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January 18, 2003
Dr. Kevin Rosado
| INTRODUCTION: When tough times come to those perceived as being either bad, evil, unfaithful, unbelievers, or backsliders, the first thought that may come to mind is that maybe God is sending them trials, or punishing them. In reality, no matter how spiritual or faithful a person is, tough times will come into everyone’s life. A well-known adage asserts: "Into every one’s life some rain must fall". Without claiming to be a prophet I’ll declare that you and I have encountered, and will continue to encounter tough times as long as life lasts on this earth. Sometimes, life may even seem like a long procession of problems. You get sick, you have no money, your car dies on you, you have problems at work, there are health problems in the family, there might be a recent death or two in the family, or a close member of the family may mistreat you. |  |
We learn from God’s word Ephesians 2:10 "We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works..."; Jeremiah 18:6 "...cannot I do with you as this potter? ...behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand..." Clay works better when it is malleable. But if you harden your self God will have to pound on you and brake you, again and again, till you can be molded into a vessel fit for heaven. Proverbs 28:14 "Happy is the man that fears always, but he that hardens his heart shall fall into mischief."
D.A. 294 "God takes men as they are, with the human elements in their character, and trains them for his service, and they will be disciplined and learn of Him. They are not chosen because they are perfect, but notwithstanding their imperfections, that through the knowledge and practice of the truth, through the grace of Christ' they may become transformed into his image."
We must grasp hold of the fact that when we go through tough times even though we don't like it, even though it's hard, even though it's difficult, in the end God is going to get some good out of that. It is because there is no other way to strengthen our spiritual muscles and really grow and develop without having something to resist. It is in those tough times we find out what we are really made of. Through those trials God is trying to refine you, purify you and clean you, he is trying to make you and mold you into the person he wants you to be. When you learn to cooperate with God, work with Him, being quick to change and correct the areas that He keeps bringing to light, then you will pass the test and you will be promoted to a new level of excellence.
D.A. 301 "Through affliction God reveals to us the plagued spots of our characters, that by His grace we may overcome our faults...the test comes, whether we will accept the reproof, and the counsel of God. When brought into trial, we are not to fret and complain. We should not rebel, or worry ourselves out of the hand of Christ. We are to humble the soul before God... His ways may appear dark and joyless to our human nature. But God's ways are ways of mercy and the end is salvation." To Job he returned 10 times more what he had after the trial. Elijah became despondent and prayed that he may die. But God in his mercy did not take him at his word... he was not to perish in discouragement and solitude in the wilderness. It was not for him to descent into the dust of death, but to the ascent in glory, with the convoy of celestial chariots, to the throne on high. Moses lost patience and disobeyed. Because of this he did not enter the promised- land, but when he learned to trust in the hardest circumstance of his life and humbly accepted God's decision, he was resurrected and taken to glory, resulting in a greater blessing.
The purpose of tough times is to bring to light things that we need to deal with. Trials will expose to us hidden flaws that otherwise would never be considered. When those testing times come, how do you respond? Do you get moody or depressed? Does it seem fairly often that you need a good cry? Do you complain, whine and gossip? Do you worry to death? D.A. 330 "Worry is blind, and cannot discern the future, but Jesus sees the end from the beginning. In every difficulty He has his way prepared to bring relief. Our heavenly Father has a thousand ways to provide for us of which we know nothing. Those who accept the one principle of making the service of God supreme will find perplexities vanish, and a plain path before their eyes". Psalm 30:5 "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning."
DEALING WITH TOUGH TIMES: I discovered, in the struggles of life, at least two things. First, God is more interested in changing me than in changing my circumstances, and secondly that most of the time we are going to be tried in the areas that we are weakest and need strengthening. If you are envious and jealous about others, God is going to make sure that you see everyone that has more than you, in order to show if you need to overcome your problems of jealousy.
I am learning and it is tough. I have two flaws that need much refinement and polishing. When it comes to myself, many a times I piddle around, and procrastinate. My character needs much improvement in this area, but I am permissive to myself. But when it comes to others, I can hardly tolerate the same faults in them, I become very impatient. When I go out I become impatient with drivers, with clerks, with cashiers, with anyone that do not do her/his work quickly and efficiently. I need much help in developing patience.
Many times when I get to the restaurant before they give me a menu, or I am asked what I want to drink I tell them that I just want water and order my food before I even sit at the table. The only reason I tell them to bring me water is to prevent them from asking me what I would like to drink. The glass stays full of water through my whole dinner, to prevent the waiter from asking me if I want more water. But it seems that the more impatient I am to get my food the longer it takes. Something happens they may not have the ingredients ready, my order was mistaken, there is a new cook who takes longer to get orders ready, or my order is taken by a brand new server, first day on the job, being trained... etc. The more in a hurry and impatient I am to get out of the grocery store, it seems as though on purpose the lane I run up to, because there is only one person ahead of me, or two, I end up discovering that the cashier is being trained, her first day on the job. The person in front of me may have 20 items that do not have a price tag, and his check, most likely is going to be rejected by the machine. They have to call the manager, but most likely she will be on her break right then.
The more in a hurry and impatient I am to go to church the longer it takes Rachel to get dress. She might not even know it but God is using her. When all these things happen to me I used to think that they were an attack of the enemy. I prayed and rebuked to no end. But eventually I have learned that these incidents are not an attack of the devil, but they are God's way of bringing to light over and over the areas where I need improvement, correction, in order to be promoted to a new level of excellence, thus he can guide me to higher success in life and use me as a more effective servant in his service.
My friends, I can guarantee you that Rachel taking a few more minutes to get ready, is not an attack of the enemy, but it is God attacking my problem of impatience. I know it is true because there are times when I am not in a hurry, and I am not impatient and she beats me in getting ready. She will be ready out in the car before me. So it is with you. These tough times you go through are only to bring to light areas where you need change, where you need polishing, where you need improvement. Whether they are wrong attitudes, wrong motives, areas where we are compromising our Christian values, impatience, anger, lack of faith, etc. God will use circumstances and people who are close to you, it may be your boss, your spouse, your children, your siblings, the elder in the church, the pastor, anything or anyone in order to help you discover where you need change and to assist you get promoted to a high level of excellence.
WASTING ENERGY: Have you noticed that we always want to change someone, or we want God to change circumstances for us to make our lives easier? It is always someone who needs to change, not us, oh! no, no... not me. Please God, change my boss, he irritates me to no end, please change my children, they are driving me berserk. You may say: "I don't know why God put me with this man, he is so lazy, insensitive, so demanding, so inadequate. Please God change my husband." Have you ever though about the fact that God put him in your life to help you refine your character. Of the fact that he is going to rub you off, and grind you like sand paper, to help you get rid of your rough edges. My friend, you may pouch, and kick, and complain, and cry, and throw a fit, get your feelings hurt, and hold resentment in, but God will not change either those people, or the circumstances until first He has changed you. You may waste your energy for 30-50 years, just to discover that your work and God’s work is to change you first before anyone or anything else. Some one may say: "I don't know why I am with this woman, she does not care. She doesn't even know how to cook. Please Lord change her into a good cook." No!!! God is not going to change her. She will continue to cook the same until at least you learn to appreciate her efforts. Change yourself, be thankful for her attempting, encourage her, make her feel good. If you are willing to cooperate with God and change your ways and your faults, you will then discover that circumstances and things are changing in the area where you are having difficulties. We want the opposite. We want things to change and then we think we will change. It will never happen this way. It is only a trick of the devil to prevent you from being redeemed and promoted to eternal life.
When we become upset and angry about our problems and react angrily at people or circumstances, stop and think what it is that needs change in your character. Are you really acting like Jesus and representing Jesus’ character? Proverbs 25:28 "He that has no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls". This can lead to serious consequences in many aspects of life not only in your relationships, but your diet and health, your productivity, your overall well-being.
D.A.310 "...those who at any supposed provocation feel at liberty to indulge anger or resentment are opening the heart to Satan. Bitterness and animosity must be banished from the soul if we would be in harmony with heaven." D.A. 311 "Satan is jubilant when he hears the professed followers of Christ making excuses for their deformities of character. It is these excuses that lead to sin. There is no excuse for sinning. A holy temper, a Christ-like life, is accessible to every repenting believing child of God." Proverbs 16:32 "He that is slow to anger is better than a mighty; and he that rules his spirit than he that takes a city!"
OUR EXPECTED ATTITUDE: Don't murmur and complain do not get discouraged when tough times come. Tough times will never last. You will need to become tough because it is only tough people who will endure forever. Adversity is put there" for a purpose. Many years ago in the North East part of the country codfish had become a very lucrative industry. Those dedicated to this type of business decided to export codfish to other parts of the country. When they shipped the codfish frozen, the fish became mushy and lost its taste. Then they went through the expense of shipping the fish in great big tanks full of fresh ocean water. Because the fish spend so much time during the shipping being inactive again their meet became mushy and lost its taste. Finally someone came up with a very brilliant idea. The codfish began to be shipped along with some catfish, the natural enemy of the codfish. Because during the shipping the codfish had to stay active and alert against attacks of their enemies, when the fish arrived and was cooked, it was just as fresh and tasty as if it had just been caught. Putting the codfish with their natural enemies in the tank solve the problem. The lesson to be learned from the transportation of codfish is that God has put adversity in your life for a purpose. To keep you alert, active, and fresh in your spiritual life.
Understand that God loves you too much to leave you alone. He will never give up on you. He is going to continue molding you and changing you as His workmanship because we are not finished, we are not complete. Take your tough times as opportunities for growth, opportunities for advancement, and the thing or the person you are fighting against the most could very well be the thing or person that pushes you in to a new level of excellence. Accept the fact that your challenges could be your greatest assets to turn you in to a tough person who will endure. It is true that we are waiting for the "sweet by and by" but we live in the nasty "here and now" where we are being trained for eternal bliss.
CONCLUSION: Stop fighting, stop complaining, without the resistance of air the eagles and airplanes could not fly, without the resistance of water, boats could not float, without the resistance of gravity you and I could not walk. Keep enduring resistance for we are promised: "weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." Psalm 30:5. Tough times will come but won't last, my dear friends, will you last?
