At Home – by Rudy Gray

We do not like pain. It is not natural and it is not enjoyable. Something has gone wrong somewhere, somehow, some way when we experience pain. But it is often necessary.

Rudy Gray

People find themselves in painful circumstances for a variety of reasons. However, one of the reasons for our adversity may be overlooked. It could be that God has led us to a place of pain in order do something in our lives that otherwise would never be done.

Recently, I introduced Chuck Kelley, president of New Orleans Baptist Seminary, in a chapel service at Anderson University. He brought a dynamic message, but one particular point he made is certainly worth hearing.

When adversity strikes, what then? Kelley noted, “When we follow Jesus, we may not always be safe, but we will always be secure.” He then related the pain he and the seminary family experienced as a result of Hurricane Katrina. People who were led to a place by God also experienced pain. Their belongings, etc., were not safe, but they themselves were secure in Christ.

What we focus on always determines how we see something. It can be very helpful to step away from our personal circumstances and examine the marvelous power, grace, and love of God. The adage often used among exercise enthusiasts – “no pain, no gain” – can be appropriate for our maturity and development in this life, especially our spiritual life.

Job 5:6-7 presents an interesting thought, “Affliction does not come from the dust, Nor does trouble sprout from the ground, For man is born for trouble, as sparks fly upward.” Trouble is not alien to the human race, but it has never been welcomed. Sometimes we fear it. At other times, we are paralyzed by it. Still, trouble is not always a sign that a person is wrong, but that something is wrong.

Even in the midst of trouble, our Sovereign Lord remains in control of our circumstances. Christians can even become so troubled in heart and mind that they wonder if God knows or if He cares. After all, the disciples felt this way when they encountered a storm on the Sea of Galilee with Jesus asleep in the stern of the boat. But Christ never loses control of any situation anywhere – that is the truth His people must grasp.

Most successful people have had their share of failures, troubles and difficulties. Most of the outstanding saints of God in scripture lived through adversity and discovered the unchanging reality of God’s grace.

Adversity is an experience in life. Christ is our Lord for life.