How God Uses Our Adversity
Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me--to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:7-10 NASB)
Adversity is God's most effective tool for growing us in our faith. Did you know that? What puts us on our knees is what grows us up. The apostle Paul said that he had learned to be content with insults, distress, and persecutions. He had discovered that he experienced God's presence and power most strongly through troubles. (Philippians 4:11-13) God carefully selects where He wants to work in our lives and often uses affliction, His choicest tool, to accomplish His plan.
In intense times of difficulty, we may be hard pressed to understand what God is doing, but we can be certain He has a divine purpose in it. It does not matter what the source of the trouble is—whether adversity is from something we caused, from someone else's actions, straight from the Devil, or from God Himself, our Father has a purpose and a plan for it. (Romans 8:28) He is engineering all of our circumstances for His glory and our good. Do you believe that?
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Adversity is an accurate barometer of our spiritual life. If we want to know the strength and quality of our faith, we need only look at how we handle our troubles. Ask yourself a few questions: How am I handling my circumstances? Am I showing more patience than I used to demonstrate or exhibiting greater self-control in my troubles? Am I more at peace and less in turmoil than before?
The Lord invites us to see adversity as He does. Will you commit today to cooperate with God and bring Him glory by advancing through adversity?
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