Tada. As you may know, Joni suffered a paralyzing diving accident at age 17. Like the imprisoned Chinese pastors, Joni learned how to rely on Christ in this life while yearning for the one to come.