When adversity comes, we are forced to face problems and pressures that are too big for us to resolve. In this way, God gets our attention. We can’t continue to pursue our goals, tasks, and relationships in the same manner. We have to stop and evaluate our situation, ask God for wisdom, obey His Word, and trust Him to bring the help we need.
Troubles point out our weaknesses and prompt us to rely on God in ways that we wouldn’t unless we had significant needs. Such TEACHES us to TRUST IN HIM, and RELY ON HIM for a way through, and past, AND, HUMBLES us as we recall just how vulnerable, and fallible we are! THE LORD works in mysterious ways, and err opens up to THE NEED FOR HIM in our existence on this Earth...
There are many facets of our character, and behaviours which adversity reveals, and which should awaken us TO TURNING TO THE LORD *GOD* for what is needed to endure, persevere, and overcome them. Here are some of them:
Adversity gets our attention
It points out our weaknesses
It motivates us to seek THE LORD
It brings affirmation of *GOD'S* FATHERLY LOVE and CARE
It reiterates fear of THE LORD
It teaches, and strengthens our hatred of sin
It reminds us of the need for self-examination
It exposes pride
It measures our abilities of spiritual warfare
It purifies our FAITH
It urges us to consider our priorities
It awakens us to believe, and receive the POWER OF *GOD*
It bids us to PRAY, to PRAISE, to WORSHIP, and REJOICE
It tests if we are strongly rooted IN HIM
There is more, but, this opens up to being able to USE adversity FOR the good, AND HIS GLORY! It inclines us to ponder our FAITHFULNESS, and to notice our reactions, whether when confronted by adversity, we react as the world, or TRULY turn to HIM!!!
Since the fall of Mankind in The Garden, sin has allowed adversity, and the adversary, to flourish. Even CHRIST JESUS encountered tests, trials, and tribulations, BUT HE did NOT resort to err, or sin in the process, INSTEAD, HE raised them UP TO THE FATHER, *GOD*, AS HE HELD FAST TO HIS FATHER'S WILL! There is MUCH to learned of HIS example(s)!!!
1+++Therefore, since Christ suffered in His body, arm yourselves with the same resolve, because anyone who has suffered in his body is done with sin.
2+++Consequently, he does not live out his remaining time on earth for human passions, but for the will of God.
The strongest and best arguments against sin, are taken from the sufferings of Christ. He died to destroy sin; and though he cheerfully submitted to the worst sufferings, yet he never gave way to the least sin. Temptations could not prevail, were it not for man's own corruption; but true Christians make the will of God, not their own lust or desires, the rule of their lives and actions. And true conversion makes a marvelous change in the heart and life. It alters the mind, judgment, affections, and conversation. When a man is truly converted, it is very grievous to him to think how the time past of his life has been spent.
ACTS 14: 22...
strengthening the souls of the disciples and encouraging them to continue in the faith. “We must endure many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.
The grace of God, and nothing less, effectually establishes the souls of the disciples. It is true, we must count upon much tribulation, but it is encouragement that we shall not be lost and perish in it. The Person to whose power and grace the converts and the newly-established churches are commended, clearly was the Lord Jesus, on whom they had believed. It was an act of worship. The praise of all the little good we do at any time, must be ascribed to God; for it is He who not only worketh in us both to will and to do, but also worketh with us to make what we do successful. All who love the Lord Jesus, will rejoice to hear that he has opened the door of faith wide, to those who were strangers to him and to his salvation. And let us, like the apostles, abide with those who know and love the Lord.
All the sufferings, afflictions, tests, trials, and tribulations we experience are of this world; brought forth by evil, wickedness, pride, selfishness, lust, greed, and all those negatives which ARE against THE LORD *GOD*, and HIS WILL, but are common to this realm. IF we ARE OF CHRIST JESUS, we KNOW we are dead to the world, which doesn't mean we are given a free pass from sufferings, instead, we know HOW to navigate, manage, and arise from them...
We RELY ON THE LORD *GOD*, and TRUST HIM to guide us, direct us, and lead us through! We may weep, experience pain, anguish, and worse, YET WE REMAIN IN HIM, THAT HE REMAINS IN us! We UTILIZE the knowledge we have gained FROM HIM, AS we LIFT UP TO HIM, and WAIT ON HIM! And we learn from each encounter with adversity, and affliction, according to HIS WILL, while we endure, and persevere, remembering that we have yet to suffer as CHRIST JESUS did for us...
Despite the understanding lent to us, MANY still believe *GOD* to be a genie, a magician, or some other worldly being who grants wishes, and makes all bad go away! WE MADE the bad, thus, WE endure the consequences, THOUGH that does NOT mean we are on our own; HE IS near, and WILL aid us in everything we are up against, BUT that doesn't mean HE will simply, whisk it away, for IN EVERYTHING, even the bad, wrong, and unjust, THERE IS PURPOSE, and REASON according TO HIS WILL, WAYS, and PLAN!!!
WITHOUT HIM we might be overtaken by the woes of this world, WITH HIM we SHALL OVERCOME, even if we are a bit shaken, bruised, or suffering! LOOK TO CHRIST JESUS, and recall what HE endured, IN LOVE, FOR our sake, and HIS GLORY, and WHY!!!
LWINSOR © 2019
BIBLICAL, and/or other references marked BOLDLY IN COLOURS
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