Adversity is the guide that takes us down one of two roads. The path we choose will determine if we are strengthened or crushed. Will we follow the path of faith or doubt; hope or despair; love or bitterness; trust or rejection?
Our lives are like a clay jar used to hide treasure (2 Cor 4:7-12). This image implies that our lives are fragile and vulnerable to breakage. However, inside this jar of clay, there’s something that’s a treasure. What’s the treasure according to the Apostle Paul? It’s the surpassing power of God within us.
We choose which path to follow
God designs adversities to cause a choice between one of two life paths. Jesus taught in the parable of the seed and where it fell that there were two paths a person may take (Lk 8:11-15). The seed is God’s word and the paths it falls on represent various conditions of the human heart.
One path includes three types of hearts. The first path describes a heart where God’s word is heard but the devil steals away any hope that the Lord is worthy to follow. Another path is a rocky one. Again, the word is heard but this time the heart doesn’t linger long enough on the message to experience joy. Additionally, God’s word doesn’t find a place in this heart to root. Adversity robs the heart of an ability to trust God’s word. A third path chokes out faith in God’s word using thorns. The cares, riches, and pleasures of life won’t allow the fruit of faith to mature. Thus, this person doesn’t continue in faith.
The three types of paths mentioned above are really one and the same path. This path is ultimately unreceptive to God’s word. Fortunately, there is a second path that not everyone chooses. Jesus describes it as good soil. This is the person who hears the word, holds fast to it with an honest and good heart, and bears the fruit of patience while under adversity (vs 15).
After hearing this parable, we must ask “What path do we choose to take when faced with adversity?” Do we take the first path where three hearts don’t accept God’s word or do we choose the path where honestly, goodness, and faith bear fruit with patience as the Lord leads through the dark valley of adversity? There are several responses to God’s word but only two paths in life. Either we are crushed because we walk down the path of doubt, despair, bitterness, rejections and are crushed, or our faith is strengthened by walking down the path of faith, hope, love, trust. The choice is ours.
Adversity is a proving ground
There appears to be a correlation between our relationship with God and how we treat others when we face adversities. For instance, difficult times commonly expose both our strength of character and our weakness or lack of character. It’s the crucible of adversity that develops fortitude and integrity. We only truly know we believe in God’s promises and trust he will fulfill them if we are tested by the Lord himself.
Of all the people mentioned in the Bible, Job is the one who faced the greatest trials (excluding Jesus). The primary lesson Job learned through his afflictions was not that God can do as he wills. He already knew that. Or, that God’s knowledge and understanding are beyond human comprehension. Again, Job came into his afflictions knowing that.
1. Job saw the Lord
Job learned something else through his disastrous experiences. Although he had heard of the Lord with his ears, it wasn’t until after his afflictions that he clearly saw the Lord with his own eyes. Job isn’t speaking literally but figuratively. He is saying that he was aware of the Lord’s presence before his adversities but after going through those difficulties his trust in God had significantly deepened.
I’ve experienced a number of threatening adversities and losses during my lifetime. While going through those hard times I chose to trust God to see me through them. What I faced was out of my control. They were beyond my personal resources. Two options remained. Either doubt God’s concern for me and succumb to despair or place my trust in the Lord and mature my faith. The choice was mine. Had I doubted God, that choice would have eventually extended into becoming bitter toward God and distrusting him as well as resenting and distrusting those around me. Rejecting the Lord would have bled over into mistreating my friends. Had I chosen the path of doubt, my adversities would have been crushed me.
2. Afflictions strength resolve
It’s by God’s grace that we receive saving faith, a secure hope, and a realization he loves us. This empowers us to trust in him through adversities. Testing through affliction gives us strength, so that though we had heard the Lord, now we can see him more clearly. He accompanies us through the worst of times. This demanded of us a choice. Which path will we take? There are only two available options. When facing severe adversities, we either trust or doubt; hope or despair; love more or become bitter; trust the Lord more deeply or reject his promises. In the end, God uses adversities to strengthen our faith, resolve, and character. Afflictions will crush us if we don’t acknowledge the Lord is behind it all. The chose is an important one.
The truth about adversity
If we are honest with ourselves there are three truths that must be told about adversity.
1. Adversity will always be around
The first is this: life will always include adversities. It will always be a significant part of life. Jesus warned his disciples that in the world they will have tribulation (Jn 16:33). Part of life includes hard times and frustrations; disappointments and trials; adversity and loss. Being a Christian doesn’t exempt a person from facing adversity. God gives rain to the believer and the unbeliever (Mt 5:45). He is good to all and all share in his mercies (Ps 145:9). Additionally, this implies that not only does God offer common grace to everyone, he also brings adversities to test everyone.
2. God uses adversities
Second, with each adversity we face, God causes us to grow mentally, physically, spiritually, and socially. Solomon learned that even the righteous fall (Pr 24:16). God’s people will face many of the same troubles as unbelievers. I thought the pastorate was a unique occupation. Pastoring was possibly the only job where people told you how to do your job. Church members thought they knew better than me, even though I possessed decades of experience. Then, one evening in a men’s small group, every man present mentioned they had experienced the exact same judgments in their occupations. They all had dealt with people thinking they knew better how to do the job than themselves who were well trained.
Our adversities are not different in kind than what others face in life. Our trials aren’t unique. What is distinctive about Christianity is that there can be found a purpose in adversity. The Christian’s trials are orchestrated by the Lord who is good and knows how to develop the most fruit and glory through our lives for his Father. As Solomon said “the righteous fall” and may fall as many as seven times over the same adversity. The difference is that the believer always “rises again.” The unbeliever will quit trusting or try to keep God at a manageable distance whereas the believer never gives up.
The difference between a growing faith and a stalled or absent faith is that one gives up and the other doesn’t quit trusting God. Christians are to apply the gift of faith to each situation they face and get up each time they fall. By the grace, mercy, and strength of God, they persevere through each trial and come out on the other side stronger than before.
3. Disciples require training
Finally, every disciple of the Lord’s requires formal training. They need a school teacher, a drill sergeant, to mold them into a person or soldier equipped for life’s trials and difficulties. Adversity is a school teacher in God’s hands for our benefit.
Again, if we consider Job and his situation, we see that God is the one doing the correcting (Job 5:17-18). Job learned not to despise the Almighty’s discipline. Where did his confidence come from to trust God when circumstances became unbearable? He knew that after the trial the Lord would bind up the wounds he caused and heal what was injured. Job took time to search this out and said “it is true” the Lord knows what is good for us and only does what is good (vs 27). Although we, like Job, may never know the bigger reason why a trial took place we do know what God requires of us. We are to be just, kind, and walk humbly with the Lord (Mic 6:8). These are common lessons we learn as we face adversities, regardless of their brevity or severity.
What is always true about adverse situations? Adversities are: (1) always going to be with us in this life, (2) designed by God to develop our character, and (3) training and discipline equipping us to participate in his kingdom work. All of this is to say that when we face adversities there is a divine reason behind our trials. And in the end, like Job, we will not only have heard of the Lord but with our own eyes, we will see his mercy and grace working through our lives for his glory.
Photo attributions: Pexels.com and Heartlight.org
