Advancing – and Growing – Through Adversity

There’s a common misconception being presented from some pulpits across our land that once you commit your life to Jesus Christ, it’s smooth sailing from there. After all, aren’t you a “King’s kid”? 

 

Yes, receiving Christ as Savior and Lord – being “born again” as He termed it in John 3:3 – means we become children of God. But that doesn’t mean never having to face hardships, struggles or pain. The Son of God, Jesus had “nowhere to lay His head” (Matthew 8:20); He endured extreme opposition; and suffered terrible scourging, then was crucified. If our Lord suffered, why should we be exempt?

 

In the book of Philippians, the apostle Paul says part of our ‘job description’ as followers of Christ involves adversity. “For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for Him” (Philippians 1:29).

 

Then Paul declares, “I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, and so, somehow, to attain the resurrection from the dead” (Philippians 3:10-11). “Sharing in His sufferings”? Bold, powerful words, right?

 

The apostle wasn’t writing from a beach resort – he was in prison, fully aware that his time on earth was nearing a close. And yet Paul didn’t complain about his circumstances. If anything, he rejoiced because of them: “…what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ” (Philippians 1:12-13).

 

Even as a prisoner of Rome, Paul used every opportunity to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. His message wasn’t falling on deaf ears; even his jailers were hearing and responding to the Gospel. While boldly declaring, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain,” he also told believers in Philippi with confidence, “I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith” (Philippians 1:21,25).

 

Everyone who has participated in an exercise regimen has heard the mantra, “No pain, no gain.” To get stronger, faster, lose weight, recover from an injury, or just get in better shape, it’s going to require strain, aches and soreness. Considering how the Lord often works in our lives – especially in the hard times – we could state this a bit differently: “God doesn’t waste pain.”

 

Looking back over my life, moments I’ve grown the most spiritually have often been while experiencing adversity: major challenges at work; struggling when there was too much month and not enough money left; going through open-heart surgery; working through serious family crises. 

 

Every time I felt like giving up, crying out to God, “I can’t do this!” I’d sense Him responding, “I know, My child, but if you’ll trust Me, I will do it through you.”

 

Years ago, I had the privilege of helping a good friend write a book titled, “Advancing Through Adversity.” Mike was an entrepreneur who had worked hard to build a successful business in the tech industry. He’d committed his company to the Lord and trusted Him to guide his decisions. Still he encountered setbacks that seemed overwhelming.

 

Working through formidable problems wasn’t fun, but ultimately Mike was able to look back and see not only how God had worked to resolve those issues but also how those times served to strengthen and refine his faith. In the process, he became a much more effective witness for Christ as his employees and peers in the industry observed how he coped with one kind of adversity after another.

 

The Bible underscores the value and importance of adversity in our spiritual journey. For instance, Romans 5:3-5 tells us, “…we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.”

 

Later in his same letter to Christ followers in Rome, the apostle Paul made a statement most of us have heard many times: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). This might not seem the case as we’re going through hard times, and it’s sometimes tossed out carelessly as a casual platitude. Even so, it’s true, a promise from God – even though we might only recognize it in hindsight.

 

Another apostle, James, affirmed Paul’s perspective when he wrote, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2-4).

 

No one wants adversity. The Scriptures don’t tell us to seek it out or pray for it. But when it comes, as it inevitably does, we have the Lord’s assurance that He knows what we’re facing and will indeed use it for our good in transforming us “into the likeness of His Son” (Romans 8:29).

No Manure – No Mess – No Milk

It’s seems we’re increasingly living in society where people want everything pain-free, strain-free, maybe even brain-free. They want rewards without commensurate effort, results without having to experience any difficulties. If we were dairy farmers, our motto might be, “We want the milk without the manure.”

Alas, that’s not how life works. We don’t become physically fit by sitting in a recliner watching exercise videos. We don’t excel in school and get smarter without the hard work of reading, studying – and thinking. We can’t experience the joys of parenthood without putting up with dirty diapers, messy rooms, unanticipated expenses, and the variety of maladies kids acquire. And we can’t succeed in our careers without experiencing setbacks, disappointments, and if necessary, investing longer hours on the job than we’d like.

My friend, Mike Landry, recently published a book, Advancing Through Adversity: Turning the Worst of Times into the Best of Times, in which he details the struggles he and his family endured over an 18-month period after he was wrongfully sued by a company he had started. Even though he didn’t want this adversity, Mike discovered it would become an excellent teacher, providing important, life-changing lessons he couldn’t have learned in any other way.

He writes, “During tough times, most of us pray for a way out, or plead for our troubles to end. We want answers, resolution, or healing…. If all we do is focus on the given situation or the other people who are involved, concentrating on fixing it or getting through it, we could miss how God wants us to use the circumstances to teach and change us.”

Mike’s right. So often when confronted with difficult problems, all we want is to “fix it” or to “get through it.” But as I’ve found repeatedly throughout my life and career, we gain the most while in the midst of confounding challenges. Adversity can teach much about patience, perseverance, humility, coping with disappointment, compassion, and, perhaps most important, it serves as a wonderful resource for testing and strengthening our faith.

This truth is revisited frequently in the Scriptures, including Proverbs 14:4 which points out, “Where no oxen are, the trough is clean; but much increase comes from the strength of an ox.” Stating it in other terms, without the manure – putting up with the mess – we can’t have any milk.

Another friend, Ted Sprague, casually cited this verse years ago in Atlanta, Ga. during a crucial civic planning meeting that had taken a decidedly negative turn. After he quoted a paraphrase of the passage, “Where no oxen are the stables are clean,” the room fell silent for a few minutes. Then someone responded, “You know, Ted’s right!” The tone of the meeting instantly shifted, taking on a much more positive focus, and important decisions made then influenced the course of the city for many years afterward.

There were problems to be faced, but the benefits from being willing to confront those difficulties far outweighed the drawbacks. That’s why today a plaque behind Ted’s desk quotes the verse along with a concluding statement, “There’s a price to accomplishment.”

The apostle Paul, who knew adversity as an almost constant companion, wrote, “we also glory in tribulation, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope” (Romans 5:3-4). Not to be outdone, another apostle, James, urged his fellow believers to “count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing” (James 1:2-4).

If we never had to wait expectantly for something, we’d have no need to be patient. If we didn’t have to deal with struggles, we’d have no need for perseverance. But when we face hardships through the eyes of trusting faith, confident God is with us and using them to mold us into the people He wants us to be, we can indeed “glory in tribulation.” We can “count it all joy,” even when we never would have asked for the circumstances that beset us.

Yet another friend from years ago, Dr. Gerald Durley, encountered racism as a young African-American coming to the South for the first time. The mistreatment he experienced was undeniable and unforgettable. Nevertheless, years later he could look back upon the pain of prejudice and rejection, recognizing how God had used it to shape his character and equip him for a fruitful career later in life. And he could say, with all sincerity, “Thank you for adversity.”

The moral we can take from this is simple: If we keep foremost in our minds that without the manure we’ll never be able to enjoy the milk, we can join Mike and Ted and Jerry in the paradox of gratitude, declaring, “Thank you, God, for adversity!”