Adversity Brings Adjustments
By Steve Williams
Mitchell County
All of us have, or will experience, adversity in our lives. Some adversities are self-inflicted, while others come unexpectedly, without warning. One moment, life is fine; the next, a 20-foot tidal wave hits, and it feels like your life has been destroyed. If you knew adversity was coming, you could prepare for it, or at least brace yourself. Adversity comes in many forms: layoffs, the death of a loved one, a child in trouble, an accident, bad test results, even a mate’s betrayal, etc. Yet we all know that as long as we live, we will face adversity. Adversity is no respecter of persons. It doesn’t matter what position you hold in society; adversity will touch you. Whether you are famous or unknown, rich or poor, good or bad, it affects us all. There is a question many of us ask when adversity comes: Why did this have to happen to me, my family, or my church?
If we look in the Bible, we will find the answer. Most adversity comes into our lives due to personal sin. Look at David and his affair with Bathsheba. Look at Jonah running away from God’s call. Think about Samson, how he failed to listen to his parents and do what God wanted him to do. Look at Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. They all deliberately chose to sin, and with each sin came adversity. Don’t think the sin you are engaging in or dabbling with doesn’t have consequences. Let’s say you steal, lie, or cheat on your mate; you will eventually get caught. If you abuse your body with drugs, drinking, or even sex, they will bring with them addictions and diseases.
We cannot blame God for our bad choices in life. We do what we want because we want to. God has given us free will; He did not make us robots. Many of us sin because we deliberately choose to. The consequences of bad decisions bring problems. What you and I have to do is deal with the problem, and that means taking responsibility. Think about Adam and Eve; they tried to pass the buck. Eve blamed the serpent, saying he beguiled or charmed her. Adam blamed God because of the woman God gave him. Remember, you can’t blame God or anyone else for your bad choices.
Satan’s goal in our adversities is to cause us to doubt. Doubt leads us to question God’s Word and God’s goodness, bringing discouragement into our lives. When we keep our eyes on the problem instead of on God, Satan’s temptations become a diversion. Satan makes the wrong things seem attractive so that we desire them more than doing what is right. When this happens, we feel defeated. Feeling defeated makes us feel like failures, and we start telling ourselves, “What’s the use?” When this happens, we fail to take responsibility for our actions and choices.
God’s purpose for adversities that come our way, or that He allows into our lives, is not bad. That is not God’s plan or will for your life. What we need to see is that our adversities are setbacks that pave the way for our comebacks! Amen! We see in the Bible that Joseph’s brothers hated him and sold him into slavery, but this was just setting him up for a great comeback in life. Peter denying Jesus three times was setting him up for the day of Pentecost, where 3,000 were saved. Adversities help us grow closer to the Lord, experience His presence, and see His power at work in our lives. So, just hang in there—God is making adjustments in our lives through our adversities.
Pastor Steve Williams
Words of Wisdom:
- “All the adversity I’ve had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles, have strengthened me… You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.” —Walt Disney
- “There is no education like adversity.” —N/A
- “Adversity makes men, and prosperity makes monsters.” —N/A
- “Adversity causes some men to break; others to break records.” —William Arthur Ward
- “Mentally strong people overcome setbacks with confidence because adversity only makes them better.” —N/A
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Steve Williams is the pastor of Berry Chapel Baptist Church in Spruce Pine, North Carolina. You can read more good Christian news from Steve HERE.
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