Tough times are bound to come. In Job 5:7, Eliphaz shares that “man is born for trouble; as the sparks fly upward.” Even though we don’t want hard times, difficult circumstances, or even unpleasant experiences, we have them. Eliphaz was sharing with his friend Job that tough times are part of the journey of life.
Rudy GrayWhat did Job learn from his ordeal and tragedy? He might have learned a number of things, but one thing I am sure he learned is that God is sovereign and man is not. During his difficulty, Job heard from his wife, his comforters, his friends – but in the end, it was the voice of God that led him forward. The process Job went through was not pleasant, but it was productive.
I am convinced Job did four things: He accepted the reality of the moment (which is essential to good mental health); he adapted to the situation at hand (we are not actually in control of much in this life, but we can be in charge of the adjustments we make); he adjusted his life to learn (disciples of Jesus, for example are always following him and learning from Him); finally, Job advanced forward in faith. He became a better and wiser person because of, and not in spite of, his tough times.
Marian Eberly reported in “Christian Counseling Today” that in a 1994 study of resilient adults, hardiness was developed in these people “because (they) were sorely tested and emerged stronger than they believed they would have otherwise. As a result, they valued life greatly. Their behaviors reflected this change.”
Tough times do not mean God does not love us. They do not imply that suffering is the result of wrong. Sometimes we suffer because of sin, but at other times we suffer because we do what is right. At all times, our God is sovereign over the entire process.
James 1:2-4 says, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
Tough times are not usually end times. They generally are passages that have both beginnings and endings. A crisis is not forever. It is a time of danger and opportunity. People are far more likely to make life changes during, or because of, a crisis than at any other time in life. Behind every crisis is a great God who is never in a crisis. He is always at work in his world and in the lives of his child. He is always in control. Tough times do not destroy. When seen rightly, they are the tools of God to help us build a stronger faith.