Growing Through Adversity

"Leaning on the everlasting arms of God..."

Deep within the valley of despair, we are often conditioned to find the green pastures of spiritual nourishment and the still waters of God's grace.  Perhaps we are never nearer God than when our hearts are heavy and our mental resources seem exhausted.  Too often, in the proud world of our own achievements, we develop an arrogance which denies the need for faith.  In the mirror of our own self-importance, we fail to see the image of God in which we were created.  How blessed we are when circumstances crush our haughty spirits and give us a realistic picture of ourselves and our world.

Although God does not cause our moments of depression, He is prepared to use them for our growth.  With whatever it takes to get our attention, God is ready to lead us on a journey of grace.  Our most profound thoughts and invigorating insights are not the product of frivolity.  In serious and solemn reaction to life's burdens, we seek the mind of Christ.  We are conditioned to think God's thoughts only when we recognize our desperate need for a divine perspective.  In humble recognition of our own inadequacies, we place our hand in the nail-scarred hand of Jesus.  From His submission to the Father, we learn the significance of our own surrender.  In His pain, we see the redemptive value of our own suffering.  In many ways, we see a cross running through the complexity of life.  Sooner or later, we all face denial, betrayal and crucifixion of one kind or another.  Life has a variety of ways of imposing its penalties upon us.

Our greatest response is to accept adversity as an opportunity to be creative and flexible.  God has equipped us with a capacity to deal with life's obstacles.  Of course, there will be times when despondency and despair are inevitable.  These moments need not be devastating, however, if we see them as a part of God's humbling process where submission and trust begin.  Our somber meditation may be a time of greater learning which leads to greater joy.