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Topic:
Adversity, Pain, And Faith
In adversity and pain, you need faith. In adversity and pain, you
need someone to believe in, to depend upon, to use as a resource, and to
supply you with power you do not normally have.
John 5:19 Jesus gave them this answer: "I tell you the truth,
the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his
Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. 20 For
the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, to your
amazement he will show him even greater things than these. 21 For just
as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives
life to whom he is pleased to give it. 22 Moreover, the Father judges no
one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honor
the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son
does not honor the Father, who sent him. 24 "I tell you the truth,
whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and
will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. 25 I tell
you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear
the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. 26 For as the
Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in
himself. 27 And he has given him authority to judge because he is the
Son of Man. 28 "Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when
all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 and come out--those
who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will
rise to be condemned. 30 By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I
hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him
who sent me. 31 "If I testify about myself, my testimony is not
valid. 32 There is another who testifies in my favor, and I know that
his testimony about me is valid. 33 "You have sent to John and he
has testified to the truth. 34 Not that I accept human testimony; but I
mention it that you may be saved. 35 John was a lamp that burned and
gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light. 36 "I have
testimony weightier than that of John. For the very work that the Father
has given me to finish, and which I am doing, testifies that the Father
has sent me. 37 And the Father who sent me has himself testified
concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form, 38 nor
does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent. 39
You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you
possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, 40
yet you refuse to come to me to have life. (NIV)
In Jesus there is life, even in adversity and pain. In Jesus, we can
believe. In Jesus, we can trust.
This gospel of John not illustrates the power available to us when
our life is broken and torn to pieces. When adversity strikes, some
people self-destruct through self-centeredness. Their self-centeredness
is the result of not having Christ in the center of their life. When
people self-destruct, both the cause of their self-destruction and the
result of their self-destruction is hopelessness caused by not having
Christ at the center of their life. Healing from our brokenness and
healing from our adversity and pain requires our cooperation and
obedience to Christ plus an acknowledgement of our brokenness. We must
recognize our brokenness in order to be able to take our brokenness to
Christ.
If these words have been a blessing, please forward them to a friend
These words were posted at one of Shepherd's Care Ministries Sites
called Wisdom Moment. This site is located at:
http://www.findthepower.com/wisdomminute
Shepherd's Care Ministries Main Site located at:
http://www.findthepower.com/ |
