Thomas Carlyle an 18th century author and historian once stated: “Adversity is the diamond dust Heaven polishes its jewels with.” I know I’ve had plenty of “dusting” over the years – maybe you have too. My personal life reads a bit like a soap opera: great joy and celebration, physical and emotion trauma to intense grief, loss and betrayal sprinkled with PTSD.
As a believer, I grew up with a basic version of a relationship with God – just walk with him and life will go well, and basically that was true in my early life. But I also found that sooner or later adversity knocks on everyone’s door.
When I first heard the following lyrics to Heartbreaking Love by Nancy Honeytree in the early 80’s, it was a sobering awakening – I never really thought about God allowing pain as an agent for change:
“Be ready when you give your heart to God, for he will surely take it
Like a gentle doctor, wise and strong, he will surely break it
But your joy will be unmeasured as His healing flows from above You'll be glad that you gave your heart to the Lord of heartbreaking love.
Be ready when you give your life to God, for he will surely change it,
Just when you thought you had it planned, he is apt to rearrange it
But your peace will be unequaled as his plan unfolds from above
You'll be glad you gave your life to the Lord of life changing love.”
Recently during an illness, I once again had a four week opportunity to face fears, lean into Him and choose to trust, while focusing on peace and rest in something I could not overcome on my own. God does not cause or allow all the pain we walk through, much is manifested by the choices of man. But sometimes he lifts his hand to:
1. Get our attention
2. Guide us toward self-examination
3. Bring us to a place of change/ surrender of our personal beliefs/behavior
4. Experiential learning – we grow in wisdom, understanding, compassion and mercy
As difficult and challenging as it has been to journey through painful events, I look back and realize the deep work he has accomplished “dusting” me off. Billy Graham once stated: “Comfort and prosperity have never enriched the world as much as adversity has.” The lives of King David, Job, Moses, Peter and of course Jesus to name a few, are road maps of encouragement to the trials of life, the changes they bring, and the victories that are won from the battles. Peter’s strong imprint upon the early church to encourage and equip them through intense persecution and alignment with the sufferings of Christ still resonates today: “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you: but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing,” (1 Peter 4:12-13a).
Albert Einstein once said: “Adversity introduces a man to himself.” And Helen Keller encouraged others to glean from adversity as it builds character: “Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired and success achieved.” Adversity causes us to dig down deep and examine ourselves, as we allow it to help build perseverance, patience, endurance, forbearance, and teaches us to overcome.
God does not assign adversity to his people, but we live in a fallen world, and he will use circumstances and choices as well as natural consequences to bring change and growth. I must admit, after coming out of a challenging event, my gratitude level always sky rockets. So adversity can also bring us to a new level of gratefulness, and thanksgiving as we appreciate the gifts of God we often take for granted.
There are many challenges we face today that are not unknown to God or our forefathers. Let’s continue to seek and trust Him, knowing that he will bring wisdom and understanding in our trials and we will once again thankfully declare: “How amazing are the deeds of the Lord! All who delight in Him should ponder them. Everything He does reveals His glory and majesty. His righteousness never fails. He causes us to remember His wonderful works. How gracious and merciful is our Lord,”(Psalm 111:2-4).
“Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go,” (Joshua 1:9).
In His Love,
