what He has planned for us.
So I suppose it won't make sense if I complain?
Why does it have to be so hard!!?!!!
2006-09-02 12:26:37 · 14 answers · asked by Dan 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Without warning, adversity strikes. Hours before, your world was a placid cove of tranquillity; now it resembles a raging sea. Twelve-foot waves of emotional unrest sweep through your mind, and hurricane-force winds tear at the protective barriers of your heart.
Had you known of its coming, you would have braced yourself for the siege; but adversity rarely announces its arrival. Instead, it attacks with fury through trial, heartache, or an emotional setback.
Adversity hands out pink slips at the office, delivers the untimely news of a loved one's death, underscores the crushing reality of a mate's betrayal, and drives the reality of terminal illness home to the waning heart. None of us know how or when adversity will come. Yet we all know at some point in life each one of us will face the acid test of adversity. The question becomes not when will adversity strike, but how do we handle its gripping reality?
There is Always A Purpose for Adversity
There are two sides to adversity. One side is positive and stimulates spiritual and emotional growth; the other carries the potential to defeat and destroy us. The apostle Paul gives us an example of the adversity in his life and how he learned to respond to its presence.
The Lord had given Paul a tremendous revelation of truth. He also allowed the apostle to suffer excruciating pain.
"And because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me—to keep me from exalting myself!
"Concerning this I entreated the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He has said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.' Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
"Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong."
2 Corinthians 12:7-10
No one knows the type of adversity that touched Paul's life. What we do know is that it was distressful. Paul tells us he beseeched God through prayer and fasting on three separate occasions for its removal. Yet, in wisdom, God allowed it to remain. Realizing that the Lord never allows anything to touch our lives outside of His perfect will, we can be assured that any suffering or disappointment has a purpose.
In Paul's case, the purpose was to maintain a point of humility. God had revealed a tremendous amount of spiritual knowledge to the apostle. The tendency for many of us would be to become proud over such wisdom. Paul knew that adversity facing him would ultimately keep him dependent on the sufficiency of Christ and not on his human ability. The ultimate goal of adversity is to increase our trust level in God by keeping us focused on His ability. When we turn to Him in overwhelming situations, He promises not only to become our strength but the basis for our peace.
It is for all of us my friend. When a person focus' on the soultion, rather than the problem itself, it is then....we have overcome it. YOU will come out..a better more spirit filled person.
Great Q* .Have a nice weekend.
.
2006-09-02 12:39:18 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 1⤋
I'm sorry you struggle so deeply with your faith and sexual orientation. What a tough battle, and I can only hope you find peace one day. Christians didn't take God away from you. I'm sure you've heard the bible versus and what not that define homosexuality as a sin, so there is no need to get into all that. You are God's child like all of us and deserve a fighting chance. You have a heavy cross to bear and it will probably be a life long struggle. Take up your cross, embrace it and know that the suffering you do here on earth will only reap greater rewards in heaven. God has a specific plan for all of us, and it is up to us to do the best with what we have been given. Pray and when the cross gets too heavy to carry ask God to help you. He's there beside you every step of the way, even if you don't always hear Him. God Bless.
2016-03-27 04:47:15 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Adversity is like the refiner's fire making us into pure gold. You have to remember that this world is not your home. We live for eternity. Our time here is spent becoming more like Christ. Adversity causes us to turn to the Lord and press our way through. We are not to get comfortable with the world or we will be distracted from our purpose. And yes, it is o.k. to complain as long as you tell God how you feel and in the end trust and praise him as David did in the Psalms. He remembers that we are indeed flesh.
2006-09-02 16:18:35 · answer #3 · answered by n 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
LIFE is about surviving long enough to procreate successfully. And that is hard for any and all organisms to do. It requires complex solutions to a whole range of problems that the circumstances of the environment create. Yet despite these adversities, life goes on. Complain all you like, it won't change a thing. As won't believing in an irreconcilable idea of a god who, while on one hand is said to be pure in Love and Truth, then dicks about with you by lying to you about the very nature of your existence on the other. Go figure! Can't have it both ways.
2006-09-02 12:43:06 · answer #4 · answered by blank 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Maybe this will help:
But as it is written: “ Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.
1 Corinthians 2:9
2006-09-02 14:57:46 · answer #5 · answered by Oracle 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I believe God does things to get our attention sometimes because he wants us to do better and live a more spiritual life. Yes, life is hard most of the time, but if you look around you, he has given you so much to be thankful for. I bet you have many blessings. He is always there for you, he will never forsake you, just have faith and trust in him. He has helped me in so many ways that I can't even begin to list them all. I have been way down and thought I would never get back up, but he helped me and I am here today, thankful for Him and all my blessings. God Bless you.
2006-09-02 12:34:35 · answer #6 · answered by jjenkinskelso 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I wonder why people who disapprove of religion are hanging out in the RELIGION section!!
Anyway, while yes adversity makes us stronger, don't forget that God has also given us many tools that will help us through it! Friends, family, church, work, etc.
2006-09-02 12:32:31 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Yes, adversity does make us stronger. But I doubt that religion is behind all aspects of it.
2006-09-02 15:33:09 · answer #8 · answered by StolenAnjel 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
God is trying to make your soul pure like gold. Gold must be purified through intense fire. Therefore you must indure intense struggles in order to help purify your soul. I heard it said, God gives us mountains so we can learn to climb.
2006-09-02 14:48:45 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
even job complained, it is part of Gods plan I try not to question. he has a plan and purpose for all we jus thave to be pateint.
2006-09-02 12:36:16 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋