The University of Adversity

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”

– John 20:19-21

Have you ever wrestled with God about the tragedies, suffering, and injustices of life? 

We reason that if he’s all-powerful, he should prevent such adversity. But let’s consider that no one ever promised us a trouble-free existence. What’s more, God’s perspective extends beyond our superficial human experience and into the immeasurable wonders of his creation. For example, can we comprehend how an awkward caterpillar gorges on leaves, spins a cocoon around itself, and then emerges weeks later as a beautiful butterfly? And how can a tiny acorn grow into a mighty 80-foot oak?

It’s all beyond our understanding, but the principle here is the same. Whether we're going through good times or bad, we must remind ourselves that God's ways aren't our ways. Moreover, our human minds are much too limited to grasp the entirety of his greater purpose.

But we’re not totally in the dark here. God’s word to us — the Bible — gives us several pointers. One is that we live in an imperfect world where bad things can (and often do) happen. It was when Adam and Eve disobeyed their Creator in the Garden of Eden that Earth’s peaceful perfection was spoiled. And it’s only four chapters into Genesis that we read about mankind’s first murder: a cold-blooded encounter between brothers.

Our struggles with God can also involve our poor choices. For example, if someone chooses to drink too much, gets drunk, and then gets behind the wheel, tragedy often follows. But that’s hardly God’s fault. We instead reap the fruits of the foolishness we’ve sown.

These are sobering facts of life, but the good news is that we worship a God who specializes in turning bad into good. Consider someone who gets laid off from their job, only to find a much better one in a different city — with better pay — and in an industry that they’d never previously considered. If it weren’t for the adversity of unemployment, they might have been stuck in a boring, dead-end situation with little future. 

God also uses our adversities to discipline and mature us. Are we ever the same after experiencing a major illness or family tragedy? It’s through such crises that we draw closer to him and depend on his help and presence. And our Creator can even use our anguish as a witness to others. If you’re a Christ-follower faced with a God-sized situation, where you place your faith speaks volumes to others. After all, we know that Jesus — The Prince of Peace — will establish a kingdom that makes things right.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace,” Jesus assures us in John 16:33. “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Worth Every Penny

“My son,’” the father said, “you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.”

– Luke 15:31-32

Few things are as disappointing as buying a product or service that fails to meet expectations — especially if it was expensive. For example, maybe you heard about a new restaurant that piqued your interest. You went online and checked out the menu, read several reviews, and even asked your friends and co-workers for their opinions. But once you were seated at the table, you quickly saw through the hype. The dining room was shabby, the waiter was rude … and that $75 entrée wasn’t even appetizing. 

On the other hand, what about that expensive Caribbean cruise? You perused several tourist websites, watched The Travel Channel, and spoke with friends who'd recently returned from the same excursion. And although your ticket's cost meant weeks of cutting back on regular expenses, the tropical islands you visited were gorgeous, the cuisine was superb, and you even made some new friends along the way. Yes, that extravagant vacation put a dent in your bank account. But the memories you made were priceless.

The Bible also confirms the worth of some costly purchases. For example, there’s Jesus’ famous story about the Prodigal Son, where a loving father welcomes back his wayward — and totally undeserving — child, who had burned through his entire inheritance on outrageously wasteful living. Christ also told about a man who sold his possessions to buy a field. And not just any field, but one that held buried treasure. Although the price tag was staggering, the man did whatever it took to obtain that land at any cost.

These parables illustrate how God puts his love into action to bring you and me into his family and provide belonging. Perhaps the most familiar passage in the New Testament, John 3:16, declares that he loves the world so much that he gave his only Son (Jesus) so that those who believe in him will have eternal life. Our Creator willingly let Jesus suffer and die on the cross in our place to pay for our wrongdoings — past, present, and future. And unlike Christ — who lived a perfect, sin-free existence — we all rightfully deserve death because of our lawlessness. But God’s grace offers us forgiveness and a fresh start if we’re only willing to accept it.

Jesus paid the exorbitant price to save us from ourselves. And compared to our costly, regrettable purchases, this one was worth every penny.

Stormy Weather

A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

– Mark 4:37-38

Turn on the TV and surf the Web and try to avoid the nonstop news stories about politics, crime, and civil unrest. And it’s no easier to escape the 24/7 coverage of natural disasters, corruption, and the storm clouds of international conflict. But living with unsettling headlines is nothing new. In fact, about 2,000 years ago, Jesus proclaimed these words of assurance that are just as relevant to modern-day Christ-followers as they were to his first disciples:

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

In one form or another, storms are everywhere. And there’s no way to avoid them — even after we’ve switched off the smartphone and clicked away from Instagram and Facebook. For some people, the tempest might be a job loss or bankruptcy. For others, it’s a chronic illness or the prospect of major surgery. Maybe your storm involves family or relationship issues like a divorce or the loss of a loved one. And this raises a good question: Does God even care about our personal hurricanes, earthquakes, and flash floods? 

The good news is that we worship a God who’s much greater than any natural disaster, economic difficulty, or international dispute. Ours is a God who literally spoke the universe into creation, formed great mountain ranges with his hands, and parted the seas with a breath. With just a word, he calmed the stormy waters of Lake Galilee that had threatened to drown Jesus’ small band of followers. And even more amazing is that he knows his creation (including you and me) by name.

Let’s also remember that God works for the good of those who love him and have been called according to his purpose. And while our Mighty Creator doesn’t remove every storm from our presence, he proves his power and presence within them. 

Indeed, there will be times when lightning flashes and thunder rumbles overhead. But the storms that seem so great today will become laughably insignificant tomorrow. Moreover, we can rest assured that amidst all the wind and rain, blue skies are on the horizon for those with Christ as their Savior.