Thankful For Adversity Is This How You Expected Your Life To Turn Out?

I for one can say no, it is not how I expected my life to be but I do know that it is not the end. As children we imagine what we want to be, where we want to go and what we want to do. Growing up we start planning and mapping out our routes to get to our desired destinies, however, somehow along that route there are construction signs. We meet “Closed”... “Caution! ... Work Ahead”... “End of Road” ... and many more like those. These re-routing moments can send us into despair and we begin to do one of two things: (1) Lose all faith and hope – give up or (2) Increase our faith and hope – give up trying to understand the whys and trust God to have His perfect will manifest. 

“REFUSING TO ACCEPT ADVERSITY IS FOOLISH. AS BORN AGAIN BELIEVERS IN CHRIST JESUS, ADVERSITY IS WELL ACQUAINTED WITH US…”

Personally, I’ve been tempted to do the first option much like Job’s wife advised him to do (Job 2:9-10) but he refused and like him, I too have refused. Refusing to accept adversity is foolish. As born again believers in Christ Jesus, adversity is well acquainted with us and we need it! Why? We need adversity in our lives to push us closer to God, to get to the next level of intimacy with our Savior. It is in the midst of adversity that our faith is tested and we see the validity of our hope in Christ. How are you viewing your adversity today?

Take a moment and think of the adversity you are facing or have faced. Now, think about how you are STILL standing. You have strength enough to say “Thank You Lord.” Giving thanks to God for and in the midst of adversity is a challenge we should all accept because it opens the door to amazing joy and a deeper connection to God. It is in the moments of thanksgiving that we see God’s hand visibly moving in our lives to sustain us, deliver us, use us and improve us.


When the clouds of adversity have been moved for a time, the light of victory shines through and thus we notice that we have been given a New Beginning. Be thankful.

This was originally published in the second printed issue of Agape News in October 2014.