ADVERSITY AND ATTITUDE

Adversity is not a very pleasant to experience. It never was, and it never is. Facing adversity is much worse than taking a bitter pill. Adversity inflicts a lot of pain, and can cause a lot of damage – physically, mentally, emotionally, economically, socially and spiritually. Also, it can, sometimes, last a long time, before it subsides.

I am reminded of an old English proverb – “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” These are wise words of wisdom and encouragement. It simply means, in other words, adversity will reveal the kind of person we are, what kind of material we are made of, and the character with which we are built.

Charles Spurgeon says – “Trials teach us what we are; they dig up the soil, and let us see what we are made of.” Daniel of old, is a very fine example of how to face adversity, and continue to walk the narrow way in the face of an adverse raging storm. He did it his whole life. One of such incident is mentioned in Daniel 6:10 – “10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.”

Daniel walked such a path because of his attitude towards God, and therefore, he could rise above the adversity he was facing. It is not some self-belief that did the trick. Rather, his firm faith in the LORD his God. Charles Spurgeon sums it up well – “If we cannot believe God when circumstances seem to be against us, we do not believe Him at all.” Daniel knew this all too well.

May the LORD help us to face our adversity with an attitude from heaven.