Matthew 7:25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.
Problems are God’s pruning scissors. Our perspective of adversity will turn a problem into a pruning knife or a punishing rod. Pruning makes us powerful and fruitful but punishment makes us bitter and pitiful. If we look at a peril as God’s pruning process we will become prolific. Whereas when we look at the crisis as a punishment we will become resentful and rigid. An attack from the devil or a God-permitted storm will develop resolute resilience when viewed through the divine lens of God’s binoculars.
Adversities make us tenacious, resilient and fruitful. Jesus taught us a profound lesson about adversities in the parable “The Wise and Foolish Builders”. The torrents of rain came down, flash floods inundated and the ghastly gale blew against the good and the evil; on the righteous and the rebellious. The righteous that have their firm foundation on the Word of God will remain resolute and resilient but those who have their hope on shaky grounds of worldly wealth and networth will be washed away. The faith of God’s children will remain firm but faith of the ungodly will fail in adversity. Adversity reinforces our resolute resilience in the Lord.
Adversities are dark days where we cannot see the hand of God or feel His touch. While drooping in the dark we only have His Word and His promises. Resolute resilience is proven when we can hold on to God’s Word and hope beyond hope in the heartbreaking hardship.
‘God is too good to be unkind and He is too wise to be mistaken. And when we cannot trace His hand, we must trust His heart.’— Charles Spurgeon.
Resolute Resilience in Adversity:
1. Weatherproof: The capability of withstanding exposure to weather without damage. Storms are part of life. The truth in God’s Word is the weatherproof weatherboard that will protect our love, joy and trust in the Lord in adverse circumstances.
2. Waterproof: A material or fabric that is impervious to water. Doubt is like a leak in the roof. If adversity makes us question the goodness and greatness of God, our mind is not waterproofed with God’s Word. Repeat God’s promises and reiterate His goodness until the qualm disintegrates.
3. Windproof: A building not penetrable by wind. God is good all the time – period. Irrespective of what we are going through, God’s love and compassion does not change. Our faith will be windproof from the grisly wind when we know Him. Knowing His Word makes us knowledgeable but knowing His heart makes us durable. Understanding the nature of our dear Saviour Jesus is the windproof from the destructive tornadoes of adversity.
Resolute resilience is the evidence of those who know the Lord and stand steadfast on His Word in adversity.
Matthew 7:24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”
Prayer: Sovereign Lord, circumstances change, people change and a pleasant southerly wind can turn into a blustery typhoon, yet when I can’t trace your hand, I will trust your heart. Amen.
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