I just finished
reading Joni Eareckson Tada’s book, 31
Days Toward Overcoming Adversity. It is a wonderful book, full of wisdom.
She writes about our walk with God, and how we should consider the hard times.
Here is an excerpt:
“Okay, so there was
the Lord Jesus giving Paul his route. “The road I want you to take, Paul, is
the one that’s going to Rome. Keep heading in that direction no matter what.
You can’t miss it.”
With Jesus Himself as
travel agent, you’d expect a first-class trip, right? Not so. For two years on
that long road to Rome, Paul faced more than his fair share of bypasses, ruts,
hazards, and roadblocks. The journey featured constant trouble, murderous
plots, and imprisonments.
Then there was the
long detour when a hurricane tossed him around the Mediterranean for fourteen
days. Until his ship finally hit a sandbar. And broke into pieces. After which
he managed to swim to an island. After which he was bitten by a poisonous
snake. An easy road? Hey, the Roman Road was no freeway.
The tolls were
unbelievably high. And yet this was the very road Jesus told him to take! Ah,
but Paul trusted his Friend. Though the road was rugged — even vicious at times
— Paul trusted. If the Lord Jesus had set him on the road to adversity,
then he knew that, no matter what, it was the best road to heaven he could
possibly find. No matter what happened to Him — smooth passage or storm — live
or die — he was completely safe.”
It took me a long
time to realize my life would not be trouble-free as I walked with God.
Everyone in this world of sin suffers in one way or another.
As Paul says, “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." Romans 5:3-5
I take heart in the knowledge that the people
of the Bible suffered also and yet found hope in God. He is our only hope in
this world.
