Proverbs 24:10
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If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.
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Without adversity, how would you show strength? You could talk about it, but talk is cheap. You could believe you were strong, but that is even more deceitful. You could tell the Lord you would never deny Him, but until the trial is passed your words are vain. It is adversity that exposes the false professions of the stony-ground hearers, so take heed.
It is a lie that the Christian life is one of ease without trouble (Job 5:6-7). "Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all" (Ps 34:19-20).
It is also a lie that Christians never faint, for we find great men with our passions having times of faintness (Num 11:11-15; I Kings 19:1-4; Job 3:1-16; Jer 20:14-18; Matt 26:69-75). Even our brother Paul would be cast down, though not destroyed (II Cor 4:8-10).
God brings adversity to prove our faith, as He did with Job. He will bring trouble to see how much we rely on Him rather than ourselves. He will find out how we value Him compared to other things in our lives. Do we worship Him only for a protective hedge? Will we still worship Him when we have lost all?
God also brings adversity to increase our strength through trials, much like boot camp in the military. And because His purpose is our perfection, we should appreciate these difficult times (Rom 5:3-5; James 1:2-4). In fact, wise men will rejoice in them greatly!
Your difficulties do not exceed those of others (I Cor 10:13). They may be different, but they are not harder. And there is great comfort just in realizing this important fact. Neither are they impossible, for God will faithfully limit your trials to what you can bear.
He is able to give grace - inward strength by His Spirit - to endure any adversity (II Cor 12:7-10). When Paul learned God's grace was better displayed by adversity, he chose to rejoice in such difficulties to glorify God through his own natural weakness. He is able to strengthen you with such glorious power that you will rejoice (Col 1:11). "He giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no might he increaseth strength" (Is 40:29).
It has been said, "When the going gets tough, the tough get going." We apply this spiritually to describe faith taking courage in times of difficulty. If we seek our own deliverance, lose confidence in God, complain instead of praise, lose hope for the future, fondly remember forsaken pleasures, backslide in holiness, lose our thankful spirit, treat others with less love and patience, and duties become a heavy burden, then we are fainting. Let us reject these symptoms and quit ourselves like men (I Cor 16:13).
We have a great cloud of Old Testament saints and our Lord Jesus to remember, which should keep us from fainting in our long distance race (Heb 12:1-3). And since then millions of martyrs have faced and endured adversity like we can hardly imagine.
We may be cast down, but we cannot be destroyed (II Cor 4:8-10); just as Paul our example showed us. If the LORD be for us, who or what can be against us (Rom 8:31). The LORD is our helper, and His sure promises are the anchor of our souls (Heb 6:19).
Faith can conquer adversity, for it sees through and past the temporary setbacks to the bright future ahead, either here or in glory (Psalm 27:13-14). It keeps us from fainting by believing that certain deliverance is coming. How do we do it? "Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD."
Dear Christian, your adversity is not the result of Fate or Chance, but the wise counsel of your Heavenly Father. Not a sparrow falls without His providential disposing, and even the very hairs of your head are numbered (Matt 10:29-31). Even His chastening rod is no more than proof of everlasting love and fervent desire for your perfection (Heb 12:5-8).
Be not weary in well doing (Gal 6:9; II Thess 3:13): we shall soon reap, if we faint not. Our Saviour endured the cross and despised the shame for the joy and eternal reward that was before Him (Heb 12:2; Psalm 16:8-11). Let us follow His example of strength.
No man likes adversity, which is suffering, persecution, affliction, or calamities. We all would choose to avoid it. And it is easy for us to resent it. But it truly measures our faith and love toward God, for it alone proves our spiritual integrity and holy confidence.
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