Friday, July 12, 2019

Adversity


“But I want you to know, brethren,
that the things which happened to me
have actually turned out for the
furtherance of the gospel, so that
it has become evidence to the whole
palace guard, and to all the rest, that
my chains are in Christ.”
     Phillipians 1:12-13 (NKJV)

As seen throughout Scripture, God uses adversity to mold our character, purify our hearts and strengthen our faith.  In this passage, we see that God also uses difficult circumstances to further the gospel.  The Apostle Paul desired that he would “find a way in the will of God” to go to Rome (Romans 1:10).  God answered his prayer, although it was in a way that Paul might not have expected—i.e., his “visit” to Rome was as a prisoner. Yet in His infinite wisdom, God knew that through this adversity, Paul would have access to Roman guards and members of Caesar’s household, and as a result, the gospel would be declared and heard.

For a modern example, I think of a dear friend at church. She has major heart blockages (along with other medical conditions) and her doctors recently recommended that she have open heart surgery. After much prayer and godly counsel, she has decided not to have the surgery and instead, to trust that God will care for her to the extent of her days ordained on this earth.  She said the doctors were quite taken aback by her decision since they’re used to having patients follow their advice, but it has given her great opportunities to share her faith and the reasons for her hope and trust in God. They can see the peace she has that passes all earthly understanding despite her chronic pain and harsh prognosis.

Yet how often do we complain of difficulties and pray to have our burdens lessened or removed?  (I can imagine my reaction to having my prayer answered as Paul’s was by being imprisoned!)  But by failing to trust that God knows what He’s doing in our hardships, we miss out on His important work.  It would be better to pray for strength to bear our trials and for grace to shine for God’s glory in the midst of them. 

It’s been said that adversity will either make us better or bitter, so how will you react?  Will you trust God and willingly yield to His grand purposes? Will you view your afflictions as a platform to further the gospel, to provide opportunities to witness and to advance the cause of Christ?

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