Adversity - The Purpose...

Adversity changes us -  is what shapes the knew us, the better us if we allow it to.   We as humans are always trying to stay comfortable, we are always trying to avoid adversity.    I am one who has tried this more than anyone to stay happy and comfortable in life -  I know.  I don't like to be uncomfortable, or sad or unsure of what is going to happen next....I don't think I'm alone in this.

Someone once said: 
"Life begins at the end of your comfort zone" (Neale Donald Walsch)

The next step in facing adversity is to realize these things:

1. Difficulties, trials, adversity is normal, expected and purposeful.  1 Peter 5:10
2. God will transform your life through adversity
3. Adversity is temporary. 

If you meet people who have alot of character, have rich relationships, an amazing amount of wisdom and maturity and have great influence and are inspiring to others - I can pretty much guarantee they have been through adversity and come out the other side changed for the better.

In our world instead of going through adversity and letting it change us we give up - We give up on our vision, we give up on our marriage, we give up on our close relationships and sometimes we give us on life.  Many times we are at the turning point, the point where it will get better but we give up because it is too uncomfortable.

We must overcome difficult, painful things in every season in our lives to become the people God purposes us to be - to confirm, strengthen and establish us.

We need to look at adversity differently -instead of looking at it as "this is unfair" try looking at is that "This is normal" ", "This is expected", "This is creating a purpose in me", "This is temporary"
"What does God what to do with this in my life"

Instead of God changing our outward circumstances, He is changing you (if you allow Him) -  You and I through adversity are  becoming more patient, more loving, more kind,  this gives us hope and realizing that God is working in our situation

Adversity is the unwanted and uninvited "friend" in the hands of an all knowing God - not your enemy ( as we usually view it)  It is there to reveal to us our self - dependency and pride,  give us deeper intimacy with Jesus and redirect our path to insure our greatest good and His glory - we learn to trust Gods character and His Word in all this and through all things.

1 Peter 5:10
New Living Translation (NLT)
In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.

Next Post - How to face discouragement

Some excepts from this blog was taken from Chip Ingram - "Living on the Edge"