Shining In Adversity

I got to spend this weekend with my Dad.

We talked about adversity. As you know he is fighting pancreatic cancer.

He has not once questioned God about his pain and his possible form of exit from this world into the next.

I have been thinking about troubles...sometimes what seems to be extreme troubles that people go through. I believe that a majority of time the troubles come by our own hands. We are suffering the consequences of our own actions....yet God get's in the middle of it and we learn.

I am firmly convinced that a god that is so detailed as to know the very number of hairs on a persons head is also God Almighty whom directly or indirectly guides every happening in our lives. My experience, powers of observation and the very Word of God tells me that He works best in us through adversity.

It seems to be the only time we are willing to pay attention. I pray that whenever I suffer adversity that it will bring glory to God. And that I don't embarrass myself, but even more so, it does not bring a reproach on the Gospel.

For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of...
2 Cor 7:10

In other words, godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret.

Sometimes it is to bring about repentance...other times it is a shaking to produce sanctification in the behavior of the Christian.

And let us not forget that it sometimes has nothing to do with you, but has something to do with someone observing you. In other words, glory is brought to God teaching a person through another person's adversity. It is all for His glory...and believe it or not, our benefit.

Everything is geared to the gospel....the good news.