…..The days of adversity! The days the hands of the Lord seem short and His ear feels heavy. The days the sight the blind received, the voice the dumb had, and the salvation of the poor were enough evidences of the credibility of His messiahship that John the Baptist was expected to cling to. The days “….He will never leave you nor forsake you” (Deut 31: 6), might remain the only word from Him all day long.
Oh, how I abhor the days of adversity! I detest them with every breath I take and every blood in my vein. And I guess you detest them too. And we wonder together; why then do the most High allow these days to trouble our “beautiful” life here on earth? We may never understand all the reasons why adversities are allowed to taunt us, but we do believe in the scripture that says “…that all things work together for good to them that love God….” (Rom 8: 28 KJV).
In the “all things,” are the days of adversity included? YES! The answer is capital YES.
Adversity?
Why?
How?
This is because adversity brings out our extremity. It either crushes or builds us. In crushing, it crushes to powder and leaves one sometimes in an irredeemable state, to the extent of cursing God to His face, as Job’s wife advised. And in building, it builds the formidable and the indestructible “us.” For it is here our muscles are toned and our character chiseled. Here, like a fine gold that just ended its purifying turn, we radiate the image of our Saviour. In this place we cultivate a kinder and a deeper spiritual approach to life. After this experience, we become more yielding, more attentive, more understanding, more considerate, more disposed, and more sympathetic as to “… comfort those in any trouble with the comforts we ourselves receive from God” (2 Corinthians 1:4).…….
Ever come in contact with a managing director who is humble?
A noble prize winner who is down to earth?
A famous preacher who doesn’t only appear selfless and holy, but lives it out?
A celebrity whose popularity hasn’t changed his carriage and vocabulary?
You’d better cross-check their adversity workbook. They must have scored high grades in the lessons of trials. It could be that the furnace of fire was their red carpet to the hall of fame, the lion’s den the dressing room to stardom, and the scar of the bruises such as found on the believers in the early church, badges of honour they wear.
it was such days that gave birth to the likes of Noah and his ark, Abraham and his priceless sacrifice, and Joseph and his journey to leadership. Isn’t it comforting therefore to comprehend that there is always light at the end of the tunnel, that every cloud has a silver lining? That after rain, comes sunshine, that the darkest hours of the night are closely followed by the dawn? And that at the end of every race lies a trophy? Invariably, at the tail end of the days of adversity lie all:
The light.
The silver lining.
The sunshine.
The dawn.
And the trophies.
Excerpts from Amazing Discoveries © 2017 (by Amara Ifeakor-Ezenwa)
AMARA HOPE 