Need Hard Times?

The rest Jesus promises us as we follow Him is not in place of the storms, but in the midst of them.  His presence will bring a calming influence on winds, waves, and hearts, yet we are promised tribulation.  God is not interested in giving us easy victories.  Walking and jumping is easy in a zero-gravity environment, but it doesn't take long for atrophy to set in and cause muscles to weaken.  Some of the life lessons from Naval Admiral William H. McRaven in his speech to the graduating class at the University of Texas could be easily applied to the Christian walk.  Being a United States Navy SEAL is a tough job indeed, and physical ability and fitness is only part of the deal.  One must be mentally strong and determined to endure the stressful rigours of training alone!  Following Christ faithfully in this world is no easier.  There are few indeed who face with joy the spiritual rigours of denying the flesh, taking up our cross daily, and following Jesus.

When God allows hard times in our lives, it is because in a sense we need them.  Why a Navy SEAL need be buried up to his neck in mud for 15 hours as part of training, I can't say for sure.  For six days they are not permitted to sleep, and the whole time drill instructors use every tactic imaginable to dare prospective SEALs to quit.  Once we decide to follow Jesus, the devil uses every tool at his disposal to influence us to walk down any path but that of righteousness.  As in the book of Job, God might even allow Satan himself to take away our goods, children, and health, turning even our friends and spouse against us.  Will we stay resolute?  Or will we quit?

In a message I recently heard by David Guzik, he quoted from Hosea 10:12:  "Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the LORD, till He comes and rains righteousness on you."  The point he emphasised is how God's people are told to "break up your fallow ground."  He related how as a missionary he often heard people talk about how "hard" the ground was in the place where they were ministering.  He made the valid point that if the ground where you are ministering is hard, it is because there is something in that hardness you need to break up your own hard heart.  The place where God has us can be the means He provides to plow up our fallow, unfruitful ground.  The people God has around us - like King Saul who threw spears at David - can be the very instrument used by God to transform us.  Like Gene Edwards communicates masterfully through his book A Tale of Three Kings, God uses the outer Saul to kill the inner Saul that lives within each one of us.

God knows what He is doing, and to us it may look like He has missed some important points in relation to our needs, comfort, and growth.  Again, God knows what He is doing and He is in control.  We are called to follow Jesus, sow for ourselves righteousness, reap in mercy, break up our fallow ground, and seek the LORD.  When times grow difficult will we quit or press on in faith?  Praise the LORD that He will never leave or forsake us, whether we are tempest-tossed on the sea or are buried to our necks in mud.  Philippians 4:19 says, "And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."  God knows what we need.  Some seeds require the heat of fire to germinate.  Periods of drought and fierce wind can strengthen and broaden the root structure of trees.  Our muscles grow when they are strained, and our faith grows when it is tested.  Will you see the test through to the end and hear God say "Well done, good and faithful servant?"  Or will we decide we didn't really want to follow Jesus after all?