What are God’s purposes for allowing adversity in my life?

Understanding Adversity

Recognize and appreciate God’s purposes for difficulties

James the Apostle recommended a surprising response to troubles: “My brethren, count it all joy when
ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let
patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing” (James 1:2–4).

The Apostle Paul expressed a similar perspective on adversity: “We glory in tribulations also: knowing
that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope: and hope maketh
not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given
unto us. For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly” (Romans 5:3–
6).

These men understood that in light of what Christ did for us by providing salvation, the difficulties we
experience in this life take on new meaning. They are a means through which God works to accomplish
His will in our lives: to shape us so that we reflect the character of Christ. (See Romans 8:28–30.) On the
basis of this purpose, all adversity “works together” for our good and God’s glory.

Adversity gets our attention.

When adversity comes, we are forced to face problems and pressures that are too big for us to resolve.
In this way, God gets our attention. We can’t continue to pursue our goals, tasks, and relationships in
the same manner. We have to stop and evaluate our situation, ask God for wisdom, obey His Word, and
trust Him to bring the help we need.

Troubles point out our weaknesses and prompt us to rely on God in ways that we wouldn’t unless we
had significant needs. Christ’s invitation to those who are weary becomes very attractive in the midst of
trials: “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon
you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my
yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28–30). Adversity is a classroom in which we can learn
more of Christ and become more like Him.

As we come to God with our needs, our inward prayer should echo these words of the Psalmist: “Unto
thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies
triumph over me” (Psalm 25:1–2).
Adversity reminds us of our weaknesses.

The Apostle Paul knew what it meant to live with adversity that would not go away. He learned to see
the good that God intended to bring to his life through it and to rejoice in God’s design. He wrote: “Lest I
should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a
thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this
thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is
sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory
in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in
reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I
strong” (II Corinthians 12:7–10).

As we accept our unchangeable features and embrace God’s purposes for our difficulties, we will
experience the power of Christ in our lives. We can trust God to care for us and to provide all that we
need. “Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our
frame: he remembereth that we are dust” (Psalm 103:13–14).

Adversity motivates us to cry out to God.

God responds to the cry of His children when they suffer. “The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and
delivereth them out of all their troubles” (Psalm 34:17).

We are to cry out to God with our voice. “I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of
his holy hill” (Psalm 3:4).

We can cry out to God for mercy each day. “Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily”
(Psalm 86:3).

We are to cry out to God in humility. “. . . He forgetteth not the cry of the humble” (Psalm 9:12).

We are to cry out to God with a pure heart. “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me”
(Psalm 66:18).

Adversity is a call for self-examination.

The discipline of the Lord is a part of the life of every Christian, and adversity should motivate us to
examine our lives and discern if we are disobeying God’s Word in any area. Jesus warned the
complacent church of Laodicea, “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and
repent” (Revelation 3:19).

God’s Word should be our guide in self-examination. Many cause-and-effect sequences are recorded in
Scripture for our instruction and warning. When we experience specific difficulties in our lives, we
should discern if they are consequences of sin. The following verses are examples of the connection
between our actions and the circumstances in our lives:

“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have
mercy” (Proverbs 28:13).

“Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house” (Proverbs 17:13).

“Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18).

“Honor thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; that it may be well with
thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth” (Ephesians 6:2–3).

The observance of the Lord’s Supper is a time when God calls us to self-examination. As we regularly
remember Jesus’ sacrifice, we are to seriously consider our behavior in light of God’s Word. “But let a
man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and
drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this
cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep” (I Corinthians 11:28–30).

Adversity exposes pride.

The sin of pride is the source of many difficulties, as the following Scriptures point out:

“Only by pride cometh contention . . .” (Proverbs 13:10).

“When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom” (Proverbs 11:2).

“A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honor shall uphold the humble in spirit” (Proverbs 29:23).

“For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted” (Luke
14:11).

God detests pride, but humility prompts the gift of His grace. “. . . God resisteth the proud, but giveth
grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you”
(James 4:6–7). Hard times expose our pride, because they highlight our need for God and for others. In
the midst of adversity, seek to grow in humility, and receive God’s grace with gratitude.
ints” (Ephesians 6:11–18).

Adversity is God’s method of purifying our faith.

Faith is essential for living the Christian life, because the ways of God are opposite to the natural
inclinations of man. Thus, adversity may come at the hand of those who mock God’s principles, or it may
come when we violate God’s principles. In either case, adversity is designed to strengthen our faith.

“. . . Now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: that the trial of
your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be
found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ” (I Peter 1:6–7).

The development of patience is another benefit of having our faith purified by the fire of adversity. “. . .
The trying of your faith worketh patience” (James 1:3). It is through faith and patience that we inherit
the promises of God. Be “. . . followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises”
(Hebrews 6:12).

Adversity is a signal to reevaluate priorities.

In troubled times, we need to consider our priorities and discern if we are spending enough time
preserving the most important aspects of our lives: our relationships with God and others. We should
regularly evaluate the health of our relationships and invest the time and effort needed to maintain
them honorably.

When we do not spend time with God, memorizing and meditating on His Word, and praying, we miss
out on one of the most important means God uses to give us wisdom and to change our hearts. We also
rob others of the spiritual encouragement, direction, and testimonies we could share if we were
faithfully spending time with God.

Adversity that comes because of having wrong priorities may be the consequence of trying to do more
than God intended for us to do. “It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of
sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep” (Psalm 127:2). If we have more projects than we can
manage to do in six days, we have undertaken more work than God intended. “Six days shalt thou labor,
and do all thy work” (Exodus 20:9).
Adversity tests our friendships.

The strain of adversity impacts relationships. Hard times reveal if people want to get or to give. Fair-
weather friends won’t endure the test of trials and difficulties, but true friends will remain to offer
support, comfort, and encouragement in the midst of challenges. Proverbs 17:17 states, “A friend loveth
at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”

True, lasting friendship is described in the Biblical account of David and Jonathan. “The soul of Jonathan
was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul” (I Samuel 18:1). When
adversity shook David’s world, Jonathan could have rejected David for many reasons. Instead, he
remained a faithful friend to David until the end of his life. Jonathan befriended, encouraged, warned,
and protected David, accepting him as the one who would be the king of Israel in his place. When
Jonathan died, David was deeply grieved. “I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant
hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women” (II Samuel 1:26).