Enjoy Adversity

2 Corinthians 4:8-10, “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.”

I read the above passage as part of Oswald Chamber’s Utmost for His Highest. Of it he says, “We have to develop godly habits to express what God’s grace has done in us. It is not just a question of being saved from hell, but of being saved so that 'the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.' And it is adversity that makes us exhibit His life in our mortal flesh. Is my life exhibiting the essence of the sweetness of the Son of God, or just the basic irritation of 'myself' that I would have apart from Him? The only thing that will enable me to enjoy adversity is the acute sense of eagerness of allowing the life of the Son of God to evidence itself in me.”

For so long I thought when Paul said “we” he meant himself and those who might have traveled with him. I thought the affliction he spoke of was for those called to be martyrs, or perhaps missionaries. Surely I could not be part of the “we” in light of messages of health, happiness, prosperity, success, and the like. But if you are a Christian this explains tons about why a new and sudden devotion to God seems accompanied with a spontaneous and violent reaction from hell.

Did you think you could escape it? Was your turn to Christ for relief?

One thing is for certain, obedience to God can never consider the consequences. Christ with much prayer and stress embraced the consequences of the cross. And we too have to go through life and embrace the consequences of our obedience. Oswald says to our Lord, “I am delighted to obey You in this.” Can we possibly get to this point ourselves?

We have to be delighted to have Christ “manifested in our flesh.” There is no delight in affliction on its own. There is no peace in a trial or test without some assistance. And yet with Christ, with the awareness of Him in you and you in Him there is the peace that surpasses understanding. There is almost a delight that He has brought you to this place of surrender. Again Oswald says, “Discovering a new way of manifesting the Son of God should make your heart beat with renewed excitement.”

This is not to say that we run headlong into adversity for adversity sake. We should not risk life and limb to test God. We should not borrow money period, and certainly not money we have no ability to repay. We should not tangle with outlaws. “It is one thing to choose adversity, and quite another to ENTER into adversity through orchestrating of our circumstances by God’s sovereignty.”

Is life falling apart? Do you find yourself unable to get ahead? Does something knock you down just as soon as you get up? In those moments, days, even weeks dig deep into your spirit and connect to Christ. That is what He is trying to do. He is trying to allow you to be a reflection of Him again, and again, and again in ever changing circumstances and afflictions. Time and time again we have a choice… to connect with Christ, or connect with self. Time and time again we have the choice to manifest the “sweetness of the Son of God,” or wallow in irritation of self.