Accepting Adversity
Job realized something that we all need to learn well. God sends us both blessings and adversity, and we need to learn to accept both. If we don't, we will sin.(Job 2:10) How many times have we had something difficult happen to us, and we automatically spit out a cuss word or something caustic? Why does that happen? We do not accept adversity as a normal and healthy part of life, even something that God sends into our lives like He sent into Job's life.
Adversity is not bad. Each trial is an opportunity to trust God and to succeed. It is a test, and we can make a 100 or a 0. If we are programmed to see each adversity as a bad thing, we will fail every time. If we see them as growth times, we can succeed by learning and growing in the Lord. Each of us has this choice to make.
Growing physical muscles takes pain. When we exercise our muscles, they hurt for a while. I believe they actually break down a bit, and then, when they grow back, they are stronger than before. It takes exercising little by little over a long period of time to grow muscles. The same is true for faith. Strong faith does not happen over night. In each trial we must exercise our faith by going through a difficult experience while trusting God for insight, strength, and stamina. When it is over, we may have been broken down some, but we come out stronger than before. Over time our faith grows this way. Without it, we remain spiritual babies. That is why we must accept adversity and learn to grow from it. That is God's plan in sending it.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Job 5-7.
Adversity is not bad. Each trial is an opportunity to trust God and to succeed. It is a test, and we can make a 100 or a 0. If we are programmed to see each adversity as a bad thing, we will fail every time. If we see them as growth times, we can succeed by learning and growing in the Lord. Each of us has this choice to make.
Growing physical muscles takes pain. When we exercise our muscles, they hurt for a while. I believe they actually break down a bit, and then, when they grow back, they are stronger than before. It takes exercising little by little over a long period of time to grow muscles. The same is true for faith. Strong faith does not happen over night. In each trial we must exercise our faith by going through a difficult experience while trusting God for insight, strength, and stamina. When it is over, we may have been broken down some, but we come out stronger than before. Over time our faith grows this way. Without it, we remain spiritual babies. That is why we must accept adversity and learn to grow from it. That is God's plan in sending it.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Job 5-7.