2 Peter 4.12
“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.”
Before moving on in our study of Galatians, I want to share this core spiritual discipline: When it comes to adversity for a follower of Christ, the message is this: Don’t be surprised. Be prepared.
This is the message in the 2 Peter passage above. I am amazed at how clear and straightforward this passage is, and yet how many Christians are surprised when they experience adversity. It’s an uncomfortable truth: Bad things happen. It’s not a matter of whether. It’s only a matter of what, when, and how severe. But because God is loving and all-powerful, people throughout history have struggled with why the Lord allows bad things to happen. Why does a loving, all-powerful God allow suffering and pain?
The primary stumbling block in answering this question is the self-oriented assumption (and expectation) that God should exercise his love and power to protect us from bad things. We have the extraordinary benefit of a God who has spoken, who has communicated to us through the verbal propositions of scripture. In the pages of scripture, the Lord gives us truth about himself, truth about the world he created, and truth about our place in the world.
Scripture tells us why bad things happen: God created the world, created man in his image, and placed man in the world to have dominion. As part of the image of God, God gave man the ability to choose. When God completed his creation, he called it good (Genesis 1 & 2). Unfortunately, man made the choice to reject God’s authority. The consequence was that sin and death entered the world. As a result of man’s rebellion against God, the world was no longer good. It was “broken.” From this point onward, man no longer lived in a perfect world. He lived in a world where bad things happen. (Genesis 3)
Many people want to debate the details of Genesis 3, but scripture makes it unequivocal: Man’s sin created the fallen world. Could God have prevented it? Yes, but then man would not have had free will. Remember, God created a cause-and-effect world where choices have consequences. Man chose badly, and there were negative consequences.
The good news, of course, is that God has made provision for man’s sin through the sacrificial death of his Son. “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23). However, the bible communicates that when we trust in Christ, the Lord does not take us out of the broken world; rather, he redeems and transforms us so that we can live as his ambassadors in the midst of the broken world. And that means that Christians will continue to experience trials, difficulties, and adversity.
“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.'” (John 15:18-20)
The Lord did not save you to take you out of the broken world. He saved you to send you into it. When Christ returns he will heal the brokenness of the world, but in the meantime he calls you to live and work in a way that displays the reality of Christ in your life. That includes how you respond to adversity.
When most people experience hardship, they are resentful and angry. And their resentment and anger is often directed toward God. This is the “Why me?” reaction, usually followed by “how could God allow this to happen?” Committed Christians respond differently. When they experience adversity they aren’t resentful, they are thankful. This is because committed Christians understand the nature of life in a broken world. They are aware of the nature of the mission. They know that the Lord has saved them from the fallen world and then sent them back into the fallen world as his ambassadors.
Those who are truly and deeply committed to Christ understand that navigating adversity is part of the mission they are called to fulfill. Adversity and challenging situations are simply part of the assignment. Christians — at least genuinely committed Christians — have a mindset similar to Navy SEALs. They train and prepare for success in response to very difficult circumstances.
When you experience adversity, don’t be surprised. Be prepared. When you experience hard times, do not follow the path of anger or resentment. Follow the path of faith. The Lord knows your circumstances; he knows the challenges you face, and his message to you is this: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)
