Advancing Through Adversity
“Bless you prison, bless you for being in my life. For there, lying upon the rotting prison straw, I
came to realize that the object of life is not prosperity as we are made to
believe, but the maturity of the human soul.’” – Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
Read Philippians 1:12-27
Advancing Through Adversity
There’s a common misconception advanced 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 stated 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 great opposition, and suffered terrible
scourging before being 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).
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. He didn’t cite statistics, but his message wasn’t falling on deaf ears.
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 know 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 and soreness. Considering the
way 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 usually been
while experiencing adversity: major challenges at work; struggling when there
was too much month and not enough money; going through open-heart surgery;
working through serious family crises.
Every time when 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, but he still 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 true as we’re going through hard
times, and it’s sometimes used insensitively as a casual platitude.
Nevertheless, it’s true – 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. But when it comes,
as inevitably it will, 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).