The Upside of Adversity

I just finished being interviewed by a Pepperdine student for an article he is writing about our church for his journalism class.  He asked a great question and one that I have been asked a hundred times since the fire is, “How has the fire affected my faith in the goodness of God?”  Perhaps you have also been asked or pondered that question?

I told him that my faith in God’s goodness and love has not waivered one bit, which may make my faith sound impressive – but, it really is not.  The reasons for my belief in the goodness of God are not dependent on having happy days, sunshine and smiles.  Paul explained it best in Romans 5:8, “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”   No fire can take away what Christ demonstrated on the cross: that he loves us to death.

Jesus told us what to expect in this life.  He said, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).  The Apostle Paul made a similar promise to us after he was nearly stoned to death.  He said, “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). 

Knowing that life will be filled with hardships, how shall we respond?  We could respond fearfully and try to play it safe.  We could try to insulate ourselves against suffering by numbing our feelings, or by never taking a risk; but to do so would be to miss the great upside to adversity.  James, the brother of Jesus, says that we are to “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2-4).

So, one response to the impending hardships in life is fear, but James says we can choose to consider them as agents of joy.  We find joy not in suffering, but in the resulting character development it brings us.  As one of my professors, Arch Hart, once said,

God is in the refining business.  He is not in the entertainment or pleasure-cruise business.  Not that He objects to pleasure cruises or any other diversion that helps us survive our stressful lives.  But the purpose of such times of rest and respite is to prepare us for the tough times ahead.  They are not an end in themselves.  I have never changed a bad habit or strengthened any component of my character while vacationing or having fun.  This is not fun’s purpose.  But it is tribulation’s purpose.

The Christian life won’t always take away our suffering and our hurt; but it will place them within the context of meaning and hope.

Some days when life is especially tough, think about these words:

The Valley of Vision
by Arthur Bennett

Lord, high and holy, meek and lowly,
Thou has brought me to the valley of vision,
    where I live in the depths but see thee in the heights;
    hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold thy glory.

Let me learn by paradox
    that the way down is the way up,
    that to be low is to be high,
    that the broken heart is the healed heart,
    that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,
    that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,
    that to have nothing is to possess all,

that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,
that to give is to receive,
that the valley is the place of vision.

Lord in the daytime stars can be seen from the deepest wells,
    and the deeper the wells the brighter thy stars shine;

Let me find they light in my darkness,
    thy life in my death,
    thy joy in my sorrow,
    thy grace in my sin,
    thy riches in my poverty,
    thy glory in my valley.

This is a day for joy, because we know God isn’t finished with us yet.  We will rise up from the ashes stronger and better to the glory of God.

Joyfully Yours in Christ,

Greg : > )