“We have troubles all around us, but we are not defeated. We do not know what to do, but we do not give up the hope of living. We are persecuted, but God does not leave us. We are hurt sometimes, but we are not destroyed”
2 Corinthians 4:8-9 (NCV)

The story is told of a compassionate man who once noticed an emperor moth struggling to emerge through a small hole in its cocoon and decided to assist it. He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the cocoon. The moth emerged easily, but it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. The little moth spent the rest of its short life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly. Later the man learned the struggle required for the moth to get through the tiny opening was God’s way of forcing fluid from the body of the moth into its wings so that it would be ready for flight. By depriving the moth of a struggle, he deprived the moth of health and life, and ultimately its full potential.

God can, and does, use the problems and hard times we face to produce in us something that is vital to our growth as Christians; character. When it comes to our character God depends more on circumstances, problems and hard times, to make us more like Jesus than our reading of the Bible alone. Why? Because we face life in all of its ups and downs 24/7, and God intends for us to learn through every aspect of life that we face, whether good or bad.

God intends for us to grow both in character and in our faith. 1 Peter 2:2 tells us, “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation.” It would be my guess that everyone reading this knows that a baby can only live on milk for so long, that after a while a growing child needs solid food to sustain him or her if they are going to grow and remain healthy. The same is true of our Christian lives.

When we become Christians, spiritually speaking we become babies, and as babies things are often confusing and a little astounding. With that said, God never intends for any of us to remain as babies; spiritually speaking, we have to learn to walk and talk again. God fully intends for each and every one of us to grow and according Colossians 2:19 even causes us to grow.

However, some point blank refuse or are just unwilling to allow God to take them further in their faith, and instead of developing character through whatever comes their way they develop bitterness and anger towards Him. I have heard and read stories of people who have literally given up their faith rather than soldiering on through the problems and tough times.

For some people though, though times are seen as opportunities for growth. They understand that God always intends for us to make it through whatever we may face in life. Not only that, but they understand that He will always provide enough grace, mercy, and love for them to make it.

Most people I know who have triumphed in the face of adversity have one thing in common, they held on tightly to the promises of God. In their dark times they remembered that the secret of endurance is to remember that their pain, their circumstances, are always temporary, but their character, who they are becoming, will last forever, and their reward is eternal.

An old saying goes something like this… no-one ever said it was going to be easy. It seems that hardly a year goes by that we don’t have to face a major issue or problem, and sometimes this life can feel like pushing a huge rock uphill. However, when I look back at the hard times I have faced I always see the hand of God providing a way for me to come through them all. Further, I know that God will always provide a way for me to endure the hard times of life, and that He will provide a way for anyone and everyone if only they would reach out and accept his provision.

Peter Marshall, a chaplain to the US Senate back in the 1940’s, once said, “When we eventually reach the goal to which we are all striving, God will look us over, not for diplomas, but for scars.” Peter Marshall as quoted in the book “A Man Called Peter” by Catherine Marshall.

Christian St John M.Div, BChM, ACS
November, 2008

Picture by E. Guinan

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