Every week in my pastoral ministry I encounter people who are going through a "severe trial." The trial they face comes with many faces and with differing severity. Some who read this have faced seeing a loved one go to the hospital, some are waiting for death to overtake someone close to them, some have had to make a visit to the funeral home to make arrangements, some have had to deal with very difficult family issues, some have lost jobs (or are at least facing that possibility), some are struggling financially, some are wresting with emotional issues such as loneliness, depression, anger, bitterness, etc., and the list of trials goes on.