"A great and effective door has opened
to me, and there are many adversaries." (1 Cor 16:9 -
NKJV)
Going through what I felt was more than my share
of adversity a while back, I wrote the following to
longtime friends and colleagues in Nairobi:
"Strangely (and, maybe not so strangely) I find
myself
drawn to the book of Job. It's something how facing an
enormity of life's problems can lead us there, and
even stranger how comparing our seemingly 'caving-
in-world' with the world Job must have viewed through
his eyes pales in absolute significance. We find
comfort - but a strange form indeed, which seems to
slowly penetrate the soul, like the cooling effect of a
shadow from a drifting cloud, slowly moving under the
blazing sun - hiding one from the 'heat'. Eventually
though, the comfort of the cloud moves on - and
we're reminded that we must too."
Why does adversity seem to show up in force
when
we're doing God's will? It's viewed as an unwelcome
visitor to be sure, but also one whom God allows. If He
tried to explain all the reasons however, it might be a
bit like a Nuclear Physicist trying to teach a mouse -
how to split an atom.
And even if God miraculously made His reasons
clear
and comprehendible, wouldn't most of us view them
as - just not good enough to: "Allow our child to
die", "Permit cancer to take my soul mate", "Let that
accident happen that devastated our lives", "let our
business fail," etc. We might even try to convince
Him
to put things back as they were, which if He would
agree to, might be compared to someone slopping a
4-inch brush full of wet paint across Da Vinci's canvas
while he was creating the Mona Lisa, forever denying
Da Vinci the honor, and the world - the
masterpiece.
No doubt, adversity can be relentless and
devastating
especially when we've prayed, bolstered our faith,
untiringly given our best, raised our hope -- 'believed'
and waited, and then - Kerr-Plunk, Crash!
But listen - "God is doing what is best for us,
training
us to live God's holy best. At the time, discipline isn't
much fun. It always feels like it's going against the
grain. Later, of course, it pays off handsomely, for it's
the well trained who find themselves mature in their
relationship with God."
(Heb 12:11 -MSG)
I've been seeing adversity as more
than 'unwelcome'
for quite a while now. I recognize its presence as
preparation for what's ahead, and not punishment for
what's behind.
Hebrews 11, the Bible's 'Hall of Faith', supports
this.
There we see the stories of Abel, Enoch, Noah,
Abraham and Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, and young Joseph,
and Moses, and so many more; all of whom
victoriously endured through the most severe forms of
adversity -- many even unto death? Did they 'give all'
so they could get their names listed in the Hall of
Faith, of course not, they had no knowledge that there
would ever even be a Hall of Faith. Rather, they gave
their 'all' toward steadfast obedience to God and His
will, determined to endure whatever the enemy could
throw at them.
However, their job was yet unfinished. How? You
say,
Listen:
"Not one of these people, even though their
lives of
faith were exemplary, got their hands on what was
promised. God had a better plan for us: that their faith
and our faith would come together to make one
completed whole, their lives of faith not complete apart
from ours." (Heb
11:39 -MSG)
Perhaps the main reason the following verses are
recorded in the Word of God:
"Do you see what this means-all these
pioneers
who
blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It
means we'd better get on with it. Start
running-and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no
parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both
began and finished this race we're in. Study how he
did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was
headed-that exhilarating finish in and with God-he
could put up with anything along the way: Cross,
shame, whatever. And now he's there, in the place of
honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves
flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by
item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through.
That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!" (Heb 12: 1-
3 -MSG)
Is adversity knocking at your door - unwelcomed?
Why
not let Him in.
Luke
1:37
