“Sometimes adversity builds up the body of Christ. We might think it would have the opposite effect — that difficult circumstances create setbacks and cause people to shy away from their faith — but adversity often strengthens committed believers by clarifying their focus and reinforcing their resolve.”- Chip Ingram
“Most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear.”- Philippians 1:14 (NASB)
As Chip Ingram moves on in Chapter 3 of I Choose Joy, he discusses Paul’s use of Exhibit B in support of his thesis statement.
Exhibit B: The church grows strong. Next, God strengthened the church through Paul’s imprisonment. During this time, the church in Rome faced persecution. In addition, churches in other Roman cities were under great pressure. Hence, Chip observes, Paul’s example of enduring — even thriving — under pressure emboldened other Christians facing oppressive circumstances. Consequently, when the believers witnessed Paul’s continued testimony under those conditions, they gained confidence in their ability to do likewise.
Therefore, Pastor Ingram counsels:
“Whenever you find yourself telling God that He doesn’t understand the situation, prepare to be redirected. He understands perfectly well and often prefers to put you in a position of believing before understanding. . . . Paul got to a place we all need to get to: ‘Lord, my calling is yours, my reputation is yours, and my circumstances are yours.’ ”
Finally, Chip exhorts, trust that God is doing something, even when you go through times of frustration and doubt. As a result, even if you’re not in the midst of a clearly fruitful season, hold on to this thought. God is setting you up for one.
When you second-guess what God is doing, when you sense your joy diminishing and your soul shrinking, your zigzag journey sharpens your focus.
Today’s question: How does adversity help in clarifying your focus and reinforcing your resolve? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “When roots grow deep”