Dr. Stanley teaches us to accept God’s purposes in adversity. But we must choose to view adversity as an opportunity rather than an obstacle. When we do that, we grow in our Christlikeness. For more messages from Charles Stanley, including this week’s broadcast, go to intouch.org/tv.
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male announcer: “In Touch,”
the teaching ministry
of Dr. Charles Stanley.
Reaching the world
with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Next on “In Touch,”
“Growing In Our Adversity.”
Dr. Charles Stanley: When
a child is born, we naturally
expect that child to grow.
And so, we look forward to when
the child is walking, when he’s
two or five, maybe thirteen and
then nineteen and twenty-one
and twenty-five and on we go,
because that’s the natural
normal thing to happen.
And when a child does not grow,
we know we have a major problem.
Well, the same thing is true
in the Christian life.
When you trust the Lord
Jesus Christ as your Savior,
the Bible says
you’re born again.
So, speaking of new birth, that
is then we are to grow in our
relationship to Christ.
We’re to grow in our knowledge
and understanding of who He is
and how He works in our life.
And we’re to grow in
understanding of the difficult
times we have and how
we’re to respond.
So, when you look in the
Scripture, for example, the
Apostle Paul reminds us in this
fourth chapter of Ephesians and
the fifteenth verse, he says,
“But speaking the truth in love,
we are to grow up in all aspects
into Him who is the head,
even Christ.”
And then of course, Peter says
a similar thing in Second Peter
and the last verse of,
of this epistle.
He says, “But grow in the
grace and knowledge
of our Lord Jesus Christ.
To Him be the glory, both now
and to the day of eternity.
Amen.”
So, you could go all through the
Scriptures and there are many
verses in the Bible
about growing.
And today I want to talk about
“Growing in Our Adversity.”
We’re going to have
adversities in our life.
We’re going to have those
difficult times in our life.
Either they can become setbacks
in our life or they can become
times in which you and I grow
into Christ-likeness and grow
into His will for our life.
So, what I want us
to look at is this.
How do we grow in those times?
You can stop where you are in
the midst of it, blame God,
blame someone else,
and what you do?
Listen to this, this
simple phrase.
Don’t waste your sorrows.
In other words, if I’m going
to hurt, I don’t want
to waste them.
I don’t like hurt.
I don’t like pain.
But if I’ve got to have it,
I don’t want to waste it.
I want to grow in it somehow
in some way.
So, really growing, growing
spiritually during my hardship,
my adversity depends upon
two things, if I’m really
going to grow.
And the first one is this: my
understanding of God’s purpose
for it.
In other words, as
a follower of Jesus.
Now if you’ve never trusted
Christ as your Savior, something
you brought on yourself, and no
doubt your suffering is because
the Bible says, “The wages
of sin is death.”
And the Bible says that we will
reap what we sow.
But we’re talking about
believers now, who are going
through adversity in their life.
And so, we are to understand
God’s purpose.
So, I want you to be sure you
jot these down because somewhere
along the way you’re going to
see yourself in one of these.
And one of the primary reasons
here is that God allows
adversity in our life to
get our attention.
We just go along in life
and doing our thing
and ignoring Him.
And sometimes we ignore Him
after He tries to say to us in
prayer or many other ways or
through someone else, what He
wants us to do or what He wants
us to think about, we just
ignore Him.
And so, adversity comes along
and all of a sudden, He has our
undivided attention.
God, what are You doing
in my life?
A second reason, which was
certainly true according to the
Apostle Paul in his life, and
that is to conquer pride
in our life.
You’re doing really well and
you’re getting along fine.
You don’t have any time
for anybody else.
And fact, you think, “Well, why
can’t you take care of yourself
and, and why are you having such
a hard time?”
And the Apostle Paul said that
the reason He felt it was God
was helping him, keep him from
exalting Himself.
God had given him so many
awesome privileges and
understandings in this twelfth
chapter of Second Corinthians
beginning in the seventh verse.
He said one of the primary
reasons is to keep him
from becoming prideful
and arrogant.
And if you’ll think about what
is in the book of Romans
and First and Second Corinthians
and Galatians and Ephesians
and Philippians and Colossians
and all the rest,
all the awesome wisdom
you and I live by.
He said God sent him a thorn in
the flesh to keep him usable,
lest he become prideful and
arrogant and God could not
use him anymore.
Then of course, one of the
reasons we have adversity is
to remind us of our weakness.
If think, you know that you’re
strong and you can handle it
and you move along in life and
never think to ask God to give
you strength and wisdom
and direction for your life.
And what happens is we
think we’re adequate.
But God knows how to weaken us.
And He reminds us
of our weakness.
Listen to this.
Not in order to keep us weak,
but in order to remind us
who is the source
of my strength.
The source of our strength is
Almighty God, and sometimes
we need to be reminded of that.
And He knows exactly what to
send into our life to remind us
of that.
Then of course, one of the
reasons He sends adversity
in our life and allows it is
in order that you and
I may hate sin.
Now, the Bible says, “The
wages of sin is death.”
And all through the Scripture,
sin has its penalties.
And there is
suffering, heartache.
There’s adversity
as a result of sin.
And so, God naturally allows the
adversity of sin into the
person’s life who is
choosing to sin against God.
And He allows the
suffering to come.
And we know the principle.
We quote it often.
We reap what we sow, more than
we sow, later than we sow.
And as a result, we are going
to feel the impact of sin
in our life.
And so, then of course,
He allows it in our life
to demonstrate His faithfulness.
And sometimes we go through
adversity and things are
really tough.
It’s really bad.
Maybe you live alone, for
example, or you’re having
a financial issue, in all
of that, and what happens?
God demonstrates His awesome
faithfulness when you and I have
no other place to turn.
Then we look to Him, we rely
upon Him, because He is a God
who is faithful.
That means He’s dependable, He’s
trustworthy, He’s always there
in every single circumstance
of life in which I need Him,
no matter what.
So, we understand what His
faithfulness is about when
we’re in our greatest need.
Now, we said, understanding
God’s purpose for adversity
and secondly, what’s
the proper response?
“I have to see it from God.”
In other words, anything that
comes–watch this now: you’ve
trusted Jesus Christ as your
Savior, the Holy Spirit’s come
into your life to live
to rule and to reign.
Therefore, He gives you guidance
and He says, “I’ll guide you
with my eye upon you.
I’ll teach you in the
way we should go.”
So, He’s doing that.
So, therefore, when I come to
the Word and I’m thinking about
what’s happening, so how
do I view this from God?
Because God has something
in mind that I know is best.
And so, we will quote our
favorite verse, one of our
favorite verses.
“God causes all things to work
together for good to those who
love Him; to those who
are called according
to His purpose.”
You’ve surrendered your
life to Him in Christ.
He says He’ll cause something
good to happen.
And if you’re in the Word of
God, and this is why I say you
should read some portion of the
Word of God every day.
Because sometimes it’s
just exactly, it’s just
tailor made for you.
Because He knows what’s
going to happen that day.
And so, our response ought to be
something like this.
“God, what’s Your goal
for this in my life?
I know you don’t just let
these things happen.
What’s Your goal?”
And I learned a long time ago,
if I’m going to hurt and if I’m
going to have pain, I’m going
to suffer about something,
glean the most I can out of it.
Squeeze every bit
of truth I can.
Let me learn something that’s
worth the pain I’m suffering.
Now don’t forget that.
Lord, let me learn something
that is worth the pain that
I’m going through at
this particular time.
And then you surrender
your will to Him.
That’s always
the right response.
“Okay God, I don’t understand
maybe fully, but I’m–
I yield myself to You.
Whatever You have in mind, God,
I know has to be good for me,
because I’m one of
Your children.
So, I’m trusting You.
I’m going to lay it
down before You.
I’m going to believe that You
know what’s best for my life and
that You have the best plan
for me, whether I understand
it or not.
So, I’m going to surrender
myself to Him.”
And then, rest by faith
in His faithfulness.
“Lord, I don’t
understand it all.
I wish I did, but I don’t.
But I’m going to rest in
Your faithfulness.”
And His faithfulness means that
He is trustworthy in every
single situation.
He will do exactly what He
promised to do.
For example, you’re saying,
“I don’t know what to do,
where to go in this area.”
And He says, “I will guide you
with My eye upon you.”
I will teach you in the way
which you should go.
Do you believe He’ll do that?
Do you believe that
God is faithful?
Then going through adversity,
I can rest in His faithfulness,
that He’s going to
do what He promised to do.
That in this given situation,
this circumstance, though
I don’t like it, though I’m
hurting, though it’s painful,
though I’m misunderstood, or
whatever it might be, I’m going
to trust You.
I’m going to rest in Your
faithfulness that You are going
to bring me through this in
a way that’s pleasing
and honorable to You.
Then a second thing I would say
is this: Some biblical truths
that affirm the idea that God’s
goal for our adversity is our
spiritual growth.
So, think about that, some
biblical truths that affirm this
idea that God’s purpose in our
adversity is our growing.
And if you’ll think about this,
it is God’s most effective way
for deepening our faith and
commitment to Him.
Because it’s when we go through
trials that we’re forced to–I’m
going to trust Him or not trust
Him.
And I’m going through some trial
and I trust Him and Satan may
come in and say, “You know, who
do you think you are?
God’s not going to answer that.
That’s, you know what?
You, just, you might
as well face it.
You’re finished with whatever’s
going on in your life.”
No.
God’s going to be faithful
to you no matter what.
And so, it’s just one of those
tools that God uses to
strengthen our faith and our
commitment to Him.
And then what happens?
You go through a difficult time
and God answers your prayers,
sets you free, and you praise
the Lord, and what happens?
Watch this carefully.
When He has visited you in some
form of adversity, and He brings
you through that, that’s like He
has increased the strength of
the foundation of your life in
your faith in Him.
Because you can look back and
see, “Well God, You brought me
through that.
Thank You, Lord.
And You brought
me through that.
And you brought me through that.
And you brought me
through that.”
And this is why you and I meet
people who are very, very strong
in their faith, though they’ve
been through all kind of things.
Why?
They’ve responded in the right
way and recognize that each
experience they went through was
like adding to the foundation of
their enduring faith that will
be there and last them through
the last days of their life.
That’s who He is.
So, think about this also.
The area in which we’re
experiencing the most adversity
is the area in which God is at
work, bringing us to spiritual
maturity.
The area of our life in which
we’re experiencing the most
adversity.
If I should say, “How many of
you today are going through
some form of adversity?
Or you know somebody
who, who is.”
Everybody’s hand
would probably go up.
Well, ask yourself the question:
What’s God’s goal in that?
What’s His purpose in that?
God is in the process not only
of helping us understand,
but He’s maturing us deep
down inside.
It isn’t something we’ve
just read or heard.
There’s a spiritual godliness.
There’s a spiritual maturity.
There’s a spiritual
strengthening that goes on
in our life that
nobody else sees.
It isn’t something you
necessarily feel until.
You know when you feel it?
The next time you hit one of
those bad times and you’re
tested and you’re tried
and then you realize,
“Well, thank You Jesus.
I don’t feel like
I used to feel.
Somehow, I can see how
You’re in this.”
We mature on the inside
invisibly but not invisible
to God.
And so, it’s the will of God
that we continually grow in our
Christian life more and more.
And it’s going to be determined
by two things.
Two things.
Either that I see all this hurt
and pain as an opportunity
between God and myself.
To grow in my Christian life,
or I see it as an obstacle.
Listen.
Jesus living within you through
the Holy Spirit is there to
teach and give understanding and
enable you, help you, strengthen
you in your relationship to Him.
To grow, to become stronger,
have deeper understanding.
And listen, to grow in
our loving relationship
to Almighty God.
It’s an opportunity,
not an obstacle.
It’s only an obstacle when I see
it as an obstacle, rather than
an opportunity.
And I suffer the consequences
of unbelief and have to face it.
So, how do you face
adversity in your life?
Just think about it
for a moment.
Believing that God is in it, and
that He’s going to be with you
in it, and He will walk with you
through it every single day
necessary till He brings
you through.
Now if you’ve never trusted
Jesus as your Savior, let me
tell you, friend, I don’t know
how you think you’re going to
live in this world and this life
without Christ and be happy and
have joy and peace in your life.
You’re not going to.
You may be trying to cover up
your adversity, and people do
with alcohol, drugs, sex, money,
and on we could go.
None of that can satisfy the
human heart.
Only a personal relationship
with God through Jesus Christ.
And you can say anything you
want to say about those things
and how necessary they are.
No, they’re not.
The one thing that is absolutely
necessary for life, to have
peace and joy and happiness
and contentment.
Even in difficult trying
adversarial times, is a personal
intimate relationship with
Jesus Christ, which begins the
moment you’re willing to confess
your sinfulness and say to Him,
tell Him as best you know how
that you do believe that His
death on the cross and the
shedding of His blood brought
about your forgiveness.
Now I understand.
Listen carefully.
God’s only begotten Son, Jesus,
came into this world for the
primary purpose of laying down
His life in order that you and
I could be saved and one of
these days go to heaven.
And on the cross, He bore your
penalty and mine for all of our
sins and the sins of
the whole world.
He was crucified and the
shedding of blood was
the shedding of His life.
That was God’s requirement
that the sinless, perfect,
virgin-born Son of God, sent
into this world for the purpose
of dying for our sins, went to
the cross, died on the cross
and paid your sin-debt in full,
completely.
And as a result, when you accept
Him as your personal Savior,
your sins atoned for
for all eternity.
Now, let’s take the cross out
of the scene.
And you die and face God.
It’s you and your sins
standing before Holy God.
And listen carefully, you have
no claim; you have no excuse.
You can’t come up with enough
good works that say you deserve
it because the truth
is none of us do.
But it’s Jesus and His death
at the cross that paid
your sin-debt in full.
And if you die without Him, it
will be an eternal mistake.
And I want to encourage you,
whatever adversity you’re going
through to recognize that isn’t
God being against you.
That’s God putting pressure
on you so you’ll turn to Him
and have the gift
of eternal life.
And Father, how grateful we are
that Your gift of eternal life
is large enough to include
everybody in the entire world.
And Your love is great enough
to include everybody
in the whole world.
And we humble ourselves before
You and acknowledge it’s not
because we deserve it, but
because You love us that we
have the gift of forgiveness
and cleansing.
So, I pray today for those who
are going through some adversity
in their life that their first
response or their response
having heard this will be to
turn to You and ask You to give
them wisdom to help them
understand what they’re
suffering in life.
Lord, this world is full,
filled, running over, jam, cram,
packed with adversity.
Show those of us who are
believers, followers of Yours,
how to be a blessing,
God, to those about us.
In Jesus name, amen.