Pastor Charles Stanley once commented: “Adversity is not simply a tool. It is God’s most effective tool for the advancement of our spiritual lives. The circumstances and events that we see as setbacks are oftentimes the very things that launch us into periods of intense spiritual growth. Once we begin to understand this, and accept it as a spiritual fact of life, adversity becomes easier to bear.”1 Pastor Stanley also adds: “Adversity is always unexpected and unwelcomed. It is an intruder and a thief. But in the hands of God, adversity becomes the means through which HIS Supernatural Power is demonstrated.”2
I really appreciate Pastor Stanley’s insights into this whole area of adversity. In addition to being one of my favorite preachers Pastor Stanley has one of the most insightful quotes I have ever read that I believe is the key to handling adversity. He once said: “Obey God and leave all the consequences to Him.”3
As Christians we are certainly not immune to having adversity hit us. In fact, if you are really serving Jesus adversity is inevitable. Since God is sovereign and often allows adversity into our lives, I have learned in my Christian walk to trust God and know that He is going to use the often negative short term consequences into a long-term blessing. I have also learned that adversity, problems, and trials are often opportunities to bring God glory through my obedience and perseverance.
I pray that the following quotes will help you to see that adversity for the Christian can often be viewed as a friend and not a foe.
“Comfort and prosperity have never enriched the world as much as adversity has.”4 – Billy Graham
“I’ve never known anybody to achieve anything without overcoming adversity.”5 – Lou Holtz
“Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.”6 – Helen Keller
“God never uses anyone greatly until He tests them deeply.”7 – Aiden Wilson Tozer
“All the world is full of suffering. It is also full of overcoming.”8 – Helen Keller
“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”9 – Winston Churchill
1 150 QUOTES BY CHARLES STANLEY [PAGE – 4] | A-Z Quotes (azquotes.com)
2 150 QUOTES BY CHARLES STANLEY [PAGE – 5] | A-Z Quotes (azquotes.com)
3 150 QUOTES BY CHARLES STANLEY [PAGE – 3] | A-Z Quotes (azquotes.com)
4 ADVERSITY QUOTES [PAGE – 2] | A-Z Quotes (azquotes.com)
5 ADVERSITY QUOTES [PAGE – 2] | A-Z Quotes (azquotes.com)
6 TOP 25 OVERCOMING ADVERSITY QUOTES (of 221) | A-Z Quotes (azquotes.com)
7 TOP 25 OVERCOMING ADVERSITY QUOTES (of 221) | A-Z Quotes (azquotes.com)
8 OVERCOMING ADVERSITY QUOTES [PAGE – 5] | A-Z Quotes (azquotes.com)
9 OVERCOMING ADVERSITY QUOTES [PAGE – 5] | A-Z Quotes (azquotes.com)
“Since God is sovereign and often allows adversity into our lives, I have learned in my Christian walk to trust God and know that He is going to use the often negative short term consequences into a long-term blessing.”
Exactly! This is why I do not hold to “the world is waxing worse and worse” doctrine. You know, “it’s all going to hell in a hand-basket” mantra that plagues the church.
It’s this “long-term” perspective God’s people must have. Yes, there’s no question evil is pounding this world today but not with the same power it had before the Resurrection. Was Christ triumphant at the cross? Did Satan lose or remain the god of this world? Is the growth of God’s kingdom a failed promise or is the smallest seed and the lump of leaven expanding to fill the earth? Is the knowledge of God filling the earth like the waters cover the seas?
Can you answer the question, “In what country is the church growing the fastest?” Would it surprise you to know it’s Iran?
Christ is making His enemies His footstool every day. He said he came to destroy the works of the Devil. Guess what, He did! Like any war that is won, we are in the mop up phase as Victors.
The Bible quotes depicting the victory of God’s kingdom could go on and on. Not even the gates of hell will prevail.
We need to stop getting our theology from the newspapers and evening news and start a Berean search of the Biblical perspective that always places the “negative short-term” in the larger context of “long-term blessing.”
A few quotes that herald this perspective:
“There is one taste of paradise on earth, which is to fight in a losing battle, and then not lose.” Chesterton
“The kingdom of God advances from triumph to triumph with all of them cleverly disguised as disasters.”
“Christendom has had a series of revolutions and in each one of them Christianity has died. Christianity has died many times and risen again; for it had a God who knew the way out of the grave.”
Chesterton
As Spurgeon said, “If we cannot believe God when our circumstances appear to be against us, we do not believe in Him at all.”
Charles Spurgeon once said that when God begins to work, it always looks more like an undoing than a doing.
One of the greatest gifts that God has given to us is the future.
“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” (1 Cor. 2:9)
And last but not least,
“Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.”
1 Corinthians 3:21–23
“Things present” and “Things to come” belong to the Christian. That’s “short- term” and “long-term.”
This post helps me understand why I had the adversity of terrible headaches for 29 years, so God could perform a miracle on me.
Thanks!
Elaine