Advancing Through Adversity

Adverse circumstances have descended upon multitudes of people around the world because of the Coronavirus pandemic.
 
You and I are feeling anxious, wondering what is going to happen next. We feel stuck or stalled in life while we wait out this deadly disease that is stalking the earth.
 
Without question, you and I are certainly facing significantly adversity.  
 
But imagine a day like this.  
 
You get up, eat breakfast, brush your teeth, drive to work and do your job. Then people you care about mercilessly pummel you with rocks. Then they drag your severely battered, bruised and bloodied body into a ditch outside of the city.
 
Abused. Abandoned. Alone. Left to die.    
 
Most likely you and I will never experience a day like the one just described. But the apostle Paul of the Bible did. Our scripture passage for this week reveals a serious, adverse scenario that became life-threatening for God’s chosen servant.
 
“…. they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. But while the disciples stood around him, he arose and entered the city.”  Acts 14:19-20
 

• Paul was stoned with rocks (not with wacky weed!). Big rocks. Hard rocks. Jagged rocks. Rocks that hurt. Why? Simply for preaching the Good News of Jesus Christ.

 
I am certain a physical beat-down with stones was not scheduled in the Apostles’ day-timer for that morning! So how did Paul respond to a stoning? Verse 20 states “he arose and entered the city”. Which city? The one where he had just been stoned!
 
Are you kidding me? Did you get hit with one rock too many brother Paul? Did you lose some of your marbles during the stoning? How in the world could you walk back into your adversary’s backyard? What in the world were you thinking?
 

• Left for dead, Paul plowed ahead with God’s purpose in His life.

 
Paul turned a stoning into a ministry opportunity. By the grace of God, he marched right back in to share the Rock of salvation with those who threw rocks and tossed him out of town.  
 

• Smack dab in the middle of serious personal adversity, Paul advanced.

 
 Persecution propelled him forward. Difficulty moved him to greater determination and diligence in his ministry of declaring and sharing the Good News!
 
Contrast the disciple’s response with Paul’s. They stood around. Hung out, probably sucking their thumbs and whining about their situation! Paralyzed by fear, troubled by the tribulation they had encountered, they retreated while Paul advanced. The disciples were more near death then Paul. Paul was wounded and traumatized in his body. But his ministry colleagues were troubled in their spirit.
 

• The disciples froze in adversity while Paul rose in adversity to bring glory to God

 
As Christians you and I must come to grips with verse 22, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.”  Note “many tribulations”. You and I must pass through them to enter God’s kingdom. This being true, we need to learn how to advance through adversity if we are to be victorious overcomers like Paul and our precious Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  
 
I believe it is entirely possible that Paul successfully endured a stoning because he personally witnessed Stephen’s stoning in Acts 8.  Stephen’s courageous testimony of faith and subsequent martyrdom touched Paul’s heart. The apostle was inspired witnessing Stephen advance through adversity. In Acts 9, on the road to Damascus, Paul received Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior. The same spirit of Jesus that was in Stephen also resided in Paul.
 

• When times are tough, you and I can stand around like the disciples and do nothing, Or we can rise up, take a faith stand, and do something positive and productive like Paul.

 
Advice For Advancing Through Adversity.
 

• Commit yourself completely to your calling.
• Take your eyes off your problems. Focus them on your purpose. 
• Remember that God, the Rock of salvation, is bigger than any rock-throwing adversary. 
• Resolve to move forward by faith when circumstances are pushing you backwards. 
• While others may retreat in the face of adversity, you choose to run to, not away, from the battle.
• Trust the Lord to turn a bad experience into a good one. He is an expert at that!
• Ask yourself: How can I make lemonade out of these lemons?

 
Adversity is part of life. Christians are not exempt from tough times. So when trials, tribulation, testing, challenges, difficult seasons and opposition raise their ugly heads, will you retreat or advance?
 
The current Coronavirus crisis is a test of our fortitude, our determination, our commitment to advance during this time of uncertainty, confusion and concern.  
 
Faith in Christ stands firm in the face of adversity.
 
“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing; so that also at the revelation of His glory, you may rejoice with exultation.”                                         I Peter 4:12-13
 
“Therefore, take up the full armor of God that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.”                                            Ephesians 6:13
 
“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.”  I Corinthians 15:5
 
A Word For Your Week: When the going gets tough, the tough advance through adversity to fulfill God’s will.