Everyone
can tell a story about "hard times." We've all had them.
And if you've not had them, trust me, you will. Hard times will come,
no matter your station in life, no matter the number of glistening
silver spoons in your mouth and no matter your piety.
We all bemoan such times. We all weep and complain and sigh and
cry, wishing for the "good times," wishing for ease of life.
We all want the "good life," the "easy times."
It's human nature to want such pleasures in life. Indeed, some have
made it a life long quest. H. L. Menken perhaps gave the best image
of what lurks in the minds of most when he said: "The most valuable
of all human possessions...is the reputation of being well to do.
Nothing else so neatly eases one's way through life, especially in
democratic countries."
We lust for an image of wealth and power, if we can't have
the actual wealth and power, for ultimately, our goal is to
make our way through life an easy passage. We seek "connections"
and "friends in high places," all in an effort to
make the path smoother. Alexander Pope, narcism dripping from
his words, once said: "Get place and wealth, if possible,
with grace. If not, by any means get wealth and place."
And oh, we strive with majestic effort to escape hard times
in our quest for wealth and place. But once obtained, some come
to know that life's hard times are inescapable. As one wise
man wrote: "It is only when the rich are sick that they
fully feel the impotence of wealth." Charles Colton (1825).
Sadly, those who have chosen to escape the hard times oft falter
and stumble worse than others when ill winds finally do blow.
If you follow along, I'll show you why.
First, I want to make a suggestion to you. It's something
of a radical proposition. Oh, it is not new. But for some it
is completely foreign and unthinkable. It is a suggestion that
will curl the lip with contempt by some. It is a suggestion
that flies in the face of conventional thinking. It is a suggestion
that defies human logic.
But it is a suggestion that, if taken as true, can truly change
your life. It is this:
It is the hard times that buffet us
in our days upon this earth that strengthens us and enables
us to survive and renders us useful in a substantive fashion
to man and God.
Follow with me and I'll make the case.
All of
nature teaches us that substantive growth occurs with resistance.
Take
any plant species and follow the intricate pattern from seedling to
maturity and you will see a process that begins with a seed breaking
down and literally, "dying," and reforming its composition
into something completely different than when it was laid in the ground.
There has to be a breaking of the shell of the seed and a decomposition
wherein the component parts of that seedling interact and merge to
form a new life, a tree, or a stalk of corn, or a stalk of wheat,
or whatever it has been designed to become. An oak tree is an excellent
example of the process and the following general observations can
be made from the process of growing an oak tree:
(1) There was a death; and
(2) There was a dissolving or decomposition of the hard outer
shell; and
(3) There was the formation of something new from the mix and
mingling of the component parts of the decomposing seedling; and
(4) There was resistance which made the plant grow stronger,
making it more hardy, strong enough to obtain tensile strength to
press its way from the earth to the surface; and
(5) The plant was transformed into a young, tender plant,
soaking up the sun's rays, drinking in the moisture given by the
rains, growing all the while; and
(6) The plant was also, at times, buffeted by winds, by rain, by
the heat of the day and the cold of the nights and the winters,
enduring, but growing all the while; and
(7) As it matured, it brought forth its fruit in due season,
leaves, acorns and shade, standing strong, make strong by the hard
times.
It was not the gentle breezes that brought strength to the
branches and the stout trunk. It was the buffeting of the winds, the
constant motion of the tree which developed it, giving it tensile
strength, giving it greater strength to resist the winds and elements.
A human limb is another good example. If you leave one arm in a
sling for a prolonged period of time, it will begin to atrophy. It
will lose strength. What makes the arm strong is use, resistance,
causing the muscles to have to contract and expand, forcing blood
movement into the arm and through the body.
The human mind is no different. We've all seen those older folks
who, in life, seldom used their mental abilities other than to do
mundane chores, routine things. And when they got old, they were
robotic in their actions (I'm not talking about those afflicted with
Alzheimer's or some similar disease), unable to have challenging
thoughts or to be creative in their thinking.
It is a truth, not a cliche, when it is said: "Use
it or lose it."
Examples of nature could be brought by the hundreds to
illustrate the principles I've outlined here. But I think one of the
best examples is rock.
Ever think about the fact that we collect polished rocks, not
the rough, unfinished rocks? We want weathered rocks, worn smooth by
time, by strange waters, scoured by billions of specks of sand. They
fascinate us. We marvel at their beauty.
Diamonds are not sold to the masses "in the rough"
because it's true beauty is hidden. We want them shaped and polished
and sparkling. The beauty of diamonds and amber and gold and opals and
all the precious stones came from the fires they went through. Without
the fires, they'd be dull, grey or brown pebbles on a beach.
You may be in a difficult time in your life right now. What
should you do? Well, learn to bend with the wind. Learn to resist its
power. You may be in the fire right now. Endure. Be patient. Accept
this as something good, not bad.
You
say, "Well, you don't know what I'm going through. I'm being
divorced." Oh, well did God divorce you? Has God left you? Has
God lied and left you when He said in the Book of Hebrews Chapter
13, verses 5 & -6: "Let your conversation
be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have:
for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. {6} So
that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear
what man shall do unto me."
Or, some would say: "I just learned I have cancer and my
life is just about gone." Or, "I lost my job, my home, my
health and even my friends have deserted me."
Oh, and what right do you have to your life? Is not your life
hid in Christ as it is written in Colossians 3:3-4: "For
ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. {4} When Christ,
who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in
glory."? If God is our only life, what right have you to
claim it? Is not your life in the hands of the Creator? Is not the
life you have given you of God? If so, then what claim have you? As it
is written: (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) What? know
ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you,
which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? {20} For ye are bought
with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit,
which are God's.
And what right have you to a life of ease, one without pain,
without grief? Listen to this:
Hebrews 11:35-40: "Women received
their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not
accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
{36} And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea,
moreover of bonds and imprisonment: {37} They were stoned, they were
sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered
about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted,
tormented; {38} (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in
deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. {39}
And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received
not the promise: {40} God having provided some better thing for us,
that they without us should not be made perfect."
Do you understand that if you say you are a Christian, you
belong to God? Do you understand the significance of that fact? Look
at it this way:
Imagine that you see the most beautiful diamond ever made. And
further imagine that there is this person who owns it and guards it
called Superman. What chance have you of getting that stone from him?
Slim? Next to none?
Well, did you read that verse in I Corinthians 6:20? Let me
refresh your memory. It is vital that you understand the significance
of this verse. It says: "{20} For ye are
bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your
spirit, which are God's."
What was that price?
It was a price incalculable. I cannot even imagine it. God
Himself came down and decided to robe Himself in the garb of poor
humanity. Ah, but more than that, this God, this Creator of the
universe, this same God became a servant of mankind. That's right. A
servant. He came to serve us. Ah, but that's not the whole story. This
God, this Creator, this God with All-Power came to die a cruel death
as a convicted criminal, shamed before all of humanity. But that's not
the end of it. That's not the part that is so incalculable.
This God, in the form of Jesus Christ,
came and pled guilty in the sight of God and mankind to the sin of
murder, child molesting, and every evil done under the sun.
And God the Father pronounced Jesus Christ guilty.
Jesus Christ, the One who knew no sin, became sin for us. As it
is written in 2 Corinthians 5:21: "For he
hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made
the righteousness of God in him." And again, in Hebrews
9:27-28: "And as it is appointed unto men
once to die, but after this the judgment: {28} So Christ was once
offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him
shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation."
And the Book of Romans 4:25, says, of Jesus Christ: "Who
was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our
justification. {Romans 5:1-2} Therefore being justified by faith, we
have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: {2} By whom also we
have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in
hope of the glory of God."
Do you realize that whatever you have done in life, whatever
terrible wrong you did, Jesus accepted the penalty for that sin and
was judged for that sin in your place? Do you understand that when
Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, he was in agony. Ever wonder
why? Surely you don't think it had to do with the physical pain he was
about to endure, do you? Look at the picture God drew for us of this
event of Jesus praying in the garden in Luke 22:42-44: "Saying,
Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not
my will, but thine, be done. {43} And there appeared an angel unto him
from heaven, strengthening him. {44} And being in an agony he prayed
more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood
falling down to the ground."
Jesus Christ had a dread of the cross. His dread came from
knowing that He was about to become sin. He was sinless. He was
perfect. But in the eyes of God, Jesus Christ was about to become
guilty of adultery and murder and all manner of sin. That was
something so horrific, He wept and agonized before God, needing to be
strengthened by an angel sent by the Lord.
AND YOU DARE CALL YOURSELF LESS THAN PRECIOUS IN THE SIGHT OF
GOD?
How dare you? How can you cast such a dispersion on the holy
work of Jesus Christ? There are two things you need to understand
here: (1) The work of God, the blood Jesus shed,
is precious: 1 Peter 1:18-19: "Forasmuch
as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as
silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition
from your fathers; {19} But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a
lamb without blemish and without spot:"
(2) You are precious in His sight.
You are His jewels, paid for by His precious blood, and in the sight
of God, a treasure. As it is written in 1 Peter 2:2-5: "As
newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow
thereby: {3} If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. {4} To
whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but
chosen of God, and precious, {5} Ye also, as lively stones, are built
up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual
sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ."
So you see, Jesus and His sacrifice is precious in the sight of
God and you, as a living stone, a jewel, are precious in the sight of
God.
How can you believe therefore, that because you are in hard
times, that God doesn't love you or has forgotten you? Why would you
seek to make God a liar? Why would you seek to diminish the
preciousness of the work of God?
You are part of that work!
Do not despair. Do not quit. Do not resist the hard times. As it
is written in 1 Peter 1:6-7: "Wherein ye
greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in
heaviness through manifold temptations: {7} That the trial of your
faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it
be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at
the appearing of Jesus Christ:"
It is the fire that will temper your faith. It is the trial, the
tempest, the scouring winds and driving rains of life that will raise
your faith to a giant's level. It is not the gentle breezes that will
do it. It is not the warm fires that come to you and do little more
than give you pleasure but it is the burning heat that melts the bonds
that will give you power and victory.
You will there learn of God's strength and God's power and God's
grace. It is there that you will come to understand your standing with
God, that you are precious in His sight. He has promised never to
leave you nor forsake you. Will you believe that? Then step boldly
into the flames. When the fires come, do not draw back, but know that
God, Who is the essence of good and love, is permitting someone who is
precious to Him to go through a time of pain and suffering. Don't you
think God will give you the grace to bear it? And don't you think God
thinks you can benefit from that pain? Otherwise, He would not permit
it. He can do anything. Nothing is impossible with God. He can stop
it. But if he chooses not to, will you still trust Him?
If you do, I can guarantee that you will have a reward far more
precious than a life of ease or great wealth and great
"protection" from the buffeting of life's scouring winds and
the sweeping fires. You will have a faith that produces fruit, that
helps others, that makes you strong and enables you to benefit those
who cross your path. They may rest in your shade, draw comfort from
your branches.
Sadly, some of you are on a quest to be a dull pebble on a
beach. Ask whether your goals send you away from the hard times and
towards the easy life. Is your dream the "good life," a life
of contented "basking in the sun," or lying on the beach, no
worries, no fears, plenty of money and the ability to hide from the
storms of life?
You may shine to yourself and even to some others.
But you're not very special until you've gone through the fire.
You'll not be a jewel until you've been burnished by the heat.
You'll not have true strength until you've been buffeted by the
winds of life.
You won't be food and health and life and shade to others as
they pass your way. You'll not be a way station for others to quench
their thirst. And you'll not have the magnificence of one who has
stood against the raging storms and hard times of life.
You'll be a pasty, soft piece of flesh, rotting on the bone,
sprouting early, weak and withering under the first hot sun, starving
in the dry times and falling over when the tempest blows.
How you look at your hard times is everything. You can protest
them, cry and wail, and object, and fall into depression. Or, you
can look at it as a time to grow, a time to develop your spiritual
muscles, to enlarge your faith. You can trust that God will go with
you through the hard times.
Remember, it is not the hard times that will destroy you.
It's the good times that will roll right
over you and flatten you.
The End
Copyright 2000
Voyle A. Glover
