The following is from a book I am currently working on called “Parkinson’s & Recreation 3 - The No Parkinson’s Zone. It is unedited and may have additions made in the final manuscript. Dennis Jernigan
“Only through suffering do we learn.”
Aeschylus - an ancient Greek tragedian/playwright often described as the father of tragedy.
Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. Romans 5:3-5
We will all suffer in this life. Some more than others, but we all suffer at some point in our lives. The following post on Instagram by author @MRDARYLBLACK on September 24, 2025 gives a concise explanation of a Christ-centered view of how God’s grace is sufficient in our suffering and his entire explanation can be heard at https://www.instagram.com/reel/DOXQSMXDuvg/?igsh=ZXRmaXRzaHNoZnk1:
“Have you ever heard the phrase that God won't give you more than you can handle? Sounds nice but that's not true. That phrase is actually a misinterpretation of 1 Corinthians 10:13, where Paul says, “God won't let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.” That verse is about temptation, not about the weight of our life’s trials. The truth is God will absolutely give you more than you can handle.
I know because I've walked through seasons, where if I told you even a little bit of what I faced would be shocking to you. And in those moments I didn't say, “Oh, I got this now.” I cried out to God, “I cannot handle this,” and his response was, “Exactly! You can’t, but I can!” You see, if you and I could handle everything, then we wouldn't need God's grace. You can't handle your own breathing! God sustains every single breath in your lungs and that's the point. When life is too much for you, it’s never too much for him. Paul heard God say it this way in 2 Corinthians 12:9, “My grace is sufficient for you for my power is made perfect in your weakness.” James tells us that trials - the stuff that we can't handle are what grows our faith.
God allows more than you can handle so that you'll stop relying on yourself and you'll start leaning on him. I mean just look at the stories in the Bible. My goodness, have you seen that Moses couldn't handle leading Israel out of Egypt until God split the sea. David couldn’t handle Goliath until God guided the stone. Elijah couldn't handle Jezebel until God met him in his depression and gave him strength. Job couldn't handle the loss of everything, but God restored him.
I can keep going. Paul couldn't handle the thorn in his flesh until he discovered God's grace was enough, so let's be honest. You cannot handle it all, but the good news is you don't have to. God never asked you to. He's not looking for your strength. He's looking for your surrender because, while you can't handle it, He can…and He will.”
What is pain? According to most dictionaries, pain is physical suffering or discomfort caused by illness or injury. Pain can be emotional or mental anguish brought on by trauma or loss…like grief.
What is suffering? Suffering is the state of undergoing pain, distress, or hardship often for an extended period of time.
Reality is that pain and suffering tend to go hand in hand. Pain comes by way of some sort of injury. Suffering is the duration of that pain.
I would be lying to you if I said I had not undergone pain and suffering due to PD. Do you think it is easy to have one side of your body (as I do) constantly moving, tremoring, or quaking for 6 and a half years straight? Do you think it is easy falling to sleep while attempting to be still while your right arm is tucked beneath your right leg so as to mitigate the constant churning?
And then there is the toll the disease takes on those around me. Because I do not wish to have people stare at me and pity me, I tend to avoid crowds - even family functions. This takes a great toll on my wife, Melinda, because she loves being around other people.
It is not lost on me when my grandchildren see me shaking and know that, when I disappear to my room, it is because of the PD. I do not want them to think I am leaving the gathering because of them. That thought breaks my heart. The truth is, everyone who care about the PD sufferer suffers right along with them.
I wrote the following over 7 years ago (2018) but felt it was relevant regardless of what you suffer from. The reason this is on my mind is because of the intense physical pain I am undergoing due to a recent total knee replacement. I hate surgery because I have endured so much of it over the course of my life. Several hernia repairs. Two shoulder/rotator cuff surgeries. One knee replacement on my left knee. The aftermath of surgery is what I dread the most. The pain and suffering involved in recovery can be so overwhelming at times…just like the pain and suffering of everyday life can be.
“After so many surgical repairs, I had come to the conclusion that I would never undergo the knife again…until the physical pain in my right knee - you know, the ‘good’ knee - became so unbearable that I had to weigh the reality that this pain would only get worse with the reality that the only way to get better was to have it repaired. I caught the vision for walking without pain and took the plunge and had my right knee replaced, knowing I would suffer for many weeks through the healing process until the painless state of being I longed for was reality for me. I chose to endure pain for the sake of healing. Chose enduring the temporary pain for the sake of ending it once and for all.
Having gone through the loss of my dad only a year before, I had endured the pain of loss - of grief - and honestly was not quite where I wanted to be as surgery drew near. Having gone through this process so many times before, Melinda and I planned ahead for how we would focus on the healing rather than on the pain.
Knowing what to expect and putting a plan into effect made all the difference in the world. We knew the opiates they would prescribe would make my mind cloudy and open to the lies of the enemy. We knew also that the pain meds would clog my bowels. Our plan? Use the pain meds as sparingly as possible and ask God for grace to get off the need for them as soon as possible. I slowly weaned myself from the opiate and had gone completely off dependence upon them by the four-week anniversary of my surgery.”
Another thing we planned to do was to focus my mind on the truth of God’s Word as much as possible. Jesus did this when He was weighing whether or not to endure the pain and suffering of the cross on our behalf. We find this in Hebrews 12:2 where it says, “…fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Just what was the joy set before Him? I believe it was you and me and the possibility of our retention as a result of the work of the cross.
Here are a few other things I have suffered through in my life. The Pain of wrong choices. We do not have to give in to temptation. God always makes a way of escape. Always. Yet when we choose to walk headlong into that temptation, we must suffer the consequences.
Another source of suffering for me came through the pain of the glory of God. Since 1988 I have publicly shared about how God delivered me from same sex attraction. I often received death threats and received a lot of hateful things (emails, phone calls, and physical confrontations, etc.) said to me during that time in my life. While I absolutely loved sharing what God has done for me, I secretly had a fear of someone doing me bodily harm, often wondering if someone would just walk up behind me and shoot me in the head while at the piano. Hundreds of time I shared my story while accompanied by armed guards. Such hatred from people who preached tolerance and compassion tends to take a toll on one’s psyche. Now that I have PD, I honestly don’t care what people think. A weird but true perk of Parkinson’s.
Another thing that brings people suffering is the pain of grief. At the time of my dad’s death in August of 2017 I had been completely unprepared for the grief that would engulf me. He and my mom had worked for me for the past 25 years, driving our merchandise literally from one side of the country to the other. He was just one of those guys I thought would always be around. And when he wasn’t, I grieved more than I thought I would.
I also grieved the passing of my spiritual mentor in April of 2021, Jack Taylor, who wrote the best selling The Key to Triumphant Living and my favorite, The Hallelujah Factor. It had been Jack who flew me down to Florida for a week with him in the fall of 2017 so he could minister to me concerning the death of my father. Suddenly, two of the most influential men in my life were now gone and I suffered as a result.
Then there is the pain at the wounding of others. I don’t know about you, but this type of suffering is my least favorite kind. When I served on the board of, at that time, the world’s largest ministry to those who struggled with unwanted same-sex attraction, there came a time when I shared my story with the nation of Jamaica. I held several concerts, spoke on national TV, and was also interviewed by one of the entire nation’s 2 newspapers. The headline of the paper the very next day read ‘Ex-gay Man Says President Obama is Deceived.’ I actually said, “I love president Obama. I pray for president Obama, but I believe he has been deceived by the lies of the enemy. Marriage is intended to be between a man and a woman. He is considering pushing for same-sex marriage. To do so he is messing with the foundation of our culture. I pray for him to receive the truth of God’s Word and to act accordingly.” When I got home, I was asked by the president of the organization I served as a board member of to step down because I had offended some in the gay community. The New York Times even ran an article as did many pro-gay publications. A statement seeking forgiveness - which I did write - was issued to the world on my behalf. I felt thrown under the bus and betrayed and abandoned…and suffered for many months due to the way it was all handled.
Then there is the pain of lingering or ongoing illness, like cancer, MD, ALS, and PD to name a few, which is where I come back to whenever I think of suffering because it is ever present in one’s life. I believe we will all face some sort of suffering throughout the courses of our lives. I think having a positive attitude towards suffering will go a long way in helping us endure it.
The following was written by Google AI after I asked ‘what is the purpose of suffering from a Christ-centered world view?’ and it is representative of what I believe about suffering. In the Christian faith, suffering has the redemptive roles of spiritual growth, transformation into Christ’s likeness, strengthening faith and hope, and demonstrating God’s power in our weakness. While not seen as a desirable experience, it is viewed as a means by which God refines believers' character, deepens their reliance on Him, and brings about eternal glory, a process seen as purposeful within God's larger plan.
Spiritual Growth & Transformation
Refining Character: Suffering acts as a crucible, testing and refining a believer's character, much like a blacksmith uses fire to purify metal.
Molding into Christ's Image:
Through shared hardship, believers are transformed into the image of Christ, drawing them closer to Him.
Strengthening Faith:
Facing and enduring trials tests the depth of a person's faith, revealing whether their hope is genuine and causing them to rely more on God.
Demonstrating God's Purpose & Power:
Redemptive Purpose: Christians believe that God can redeem and make purpose out of suffering, transforming even the worst events into something good, similar to how the crucifixion of Christ led to salvation.
God's Power in Weakness:
In moments of weakness and suffering, when individuals feel powerless, God's strength can be more clearly displayed, leading to greater dependence on Him.
Eternal Perspective:
Suffering is seen as temporary and insignificant compared to the eternal glory that awaits, which far outweighs any earthly trouble.
A Call to Reliance and Hope
Turning from Idols: Suffering can wean people from relying on worldly comforts and "life-sustaining props," turning them instead to God for true joy and security.
Fostering Hope:
Just as the Apostle Paul found hope through suffering, Christians are encouraged to view their hardships through a lens of faith and hope, trusting in God's sovereign plan.
Solidarity in Christ:
Believers are assured that they do not suffer alone, as Christ Himself stands in solidarity with them, especially in their weakest moments.
I have experienced all these different aspects of suffering in the past 6 years of dealing with PD as well as in the everyday course of my life as I have chosen to share my faith publicly. The bottom line is God is good and desires nothing but good things for His followers - even though we must endure pain and hardships from time to time.
Let’s hear once again from @MRDARYLBLACK. This was also posted by him on Instagram in September 2025 and gives an even more concise explanation of a Christ-centered view of how God’s grace is sufficient in our suffering and his entire explanation can be heard at https://www.instagram.com/reel/DLv-RiHse0g/?igsh=MTRwaHN3OGdwaGtvMA==
“If God is real, why does he allow so much so much suffering? That's a good question. My mother died when I was seven years old. She was 31 years old and for me it might be the most traumatic experience of my life so, that's not just a question for years for me for years. It was THE question. If you’ve ever walked through pain or loss of heartbreak or betrayal, you've probably asked that same question, so let me start here.
This question is really emotional before it's intellectual, because it comes from a place of hurt not just doubt, but here's what I've come to understand. The presence of pain doesn't mean the absence of God. Sometimes pain is the very thing that wakes us up to his presence so, here's where we are.
God gave humanity free will because love without choice isn’t love. It's coercion and without free will comes the potential for pain. God could stop every act of evil but he would also have to stop every act of freedom. I've even asked this question. Why doesn’t He just remove all the evil people. Frank Turek said. “If God were to eliminate all evil people at midnight how many of us would still be here at 12:01?” If God stopped every act of evil or suffering, he would also have to stop you and me every time we made a selfish choice because, let's be real. Evil isn't just out there. It's also in here - in our hearts - in our decisions. In our silence. Just think about how quickly evil shows up when somebody cuts you off or offends you. We like to believe we only want justice when the truth is, we want revenge and that's evil. So what makes Christianity different?
God doesn't just sit above suffering. He stepped into it. Jesus, who is God in the flesh, felt the full weight of human pain. He was betrayed. He was abused. He was a beaten. He was abandoned. He was crucified. So, God didn't just allow suffering. He endured it. He endured it for you and for me and for this whole broken world and what Jesus did on the cross wasn't just about forgiveness. It was also about defeating suffering and death forever because one day, according to Revelation 21:4, He will wipe away every tear from our eyes. There will be no more death no more mourning. No more crying and no more pain, So, God is not absent in your pain. He's present in it and he promised to redeem it so the question isn't why is God allowing suffering? The question is who's gonna walk with me through it? And the answer is Jesus.”
The cost of a ticket for parking in the no parking zone of suffering and pain without acknowledging one’s need for God is to miss out on God’s sufficient grace. When we don’t cry out to Him for grace to see us through the pain and suffering we are condemned to continue on in it…and ain’t nobody got time for that!
Dennis Jernigan
The above info is from a book I am currently working on called “Parkinson’s & Recreation 3 - The No Parkinson’s Zone. It is unedited and may have additions made in the final manuscript. Dennis Jernigan
Photo courtesy of https://pixabay.com/photos/no-parking-sign-warning-isolated-2331437/