ABC’s of Spiritual Growth: Adversity Builds Character

Adversity can be used to build character. It is not necessary, however, to seek adversity to self-build character. Live life and challenges will find you.

Character in adversity shows upon whom you rely and what you believe. God allowed the children of Israel to go into the desert and suffer adversity: not to let them suffer but to show them what was in their hearts. (Deut 8.2).

Jesus said fear not. Everyone suffers. It is common to man. If this world was designed to be a spa or vacation resort facility, God would never have told Adam that Adam was required to tend, dominate, rule, prosper, and multiply Adam’s work in the garden in Eden. There is work to be done; some of it laborious, some of it will be adverse at times. Fear not, Jesus has overcome the world. In other words, there is a way out or through. Persist.

Your character is developed by what you are willing to persist through. If nothing, then you will have a weak character that cannot bear any strains. If your character is tenacious, you will persist through what you need to persist through.

No pain, no gain. In the world of athletics and bodybuilding, the truism is ‘no pain, no gain.’ Muscle is the only machine I know of that gets better and stronger the longer and more often you use it. Character is along those same lines. The proof of one’s character is in the adversity they have seen, walked through, and came out on the other side with a testimony.

‘They overcame him (the Devil) by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony.’ We do not have an ‘out.’ We have an expectation, according to what John saw on the island of Patmos. Challenges in life will come. It is common to man. Adversity does not have to destroy us. Adversity can be used to build us up toward our purpose. We are more than conquerors through Christ Jesus. Jesus is our strength. Jesus will not leave us as orphans. He is there with us, pulling our yoke, our burden, our problems, with us. Jesus asks us to take His yoke instead. It is lighter and easier than ours. Jesus will aid us through the adversity, the challenge, the life’s difficulty.

We are not exempt from adversity, challenge, or life’s difficulty. We have a grace (gift) through Jesus Christ that makes our adversities easier. Only … only if we let Jesus be Lord as well as Savior of our lives. Then, victory is assured. Your co-laborer in adversity is the Creator of the Universe. You are assured of success. You are assured of victory.

Be victorious in adversity and through adversity. Walk with Jesus Christ.

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This note grew out of a link that was sent to me via PeaceMaker.net.
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©2011 Dave Doc Rogers / docrogerswrites.com
All rights reserved.

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Write Your Goals … written goals get done

I had some thoughts, spurred by notes I received from Dr Mike Murdock, and thought I would share them with you. Feel free to forward as you want to those you think might benefit from these thoughts.

Here, at the start of a new year and a new decade, is a good time to consider setting some goals. Goals can be set daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, yearly, or longer. Those who think longer term might even consider making goals that stretch through the decade. It is something to consider.

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