The Fruit of Adversity

Psalm 88 and 2 Corinthians 1:8-11.

Our western worldview teaches that adversity is bad and is occasionally deserved because of our wrongdoings. But I believe Scripture teaches something different about adversity. Here are a few things I’ve learned about the subject:

• Adversity is normal for believers (2 Timothy 3:12)
• Adversity can be fruitful (Romans 5:3-4)
• Adversity can be joyful (James 1:2-4)

Jesus faced the greatest adversity and persecution. He was despised, rejected, and suffered to the point of being crushed by God for the sins of the world (Isaiah 53:10-11). And He warned that His followers would be marked by that same adversity (Luke 21:12).

Corrie Ten Boom, a believer who stood strong amidst Nazi persecution, made great suggestions on preparing for suffering:

We need to feed on the Word of God, digest it, and make it part of our being. We need to develop a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Not just the Jesus of yesterday, the Jesus of history, but the life-changing Jesus of today who is still alive and sitting at the right hand of God. We must be filled with the Holy Spirit. This is not an optimal command of the Bible, it is absolutely necessary. We must be ready to help each other and encourage each other … The fruit of the Spirit should be the dominant force of every Christian’s life.

I’ve experienced the adversity Jesus prophesied, and it produced amazing fruit in my spiritual journey with Jesus  - including drawing me to utter surrender and dependence on God.

Father, thank You for using the adversity we face on earth to draw us into a deeper, more abiding relationship with You. Amen.