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ADVERSITY Pastor Randy Booth—October 3, 2000 Adversity confronts us at every turn in life—trials, injustice, temptations, and disappointments—from above, below and all around. In the midst of God’s abundant blessings come the heartaches of adversities that expose, reveal and prove a man’s faith: the loss of property, health, or dignity—the slander, deceit, or evil actions of an enemy—the betrayal, cowardice or abandonment of a friend—and worst of all, the disappointment, disgust, and shame of our own failures. If we are not prepared, all these can bring us to the point of utter despair. It turns out that sin is indeed much worse than we first thought it was, whether it is our own or someone else’s. A fallen world is at best a bittersweet place even for a redeemed sinner. Only in the sin-free zone of heaven will there be “no more sorrow,” and “no more tears.” Since adversity is a given in this life, the only question left is, how will we respond to it when we encounter it? What shall we make of it? Shall it ring us out like a rag and leave us dry and empty, or shall it be the means of our refining so that a purer faith remains? Will the adversarial sand rub us raw or will the abrasion polish and make us shine? Will the root of bitterness spring up, destroying us and defiling many, or will we “greatly rejoice” over the fact that God is working to conform us to the image of His Son? Job poses the question this way: “Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?” (2:10); the answer to this question will comprise the last line of the story of our lives. In one sense, adversity introduces a man to himself—it is here alone that he gets a genuine glimpse of who he really is—here alone his faith and character are tested, proven and exposed. All men are sailors when the sea is calm, but at some point the wind-shift comes, the storm waves rise, and we find out what he is made of. The Bible calls on us to act in heroic proportions at the very point where we want run and take cover—loving our enemies, not returning evil for evil, blessing those who curse us, turning the other cheek, humbling ourselves before the mighty hand of God by genuine confession and repentance—these valiant responses are what turn adversity into our ally. All of us can sympathize with David as he cries out over and over in the Psalms concerning the adversaries that threaten to undo him—his external enemies: Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries; for false witnesses have risen against me, and such as breathe out violence” (Ps. 27:12); as well as his own sin: “There is no soundness in my flesh because of Your anger, nor any health in my bones because of my sin. For my iniquities have gone over my head; like a heavy burden they are too heavy for me. My wounds are foul and festering because of my foolishness. I am troubled, I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long. For my loins are full of inflammation, and there is no soundness in my flesh. I am feeble and severely broken; I groan because of the turmoil of my heart. Lord, all my desire is before You; and my sighing is not hidden from You. My heart pants, my strength fails me; as for the light of my eyes, it also has gone from me. My loved ones and my friends stand aloof from my plague, and my relatives stand afar off (Ps. 38:3-11). Yet, it is David’s response to these adversities that cause us to admire him and to find hope in our own adversities. In faith and obedience he turns to God for help, deliverance and healing. I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living” (Ps. 27:13); “For in You, O Lord, I hope; You will hear, O Lord my God. For I said, ‘Hear me, lest they rejoice over me, lest, when my foot slips, they exalt themselves against me.’ For I am ready to fall, and my sorrow is continually before me. For I will declare my iniquity; I will be in anguish over my sin. But my enemies are vigorous, and they are strong; and those who hate me wrongfully have multiplied. Those also who render evil for good, they are my adversaries, because I follow what is good. Do not forsake me, O Lord; O my God, be not far from me! Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation!” (Psalm 38:15-22). God has given His grace to us in many ways so that we might be fully equipped to face the storms of life. If we neglect these means of grace than adversity will overcome us. Jesus promises and warns: Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall (Matt. 7:24-27). If we make diligent use of means provided by God then we shall not only be sustained through the fire, but we shall be strengthened by it. “But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you” (1 Peter 5:10). He has given us His church to train us, discipline us and shelter us. He has given us His word by way of the prophets and apostles—“sanctify them in truth, Thy word is truth” (John 17:17). He has given us pastors and teachers to bring us to Christian maturity (Eph. 4:11-14; Col. 1:28). He has given us Christian friends to be there for us when we face adversity, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity” (Prov. 17:17). The most important things for us to remember when adversity comes into our lives are the amazing promises that God has given His covenant people. Here are but a few:
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[Adversity] |