How Will You Respond in the Face of Adversity?

Charles Spurgeon said, The crucible of adversity is a less severe trial to the Christian than the refining pot of prosperity. Oh, what leanness of soul and neglect of spiritual things have been brought on through the very mercies and bounties of God! 

I get what he is saying, but oh, how I long for the crucible of adversity to be a little less adverse sometimes!

After almost an entire month of caring for my mom in NY after her terrible bone-breaking fall, I am home again. I stopped off en route home to see my dear son Matt and his very caring wife who pampered me with homemade manicotti. Then Sunday afternoon, I drove home and hit an awful traffic jam. I was exhausted, darkness descended, and traffic was at a near stand-still for an hour.

I cried out to God to clear the lane, let the traffic flow at 70 mph again. Let me go home. I literally shed tears, because the month of emotional stress had drained me to the core. I just wanted to be home, sleeping in my own bed.

Finally, the line of slowed cars crawled by the source of their inconvenience. A tractor trailer was upended in a ditch. Damaged cars were nearby. Dozens of police officers and firetrucks were there.

My focus shifted.
"Lord, forgive me. I pray for the drivers and passengers in those vehicles. I pray they are all okay."

This morning, despite a huge pile of work, laundry, unopened mail, and a month of neglected duties, I will head to the sidewalks of the abortion center to speak on behalf of the unborn babies. I have seen that our Cities4Life teams have faced nasty tactics from the "pro-choice" protesters. They have blocked our sound system, taunted us, and tried to drown us out and block our message.

It is not pleasant, but I know that God cannot be thwarted. Job 42:2 says: I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted. Isaiah 14:27 says: For the LORD Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?
Proverbs 19:21 reasserts: Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. 

We WILL face adversity, but that doesn't mean God has been derailed. God's purposes WILL prevail.  In the face of that truth, we have a choice. Adversity will come to all, whether we choose it or not. Ultimately, we can join God, despite the pain and struggle of life, or we can oppose Him. One will lead ultimately to abundant eternal life, the other to eternal despair.

I choose life.
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