Most of us have had to deal with a difficult tragedy. Maybe we have had a loved one die in a car accident. The police came to our door in the middle of the night and told us the bad news. Some people have had to face the problem of a child dying young. It may come as losing a job. Sometimes a doctor walks in and says, “I’m sorry but I can’t help you.” We could list many more.

In fact we would rather not even talk about them. If we do, we still have to face the pain.

Maltbie Babcock, a 19th-century minister, knew all about the pain of suffering. He had two sons who died in infancy. He loved wri...