Adversity
Colossians 3:3
For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
Adversity is something we all face, whether we believe we will or not. (Mt 24:9, Mr 4:17, Joh 16:33, Ro 5:3, Ro 8:35, Ro 12:12, 2Co 1:4) Much can be accomplished in our lives if we make the decision to not fight against that fact. Yes, we take our stand against evil and we fight the good fight of faith, but when we realize that life will be filled with hardship and trials and tribulations and we submit to God’s dealing within those things, we find a peace that passes understanding. (2Co 1:4, 2Co 7:4 , Mt 10:38) Much harm has been done by false teaching and belief systems that all adversity is evil and can be “overcome and avoided.” (Mt 13:21, Mr 8:34) This was the presupposition that Peter carried when he asked Jesus to not go to the cross. Jesus responded by saying Peter’s motivation was from Satan himself! (Mark 8:27-38) In modern Christianity our souls (mind, will, and emotions) are loathe to accept the teachings of death to self and the deep lessons of the cross. (Mt 10:38) Our souls oftentimes embrace the teaching that exalt self and paint the picture of a discipleship of ease and lack of suffering.
During adversity let us embrace simplicity of faith and trust that does not involve striving. (Mt 11:28-29, Heb 4:1-5) We must take care to instantly take every thought captive and release them to God, which is our fight of faith. We must let go of worries and restless thoughts and surrender those thoughts to God the Father. (2Co 10:5) These thoughts are the life of the self, centered in upon itself, not the thoughts of selflessness with giving and serving others. (Php 2:3) The self-life is the very thing that is causing us great pain. (Ro 8:7) For a dead thing does not suffer! If we truly walked-in revelation knowledge that we are reckoned dead and our life is hid with Christ in God, then we would no longer struggle with those pains which so easily now afflict us. (Col. 3:3, Ro 6:11) We must learn to bear our sufferings with graciousness and composure, even those sufferings through no fault of our own. (Ac 14:22, Ro 5:3 , Jas 1:2, 1Pe 1:6) Not through self-effort can this done either! If we bear those sufferings with composure worked through self-effort, we find ourselves self-congratulatory in our effort and self-righteousness is then the end result. ( Heb. 4: 1 – 11, Ro 4:5-6) This self-righteousness is sin. Sin always brings forth death and death does not work in us the life of Christ, so a destructive cycle ensues.
No, we must avail ourselves of the resurrection power that is ours in Jesus Christ and the fact that we are a new creation in Christ! This is good news indeed! We must always be aware to yield any restlessness and striving within ourselves to God who is the Father of Peace and to the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ. This yielded intimacy then conceives within us the very seed which will eventually yield the fruit of the Spirit, one of which is peace. This yielding to the spirit is done on a day by day, hour by hour, even if need be; a minute by minute basis. We can actually add to our present sufferings by adding resistance to yielding to the hand of God, by agitation and frustration brought about by unwillingness to suffer adversity. Many obsessions, sinful habits and thinking patterns are merely the attempts to avoid suffering adversity! We believe a lie when we believe we deserve, somehow to avoid adversity! (Joh 16:33) We deserve nothing from God in and of ourselves, but we get grace, forgiveness, mercy and the privilege of intimate fellowship with Him. (Ro 5:10) All else comes from His hand as a precious gift and we humbly receive it, demanding and deserving nothing else. (Ro 5:17) We are sons by His bidding and gift, not self-appropriation!
A cross which comes from God is to be taken up willingly without concern for the self-life. (Mr 8:34 ) In accepting the cross this way, we can bear it up with full peace, even though it is painful to our souls. (Lu 14:27) When we fight against our cross of suffering, it is much more painful than it ought to be! The martyr, Fenelon, states that the resistance within is much harder to bear than the cross itself. How very true! If we recognize the hand of God, make no opposition to His will, we will have peace in the midst of affliction (Fenelon). I have found joy by bearing the suffering allowed by God and by simple submission to God’s will. (Mt 10:39) That peace that passes all understanding then rules in your hearts and minds by Christ Jesus, our Master. Only when the Christ is our Master and we willingly submit in trust of His care can this happen! (Php 4:7)
I have noticed within myself a tendency to want to strike negotiations with God and drive a bargain. This is sinful reasoning! My children, when understanding they are about to receive a disciplinary action (spanking) often try to drive a bargain to lessen their suffering. “I want mommy to give me the spanking, not Daddy,” or “Can I have two swats instead of five if I agree to clean my room?” A child has no place in negotiating with a parent if true biblical honor is fully understood. We have no place to bargain with God as an equal. Do we understand the lessons of Job or the teachings of the potter and the clay? (Ro 9:21)
Do we suggest limits on God’s dealings so our self suffering can come to an end? Do we set boundaries on the amount of time we are willing to suffer adversity? Do we thwart the purposes of God by taking the attitude that we, “will allow God to deal with us, thus far and no more?” Are we stubbornly clinging to a life of self-rule?
Are we so unwilling to die by the cross provided us that we, thereby, refuse to live the resurrection life provided for us? We have no claim to our own life. Deliver us Father from the thinking that we do. Do not allow us to be unaffected by your cross and resurrection! Do not have given Your precious life blood in vain! Give me the revelation of who I really am, and who I no longer am, Father. (Lu 9:24, Col. 3:3)
Colossians 3:3
For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
Adversity is something we all face, whether we believe we will or not. (Mt 24:9, Mr 4:17, Joh 16:33, Ro 5:3, Ro 8:35, Ro 12:12, 2Co 1:4) Much can be accomplished in our lives if we make the decision to not fight against that fact. Yes, we take our stand against evil and we fight the good fight of faith, but when we realize that life will be filled with hardship and trials and tribulations and we submit to God’s dealing within those things, we find a peace that passes understanding. (2Co 1:4, 2Co 7:4 , Mt 10:38) Much harm has been done by false teaching and belief systems that all adversity is evil and can be “overcome and avoided.” (Mt 13:21, Mr 8:34) This was the presupposition that Peter carried when he asked Jesus to not go to the cross. Jesus responded by saying Peter’s motivation was from Satan himself! (Mark 8:27-38) In modern Christianity our souls (mind, will, and emotions) are loathe to accept the teachings of death to self and the deep lessons of the cross. (Mt 10:38) Our souls oftentimes embrace the teaching that exalt self and paint the picture of a discipleship of ease and lack of suffering.
During adversity let us embrace simplicity of faith and trust that does not involve striving. (Mt 11:28-29, Heb 4:1-5) We must take care to instantly take every thought captive and release them to God, which is our fight of faith. We must let go of worries and restless thoughts and surrender those thoughts to God the Father. (2Co 10:5) These thoughts are the life of the self, centered in upon itself, not the thoughts of selflessness with giving and serving others. (Php 2:3) The self-life is the very thing that is causing us great pain. (Ro 8:7) For a dead thing does not suffer! If we truly walked-in revelation knowledge that we are reckoned dead and our life is hid with Christ in God, then we would no longer struggle with those pains which so easily now afflict us. (Col. 3:3, Ro 6:11) We must learn to bear our sufferings with graciousness and composure, even those sufferings through no fault of our own. (Ac 14:22, Ro 5:3 , Jas 1:2, 1Pe 1:6) Not through self-effort can this done either! If we bear those sufferings with composure worked through self-effort, we find ourselves self-congratulatory in our effort and self-righteousness is then the end result. ( Heb. 4: 1 – 11, Ro 4:5-6) This self-righteousness is sin. Sin always brings forth death and death does not work in us the life of Christ, so a destructive cycle ensues.
No, we must avail ourselves of the resurrection power that is ours in Jesus Christ and the fact that we are a new creation in Christ! This is good news indeed! We must always be aware to yield any restlessness and striving within ourselves to God who is the Father of Peace and to the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ. This yielded intimacy then conceives within us the very seed which will eventually yield the fruit of the Spirit, one of which is peace. This yielding to the spirit is done on a day by day, hour by hour, even if need be; a minute by minute basis. We can actually add to our present sufferings by adding resistance to yielding to the hand of God, by agitation and frustration brought about by unwillingness to suffer adversity. Many obsessions, sinful habits and thinking patterns are merely the attempts to avoid suffering adversity! We believe a lie when we believe we deserve, somehow to avoid adversity! (Joh 16:33) We deserve nothing from God in and of ourselves, but we get grace, forgiveness, mercy and the privilege of intimate fellowship with Him. (Ro 5:10) All else comes from His hand as a precious gift and we humbly receive it, demanding and deserving nothing else. (Ro 5:17) We are sons by His bidding and gift, not self-appropriation!
A cross which comes from God is to be taken up willingly without concern for the self-life. (Mr 8:34 ) In accepting the cross this way, we can bear it up with full peace, even though it is painful to our souls. (Lu 14:27) When we fight against our cross of suffering, it is much more painful than it ought to be! The martyr, Fenelon, states that the resistance within is much harder to bear than the cross itself. How very true! If we recognize the hand of God, make no opposition to His will, we will have peace in the midst of affliction (Fenelon). I have found joy by bearing the suffering allowed by God and by simple submission to God’s will. (Mt 10:39) That peace that passes all understanding then rules in your hearts and minds by Christ Jesus, our Master. Only when the Christ is our Master and we willingly submit in trust of His care can this happen! (Php 4:7)
I have noticed within myself a tendency to want to strike negotiations with God and drive a bargain. This is sinful reasoning! My children, when understanding they are about to receive a disciplinary action (spanking) often try to drive a bargain to lessen their suffering. “I want mommy to give me the spanking, not Daddy,” or “Can I have two swats instead of five if I agree to clean my room?” A child has no place in negotiating with a parent if true biblical honor is fully understood. We have no place to bargain with God as an equal. Do we understand the lessons of Job or the teachings of the potter and the clay? (Ro 9:21)
Do we suggest limits on God’s dealings so our self suffering can come to an end? Do we set boundaries on the amount of time we are willing to suffer adversity? Do we thwart the purposes of God by taking the attitude that we, “will allow God to deal with us, thus far and no more?” Are we stubbornly clinging to a life of self-rule?
Are we so unwilling to die by the cross provided us that we, thereby, refuse to live the resurrection life provided for us? We have no claim to our own life. Deliver us Father from the thinking that we do. Do not allow us to be unaffected by your cross and resurrection! Do not have given Your precious life blood in vain! Give me the revelation of who I really am, and who I no longer am, Father. (Lu 9:24, Col. 3:3)
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