Standing Strong During Adversity

We all face challenges and difficulties at times. God does not send them, but He allows them to grow us and build our character. When you are dealing with an adversity, do not simply go through it but grow through it. 

Horatio Gates Spafford was born in New York on October 20, 1828. He became a prominent lawyer and a church leader. In 1861, he married Anna Larsen from Stavanger, Norway. The Spaffords were friends and supporters of Dwight L. Moody, a famous evangelist. Horatio was a real estate investor when the Great Fire of Chicago reduced the city to ashes, destroying most his investments. Two years later, the family decided to travel to Europe. Last minute business prevented Horatio from joining his wife and four daughters on their vacation to England where D. L. Moody would be preaching. Horatio decided to take care of business first and follow behind shortly. 

On November 22, 1873, the steamship Ville Du Havre was struck by an iron sailing vessel while crossing the Atlantic. A total of 226 people died including the couple’s four daughters. Anna Spafford survived the tragedy. Upon arriving in England, she sent her husband a message containing just two words, “Saved alone!” Horatio immediately boarded the next ship to Wales. When they approached the area of the shipwreck, he gazed across the billowing waves that had taken the lives of his daughters. That night, Horatio wrote a poem that would later become the famous hymn, “It is Well with My Soul.” 

We all face difficulties, delays, and disappointments, but not many of us face trials like Horatio did. He could have become bitter and angry towards God, blamed the shipwreck, or even himself for not having been with his family, but he kept the right perspective and stood strong during adversity. They went on to have three more children and fulfilled their destiny. 

You have had your share of heartache, misfortune, or loss but where you are now is not your final destiny. God has a big plan for your life. He has called you to do great things. Stand strong even when things are not going as planned, when the answer is taking longer than you thought, or when you feel like giving up. Make up your mind to never stop trusting God, believing, and expecting things to turn around. 

God uses challenges to stretch us and enlarge our vision. It may be uncomfortable, and you could have a good reason to walk away, but do not take the easy way out. Stay committed to your vision, your relationship. Stay committed to raising your children. Stay committed to your friends. If you stay loyal to God and the people in your life, God will take you places you never imagined. 

Everyone feels like giving up halfway to their goal. Some people turn around and go back. Others stay committed and keep moving forward. Notice that each person ends up traveling the same distance. One goes the halfway back to where they started. The other continues the last half ahead and reaches their destiny. 

In 2 Corinthians 11, the Apostle Paul recalls how he suffered for the gospel. He was flogged, beaten with rods, bitten by a snake, pelted with stones, imprisoned, shipwrecked, and constantly stressed about the developing churches. Paul could have made excuses to give up and throw in the towel. Instead, he stood strong during adversity. It was his faithfulness and perseverance that made him one of the most influential leaders of the early church and an inspiration to us today.  

Are you facing some setbacks? Are you plagued by opposition, difficulties, delays, and injustice? Let me assure you that God will repay you. When you honor Him and walk in obedience, He will make it up to you. God is in control of every situation in your life. Remain faithful during your time of adversity. Make up your mind to serve Him no matter what comes against you. Fight the good fight of faith. Remember, nothing happens to you, everything happens for you. You are growing, maturing, and being prepared for increase and influence. Do not give up on your dreams. Stand strong during adversity. You are closer than you think. God will restore everything the enemy has stolen from you. He will give you double for your troubles. He will make you an example of His goodness. He will make you a blessing to others. If you stay in faith and persevere, I believe and declare that your best days are right in front of you. 

“Put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground” (Ephesians 6:13). 

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Building People. Spreading Hope.

Be a Now Person

Have you ever set out to finish an important task and found yourself browsing the Internet, dusting a ceiling fan, or running errands instead? The next thing you know, it is the end of the day and your task remains undone. Life would be far more enjoyable if we did not put things off. 

Frank Lloyd Wright was a great American architect who designed his most famous building at the age of 67. In the span of seventy years, he designed over 1,000 structures. Edgar Kaufmann Sr., a wealthy businessman, hired Wright to construct Fallingwater, a weekend home for the family. Wright visited the site in November 1934 and told his boss that he was working on the blueprint. One morning, nearly a year later, Kaufmann was in the area and asked Wright if he could stop by to see the progress. Wright did not panic and, instead, finished the design within two hours! Fallingwater was listed as a National Historic Landmark in 1966 and can be found on the Smithsonian’s Life List of 28 places “to visit before you die.” 

Even the best and most talented people have to deal with procrastination. Are you the kind of person who wants to become more productive and disciplined, exercise regularly, eat healthy, wake up early, and finish projects on time? Procrastination makes us feel bad because we know that something needs to get done, yet we neglect it. Many life crises happen as a result of failure to act in a timely manner. There are, however, solutions to overcoming procrastination. 

Victor Hugo was a great French novelist who had a unique way of dealing with procrastination. He would get completely naked in his study room and ask his servants not to return his clothes until the appointed time. This forced him to complete his work without any distractions. With such focus and determination, it is no surprise that he penned such great historical masterpieces like Les Misérables and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. 

Now you do not need to take such drastic measures in order to overcome procrastination. You can, however, make small adjustments to better deal with it. Rather than putting things off, be a now person. If you can complete something in the next two minutes, do it now. Awareness is the beginning of the cure. Create a list that tackles areas of procrastination—paperwork, waking up earlier, exercising, tithing, cleaning the garage, reconciling a relationship, etc. Identify the problem and then act upon it promptly. Set your bills on auto pay. Learn to bite your tongue when you are tempted to say something hurtful and watch your relationship soar. The best way to finish something is to start it. Focus on the prize, not the pain. Consider the consequences. The pain of regret is greater than the pain of discipline. 

Mark Twain said, “The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one.” 

Is God telling you to do something that you are putting off? When He brings something to light that you need to deal with–a bad attitude, addiction, anger, jealousy–then do it. Be a now person and do not put it off.  

In the Bible (Jonah 3), God told Jonah to go to the city of Nineveh and tell the people that they had 40 days to repent or God was going to destroy the city. Notice that God put a time limit on it. He said, “You have forty days to get your act together!” When Jonah delivered the message, the people of Nineveh fell on their knees. The king took off his royal garment, put ashes on his head, and declared a citywide fast. They did not say, “Give us a week, ten days, or a month!” No, they responded immediately by saying, “God, we are sorry for the way we have been living!” They repented and God spared the city. 

I wonder if you can do something that will unleash God’s unlimited favor over your life in the next forty days. Maybe the Holy Spirit is telling you that you have 40 days to get right with God, 40 forty days to forgive someone, or 40 days to break free from a bad habit. God gave 40 days to the Ninevites. I do not know what it is for you. Whatever it may be, I know that God is speaking to you right now. Deal with the issue He is bringing to light. If you choose to deal with it now, God will give you incredible grace to stop procrastinating. The moment you act, God will free you from depression and addiction. He will heal your body and restore your relationships. Be a now person, and watch Him launch you into the fullness of your destiny.  

“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts” (Hebrews 3:15 NIV). 

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Building People. Spreading Hope.

Walk in Love

Love is a universal human need. We achieve great feats when we feel loved. Sadly, so many people feel unloved. The truth is that you are extremely valuable and the Creator of the universe loves you! 

Some people think that love is just a feeling, but it is so much more. Love is patient. Love never gives up. Love is not self-seeking. It does not dishonor others. Love forgives. It does not keep record of wrongs. Love is putting others first. Love is loyal. Love remains faithful till the end. Love is eternal. 

A dear friend of mine once sent me this version of 1 Corinthians 13. Love stops the cooking to hug a child. Love sets aside a project to kiss the spouse. Love is kind. Love does not yell at the kids to get out of the way but is thankful they are there to be in the way. Love does not give only to those who are able to give in return but rejoices in giving to those who can’t. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never gives up. 

PK Mahanandia was born into the Indian caste system which placed him “even lower than cows and dogs”. His teachers told the other students that he was “untouchable.” Despite the challenges, he exceled in school and even attended college. By his early twenties, he had become an excellent portrait artist. Charlotte Von Schedvin, a descendent of Swedish royalty, traveled to India in 1975. She sought out PK to get her portrait done. When she met the artist, it was love at first sight. The couple fell in love and got married. When Charlotte asked him to return to Sweden with her, he said that he would follow her to Europe just as soon as he could support them financially. Two years later, and still barely earning enough, PK decided it was time to give up his pride and journey to Sweden even without the funds to pay for it. He sold everything in order to buy a pre-owned bicycle and decided to cycle from Asia to Europe. PK cycled across deserts in Afghanistan, Iran, and Iraq. He hitched rides whenever he could and biked up to 45 miles a day. He crossed Turkey and parts of Eastern Europe before pushing north towards Sweden. He traveled 4,000 miles and hit ten countries along the way. It took him four months and three weeks before he was finally reunited with his wife. The two of them have been married for 40 years and have two grown children. PK is an art advisor to the Swedish government while Charlotte has had a long career as a music teacher. PK once said, “I never liked biking, but I bicycled for love.” 

What is it about PK and Charlotte that has kept them together for forty years? It is more than just a feeling; it is a mutual commitment to love, honor, and respect one another.   

When you walk in love, you prefer the other person. Your goal is to outdo each other in thoughtfulness, acts of service, and words of encouragement. Love enjoys time with each other. Love is eager to listen and slow to speak. Love waits patiently until the other person is ready. Love overlooks faults and makes allowances for mistakes. Love forgives and keeps no records of wrongs. Love always seeks to advance the other. 

Love does. It is taking the trash out without being asked to. It is doing the laundry without complaining. It is closing the cabinet when one forgets. Love does the honey-dos promptly and with a good attitude. Love cleans the kitty litter even when it is someone else’s turn. Love overlooks petty offenses. Love walks into the room when the world walks out of it. 

In order to walk in love, you must first embrace the Source of love. Many people are trying to earn God’s love. The problem is that we can never measure up. There will always be something that makes us feel inadequate. So I encourage you to take the pressure off and receive God’s unconditional love for you. 

That is exactly what a woman who was caught in adultery had to do (John 8). When her accusers disqualified to condemn her, Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more”. He did not say, “Go and change your ways and then I will be for you and love you!” No, he first said, “I do not condemn you.” Jesus made sure she knew that she was loved. What about you? Are you still trying to earn God’s love? If you feel unloved, let me remind you that God is crazy about you. He loves you so much that He died for you. Why not try to embrace that unconditional love and connect with Him today? God is love and He is waiting for your response. 

“Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another” (John 13:34 MSG).  

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Building People. Spreading Hope. 

Cultivate Optimism

God created you to be filled with love, joy, confidence, and success. But you have probably noticed how easy it is to hold on to the negative—anger, jealousy, guilt, and doubt. Do you tend to focus on the positive or the negative? Do you see the glass half full or half empty? One of the best ways to live a positive life is to cultivate optimism. 

Negativity takes space away from all the positive things God designed for you to enjoy. Positive living does not mean we are in denial of problems. Optimism simply means to approach hardship in a more productive way. Research shows that optimists perform better in school, at work, and on the playing field. They earn a higher income, have more successful relationships, and have better health. Possessing an optimistic outlook also increases one’s life expectancy. 

The 2010 Copiapó mining accident in Chile captivated the attention of millions around the world. Thirty-three miners were trapped 2,300 feet underground in a copper-gold mine. Their emergency shelter had an area of 540 square feet. Food supplies were extremely limited. Each day was filled with perils and bad turns, but the men worked as a team to keep their morale and spirits up. 

José Henríquez, a preacher and a miner for the past 33 years, served as the pastor and organized daily prayers. During their first audio contact with surface officials, another miner called Urzúa disregarded their hunger and despair and instead said, “We're fine and waiting for you to rescue us!” An estimated 5.3 million people worldwide watched as the 33 miners were miraculously extracted from below. What kept these extraordinary men alive during their 69-day ordeal? It was their unrelenting optimism and faith in God. 

If you are prone to look at the dark side of life, you can reprogram your mind with the Word of God. Recognize what you can and cannot control. For example, getting laid off is out of your control. However, taking steps to be proactive, updating your resume, and searching for a new job is within your control. Throughout the day, be mindful of God’s blessings in your life— whether that is hitting three green lights in a row or coming home to hug your beautiful family. Create a daily or weekly “To-Do List” in order to better set goals and budget your time. Turn off the news and negative press. Envision yourself as a victor and not a victim. Dwell on what is true, pure, and of good report. Be a blessing to someone else. 

The definition of optimism is to be hopeful and confident about the future. Yet, there is a difference between optimism and faith. To be optimistic is to have a positive attitude towards one’s own ability or circumstances. To have faith is to believe God and trust in His ability. Faith says, “I will beat cancer, overcome addiction, pay off debt, and see my whole family saved.” Optimism takes us further, but faith delivers the impossible! 

In John chapter 11, Jesus is told that his friend Lazarus is dying. Despite the grave situation, Jesus does not panic. In fact, he lingers two more days and reassures everyone that Lazarus is just “sleeping.” By the time Jesus visits Mary and Martha, their brother has died and been buried for four days. Jesus does not just consider the facts but lets his faith arise. He walks to the tomb and says, “This sickness is not unto death but for the glory of God.” Then he commands Lazarus to come out of the grave and he does. What caused Jesus such discharge of power to turn a negative situation around? It was not just optimism or positivity—it was faith. 

Real faith clings to God! Faith takes the pressure off of you and shifts your focus on God. I encourage you not just to be optimistic but also to have faith in God. When you do that, you can move mountains. Your situation may look impossible, but God can do the impossible. When you have faith, God’s promises will come true. You can be confident that God will turn every negative situation around. Cultivate optimism but let us grow in faith. When we do that, it pleases God and releases His power to produce what He has promised. 

“I find that the strength of Christ’s explosive power infuses me to conquer every difficulty” (Philippians 4:13 TPT). 

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Building People. Spreading Hope.