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Date Posted: 07:24:35 02/10/17 Fri
Author: c
Subject: How to handle adversity (excerpts from the book)

How to handle adversity (excerpts from the book)

by Charles Stanley


p 3

We cannot let our theological biases (which we all have) interfere with the clear teaching of Scripture.

p 26

Our words take a great deal more significance when they are spoken from a life filled with pain.

I can hear the skeptic now, "Are you saying that God would allow me-His child-to suffer for the sake of some unsaved person?" That is exactly what I am saying. But keep in mind, it was His Son Who prepared the way. If Almighty God saw fit to allow His own Son to suffer unjustly that we might be saved, why should we think it below us to suffer so that others might believe?

p 27

Meanwhile, news of the birth swept through the hospital. This information was of special interest to the switchboard operator in the hospital. She was not a christian. In fact, she was a cruel woman who enjoyed seeing Christians crumble. She was convinced that under pressure, there really was no difference between Christians and everybody else. When the pastor's wife called her mother to give her the news, the operator listened in - expecting the young mother to go to pieces.

p 28

The operator was shocked. But when she absorbed what she heard, she began telling everyone. Soon the entire hospital was buzzing with the story of the pastor and his wife's response.


That morning, thirty nurses from the hospital came forward receiving Christ.

p 30

Any time God bails us out of adversity - as He often does - the glory connected to that is to some degree temporary. Yet God has established a means by which our suffering can result in eternal glory, glory that exalts not only Him, but also those who suffered.

p 45

God's involvement and interest in our lives cannot be judged by the nature of our circumstances. His involvement is measured by two things: first of all, the development of our character, and second, the fulfillment of His plan.

p 51

A cursory reading would seem to indicate that the point of the parable is this: If you bother God enough, He will grant you justice. But that is not Christ's point at all. The parable is presented in such a way as to set up a comparison between an unrighteous judge and a righteous God. The point Jesus is making is this: If an unrighteous judge can be convinced to bring about justice for a widow with whom he has no relationship or invested interest, how much more confident should we be that a righteous God will bring about justice for His elect.

p 56

My friend, He understands. It is no coincidence that you are reading these lines.

p 62

Men or women who are only marginally interested in maturing as Christians will have a difficult time with adversity. Their tendency will be to blame God and become bitter. Instead of seeing adversity as something God is trying to do for them, they will see it as something He is doing to them. It is all a matter of priority and perspective. If our priorities are ease, comfort, and pleasure, we will have little tolerance for adversity. We will see it as an interruption rather than a part of God's plan for us.

p 63

But the truth is, God wants to use adversity you are facing right now to advance your spiritual growth.

p 64 - 65

There is nothing joyous about trials in and of themselves. We are only deceiving ourselves when we dutifully and unenthusiastically say, "Praise the Lord," every time something goes wrong.

p 71

Why not tell the Lord, "Lord I don't like it, but by faith I rejoice that You are up to something good in my life"? Eventually you will begin to see the "good." You will begin to experience peace. You will begin to advance through your adversity.

p 75

Anyone who has done much in the way of evangelism knows what I am talking about. It is next to impossible for an unbeliever who has no pressing problem to see the need for a Savior. When everything is going fine, why mess it up with God? Why think about death? For that matter, why even worry about tomorrow?

But come back to that same man or woman following an experience of adversity and you will find a completely different attitude. What was of little concern has become the only concern. What at one time was of great importance holds no attraction at all. Suddenly, God has the individual's attention.

p 80

Whatever your circumstances may be, rest assured that God does not do things without a purpose. If He has allowed adversity to enter your world, He has something exciting in store for you!

p 83

Despite the mental picture this term (scourging) must have conjured up, the author of Hebrews felt at liberty to use it when referring to the discipline of God. This is a very sobering thought - or at least it should be. We are not talking about a little whipping here. This is serious!

p 87

He wants to build into our experience a hatred for sin similar to His own - a hatred that will cause us to separate ourselves not only from the practice of evil, but from the very appearance of it as well.

p 93

As time goes on, however, and these surface issues are taken care of, God sees fit to begin working on those things that are not so obvious.

p 94

Making us aware

The winds of adversity blow off the surface issues and force us to cope with things on a deeper level.

This is never any fun. It is not the kind of spiritual growth we look forward to or pray for. But during these times of self-examination, we make the greatest strides forward in our relationship with God and others.

p 97

Therefore, the sooner God reveals these things to us, the better.

p 98

Adversity removes the cloak or "what we are supposed to be" to reveal the truth of what we are. And as painful as it may be, it is only then that God can complete what He has begun.

p 105

The Downside

God is not the only One Who recognizes your potential. satan sees it as well. he loves to take a person's success and use it against him or her. he takes great joy in convincing preachers, teachers, and singers that they really are as "wonderful" as people say. he specializes in developing a haughty and critical spirit in those who see prayer as their calling, people who say, "I bet the preacher doesn't even pray as much as I do." he is an expert at confusing counselors as to the source of their insight. satan knows that nothing forfeits a man's or woman's usefulness to God like pride. No other sin neutralizes a ministry as quickly as pride.

p 108

As painful as it may be, adversity is an expression of God's love. By working to conquer your pride, God works to preserve your potential and your life. Pride is always followed by destruction of some kind. It could be the destruction of your family, your career, or your very life.

p 116

One of the best ways for God to show forth His power is to manifest it through an otherwise weak or handicapped vessel.

p 118

He wants believers who grow accustomed to weakness, but who draw daily upon the sufficiency and power of Christ!

p 121

One of the primary reasons God allows us to face adversity is so that He can demonstrate His faithfulness and in turn increase our faith.

p 128

At no other times are we forced to depend so completely upon the mercy and grace of God. And it is only after we are driven to rely upon His sustaining power that we know it to be adequate; and it is only then that we know in our experience that He is faithful.

p 135

God is in the business of developing comforters. And the best comforter is one who has struggled with pain or sorrow of some sort and has emerged from that experience victorious through the comfort of another.

p 152

He wants you to entrust your life, your future, your possessions, your relationships, your all to Him. And then just when you think all is lost, He wants to replace what He has taken, not with things, but with Himself.

p 162

Paul discovered what many believers miss throughout their whole lives. That is, God's power is most evident to us when we are weak. It is most evident then to others as well. Paul understood he was far more effective when forced through weakness to rely on God's power through him, and so he says he gladly boasts about his weaknesses.

p 163

Many Christians have the idea that if they pray enough and believe enough, they can force God's hand; they think He will be compelled to remove their adversity.

p 166

Contentment is available to all of us, regardless of our circumstances, if we will only commit our lives to the purposes and plan of God.

p 167

Your mission in life is to bring glory to God through the spreading of the gospel of Christ.

p 174

There have been times when I felt as if I were on a Ferris wheel. Round and round I would go, experiencing the same hurt over and over again. "Lord," I would say, "what are You doing? I've already been through this." It was as if He said, "You're right, and when you respond correctly, I'll let you off."

God wants to use our pain and sorrow for something positive. When we respond incorrectly, we can rest assured He will devise another way to give us a second or third chance to handle it right.

p 175 - 177

The Right Response

The following are some steps I have found helpful in dealing with the consequences of sin.


1. Assume the responsibility.


2. Confess and repent of your sin.



To confess is to agree with God.


3. Do not complain

Use your energy to get things right with God.


4. Ask God to help you discover the weakness through which sin crept into your life.


5. Recognize that God wants to use this adversity in your life.

Tell Him, "Lord, I know that I am suffering because of my own doing. But I trust that You will use this time of adversity to deepen my faith and strengthen my commitment to You."


6. Thank God for not allowing you to get by with your sin.

True repentance is followed by genuine gratitude.



No one enjoys adversity. But you can and should be grateful for what adversity accomplishes.

p 177 - 181


You know that if God is behind it, He is going to use it for your good. If satan is behind it, you know he works under God's supervision.

You may think, But shouldn't I resist the devil? Shouldn't I stand up against him with Scripture and prayer? Absolutely - when he comes at you with temptation. For you know that God has no part in tempting you. But we're not talking about temptation. The focus is adversity, unexpected tragedy, and suffering. When these things occur, and you are sure it is not the direct result of your sin, here is how you should respond.


1. Reaffirm your position in Christ.

You can say something like this:

I know that I am a child of God. I am saved. I have been placed in Christ. I am sealed with the Holy Spirit.....Nothing can touch me apart from what my loving Heavenly Father allows. All things will work together for my good since I love God and have been called according to His purpose in Christ Jesus.


2. Ask God to remove the adversity from your life

But it is best to ask after we have regained some perspective.


3. Reaffirm the promise of God's sustaining grace.

Admit right up front that you do not have the power to withstand the pressure. Cry out to God for mercy. He will hear you. His grace will be sufficient moment by moment to get you through.


4. Thank God for this unique opportunity to grow spiritually.

You are not simply to endure suffering, you are to grow and mature through it. From the very outset you must look for the lessons God wants to teach you. The best way to develop this attitude is to thank Him every day for the spiritual growth He is bringing about in your life.


5. Receive adversity as if it were from God.

As long as you are able to believe that God is involved in the adversity you are facing, you will have hope. Regardless of who initiated it, God is in it! And if He is in it, His grace for you will be sufficient....As long as you respond as if it were from God, you will come out winner.


There will be those initial moments of shock and confusion. But the man or woman who has God's perspective on this life and the life to come will always emerge victorious!

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