Adversity isn’t a choice, it is a reality because we live in a fallen world. We all experience sin, disobedience and wickedness in our lives and we all have trails of adversity with some lasting longer than others. Adversity is a condition of suffering, anguish, trials and heartaches which cause us discomfort. We want to avoid it, but we can’t because we live in a fallen world. But through adversity, we can experience good. God has never changed the way he operates, He knows what we want to accomplish, and He has never condoned sin or rebellion, but if we respond correctly, he will use it to our good. Joseph, in the bible, look what he went through, tossed in a well by his own brothers, then wound up next to pharaoh. Think about David, how many years he ran from King Saul, then became the king of Israel whom God said I will always give my light to his children for his obedience. Apostle Paul, in Chapter 12 he lists all his problems. He implored unto the Lord, for power is perfected in weakness and through the grace of God. Paul would rather boast about his weaknesses so that the power of God will dwell in him. God used these people in the most awesome ways, and we still talk about them today. Whatever your going through, within your family, at work, or financially, understand that it could be a part of one of Gods greatest blessings in your life, and it all depends on how you respond to it.
People close the bible, they say "that's not what happens", but when people get disappointed and God doesn’t match there expectation, they start to nurture their hurt and their anger, and it gets stronger and stronger, and people around you get miserable because of it. They start to reject, blame the Bible and blame God, and as a result, they begin to live with a bitter spirit. How many of you know someone who is bitter? They can’t hide it, it is like poisoning the blood stream, it affects everything about you, your ability to smile, to love, to accept, bitterness because of some adversity. It causes divorce, “I can’t live with this any longer, or you any longer,” they let adversity waste their life, and whatever God may have planned for them, in that good plan, with this act of adversity, God allowed it to purge something out of them, to mature them, but instead of responding the right way, they waste their life agonizing over it. In the midst of this adversity, some people grow into a deeper relationship with God. We can choose either one, and if we choose to grow towards God, we gain unshakable faith, and He will prove to you that he is still there, and He will keep his promises and you will keep moving and keep being positive. It enables us to have patience. If we say “I know this is of God” he will give us the patience to endure. No matter how painful it is, we patiently wait for God to change it. And also, something happens to our courage, we begin to have unwavering courage. He gives us the courage to hang in there, and it builds more courage, and more faith and more patience, and if we didn’t have adversity, we wouldn’t know what we could really do. We trust him and wait for him, we may not like what's going on, but know God isn’t going to let you down. Fear not, for the Lord your God is with you.
“I don’t say that I’m holy” why not? God is your savior and after you're forgiven, and you have no desire to sin against God anymore, he uses the adversity to get us to think and write. Adversity is one of Gods ways to mold us into Gods righteousness, and when you have read the bible, when you come across adversity in your life, you know exactly where to turn to in the bible to help you. The bible teaches us the way to live, how to face adversity, pain, suffering, because nobody is beyond it. Make a wise choice today, "Lord, I want to you to take the adversities in my life and use them to help me, and give me the strength to act and respond how your son Jesus did. He made Paul an awesome saint, and I want to be made like that kind of saint, a child of God that can attract other people to the Lord Jesus Christ." God knows where you are, he is there, he will help you endure it until he is finished to make you the kind of person he wants you to be. We can either live our lives the way we want to live, or we can acknowledge that God wants us to live a certain way, and the moment you ask him to forgive you, and you surrender your life to him and become one of his children, and when you allow him to grow you up, he will make you a trophy, like a jewel that shines forth, not perfect, not sinless, but holy. He will bless you in ways you can never imagine. A holy life does not mean a perfect life, we have tendencies of sin until we are called home but we can live an obedient life, and most of the time we do the right thing.