Spiritual Self-Defense [Part 4] -Roy J. Waggoner

Spiritual Self-Defense –Roy J. Waggoner

Part Four: Avoid at Risk Attitudes and Behaviors

11: DANGEROUS ASSOCIATIONS

When a rock is thrown into a lake a familiar pattern of ripples soon appear on the water¾ circle after circle, working their way out from the point of impact. This familiar pattern of concentric circles provides a good way to visualize the multiple relationships that exist between us and the other people in our lives. At the center of the pattern, within the innermost circle, are our closest friends, our inner circle friends. These individuals have the greatest access and the maximum influence in our lives. Obviously, we need to be careful about whom we allow to occupy this inner circle. We would do well to remember Paul’s admonition in 1 Corinthians 15:33, “Bad company corrupts good character.” Filling our inner circle with those who are merely popular—without regard to their character—is dangerous. It is dangerous because it exposes us to negative, corrupting, influences. On the contrary, it is important to fill this inner circle with the appropriate kind of individuals¾those who are a positive influence on us. Proverbs 17:17 says, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” This verse provides us with some guidelines for choosing inner circle friends. An inner circle friend should be someone who loves us, loves us at all times, loves us like a brother, and does so by helping us bear adversity.

Outside our inner circle of friends are other circles, filled with friends who meet these same qualifications, but to lesser degrees. Finally, we all have an outer circle of associations. This circle does not contain people that love us or that have any kind of positive influence upon our lives. There is a lot of misunderstanding about this outermost circle. Many Christians believe that it should be unoccupied, that Christians should separate themselves entirely from sinful people in general and from non-believers in particular. Such individuals would be in agreement with the Pharisee’s of Jesus’ day who often criticized him for associating with sinners (see Luke 15:1-2). This concept is wrong. Jesus always had an outer circle of friends. It is a shame, if we do not have the same, for it will limit the number of people we can reach for Christ. So, what we need to do is limit our inner circle to a few friends who are a positive influence in our life, while expanding our outer circle to include as many as we can positively influence for Christ without allowing them the access required to negatively influence us. Consider what Proverbs 12:26 says about limiting negative influences, “A righteous man is cautious in friendship, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.” As pointed as this verse is, we still need to know what kind of person it is that we should be cautious about. A scan of the entire center section of Proverbs, 10:1 through 22:16, will help. This section of Proverbs is a collection of randomly occurring precepts that can be considered topically. Examining it yields some relevant principles for choosing the kind of people that we should be in each circle. The long and the short of it is this, we need to be very careful with whom we intimately associate. Certain kinds of associations are dangerous both physically and spiritually, if allowed into our inner circle. Who are the people that need to be excluded from our inner circle? Four kinds of individuals are identified.

HARDHEADS

The first kind of person with whom we should avoid close associations is the “hardhead.” The biblical term is the word “fool.” The Hebrew word translated “fool” references someone who is hardened against God and his wisdom. David connects foolishness to rejecting God. “The fool says in his heart, "There is no God.” (Psa. 14:1a) Obviously, fools should be excluded from our inner circle. The Book of Proverbs provides the specific reasons. Failing to exclude fools from our inner circle will result in harm, and fools have nothing of value to offer us.

He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.” (Prov. 13:20)

Stay away from a foolish man, for you will not find knowledge on his lips.” (Prov. 14;7)

One anonymous writer captured the essence of foolishness and its emptiness with the following comparisons. “A wise man learns from the experience of others. An ordinary man learns by his own experience. A fool learns by nobody’s experiences.[i] Simply put, if someone never listens to reason, exclude that person from your inner circle. Associating with a fool will be of no benefit and it will eventually result in serious harm.

HOODLUMS

The second type of person to exclude from our inner circle is the “hoodlum” or lawbreaker. We need to avoid hoodlums in order to insulate ourselves from the pressure to travel the wrong path. Two verses from Proverbs make this clear.

A righteous man is cautious in friendship, but the way of the wicked leads them astray. (Prov. 12:26)

A violent man entices his neighbor and leads him down a path that is not good.

(Prov. 16:29)

Harold Morris was 29 years old when he was falsely accused of armed robbery. As he sat in his car, two friends robbed a convenience store at gunpoint without his knowledge. After his friends returned, Morris drove away inadvertently assisting them in their get-a-way. The guilty parties¾his so-called “friends”¾eventually implicated him in exchange for a reduced sentence. Harold Morris spent the next eleven years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. After his conversion in prison and his pardon in 1981, Morris wrote Twice Pardoned, a book in which he chronicled his life and warned young people of the dangers of wrong associations.[ii] Wrong associations can take us down the wrong path.

Such persons that should be avoided can be identified by their continual obsession with evil. They are continually planning, plotting, and talking about some evil scheme. Note Solomon’s words of advice about such individuals.

Do not envy wicked men, do not desire their company; for their hearts plot violence, and their lips talk about making trouble. (Prov. 24:1-2).

Those who continually hatch plots to get ahead by breaking the rules are not just the dregs of society. According to a recent Time magazine article, white-collar crime costs American industry over $40 billion per year. This is ten times the cost of street crime on a yearly basis.[iii] Employees lie about the hours they work, steal items from their employer, make personal long distance calls from work, and find a hundred other ways to take advantage of their employers. Avoid such hoodlums at all cost.

HOTHEADS

Another type of individual to be kept at a distance is the hothead, the person who does not control his anger. Uncontrolled anger is certainly dangerous for those who are continually on the receiving end of it. However, there is also another dangerous aspect to associating with hotheads¾learning their ways. As with other types of individuals with whom we should limit our contact, their bad behavior can and will negatively influence us. We can easily become ensnared in the same behavioral trap. Note Solomon’s warning.

Do not make friends with a hot-tempered man, do not associate with one easily

angered, or you may learn his ways and get yourself ensnared. (Prov. 22:24‑25)

On average, fourteen men every year are killed in America by soft drink vending machines. Obviously, vending machines are not inherently dangerous, but angry customers make them so. Not receiving a drink or due change causes some overly aggressive customers to violently shake the heavy machines until they eventually tip over on them.[iv]

Not only is uncontrolled anger dangerous, it is also a health risk. In May of 2000 the American Heart Association released the results of a study on anger in their periodical, Circulation. Dr. Janice Williams of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill led the study that monitored thirteen thousand adults for six years. The study concluded that a person with an anger problem was three times more likely to have a heart attack than calmer counterparts.[v] Learning the ways of a hothead is a dangerous proposition.

THE HOOKED

The final type of person that should be excluded from our inner circle of friends is the hooked individual. The hooked are those that practice some form of substance abuse. We must not unduly expose ourselves to their unrestrained and undisciplined lifestyle of substance abuse. We will suffer, if we follow the abusers example. Again, Proverbs provides a warning.

Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags. (Prov. 23:20-21)

There is a physical price to be paid for abusing alcohol, other drugs, or even food. What Will Rogers once said is still noteworthy, “We have killed more people celebrating Independence Day than we lost fighting for it.”[vi] Although the physical price is remarkable, it is the monetary cost of substance abuse that is emphasized in the verses above. Drunkards and gluttons end up poor. They do so not so much because of the price of what they consume, but rather because substance abuse robs them of the desire to work. Eventually, they lose all interest in anything but consuming and sleeping. Doing an honest day’s work to support themselves or their families is no longer a priority. The following description is a “sobering” reminder of the danger associated with substance abuse.

Alcohol is a product of amazing versatility. It will remove stains from designer clothes. It will also remove clothes off your back. If by chance it is used in sufficient quantity, alcohol will remove furniture from the home, rugs from the floor, food from the table, lining from the stomach, vision from the eyes, and judgment from the mind. Alcohol will remove good reputations, good jobs, good friends, happiness from children’s hearts, sanity, freedom, spouses, relationships, man’s ability to adjust and live with his fellow man and even life itself. As a remover of things, alcohol has no equal.[vii]

Among other things, poverty is the end result of substance abuse. If their habits are to be avoided, we must limit our contact with those that are hooked.

CONCLUSION

Why is it that many people exercise more care in selecting bananas at the grocery store than they do in selecting their friends? The people with whom we associate are a crucial factor in our lives. Great care must be taken to limit our inner circle of friends to those who are a positive spiritual influence in our lives. Those who would negatively influence us must be relegated to the outer circle, where we can witness to them through limited contact rather than become a victim of their negative influence. An old English proverb is a good final reminder.

Tell me the company you keep, and I’ll tell you who you are. Tell me with whom you go and I’ll tell you what you do!

12: FALSE ASSUMPTIONS

When asked to give a fifteen-minute radio address on the topic of safe driving, a Detroit taxi driver who had logged a million miles without an accident responded, “It won’t take me any fifteen minutes to tell how to avoid accidents. It’s simple¾just drive on the theory every other guy in the world is crazy.”[viii] Certainly, assumptions can significantly impact behavior. They can make a difference, one way or the other, be it in our driving or in our spiritual life. Reasonable assumptions are generally beneficial and wrong assumptions can certainly cause harm. In the spiritual realm, harm is the result of sin, and sin can overtake us when our assumptions about temptation are wrong. Paul makes this clear in 1 Corinthians 10:12-13.

So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

(I Cor. 10:12-13)

Leading up to these verses in the previous chapter, Paul discussed the importance of self- discipline in relation to spiritual success. Then in chapter ten, he sets forth some examples of specific sins that can overtake us if we are not spiritually disciplined. In that list are: lust (v. 6), idolatry (v. 7), sexual immorality (v. 8), rebellion (v. 9), and grumbling (v. 10). Having listed potential sins that threaten us in verses twelve and thirteen, Paul goes on to identify the specific underlying assumptions that can rob us of the discipline we need to avoid sin. Our failure to resist temptation and avoid sin often can be traced to the dangerous false assumptions identified in these verses. They are costly mistakes.

OVERCONFIDENCE

The first false assumption that we sometimes make is that we can resist every temptation that comes along. Verse twelve records such an assumption. Paul addresses the one who thinks he is standing firm. The present tense participle indicates that an ongoing thought process is involved. The assumption is obviously overconfidence¾that one is standing firm against temptation. Such an assumption is problematic. Verse twelve identifies the results of such overconfidence; it leads to reduced vigilance and an eventual fall.

Reduced Vigilance

The command given to the overconfident is, “be careful.” The word in the original carries the idea of looking or watching and indicates the need for vigilance. A lack of vigilance can be tragic. Daredevil, Bobby Leach, of Cornwall, England miraculously survived a plunge over Niagara’s Horseshoe Falls in a steel barrel in 1911, although he spent six months in the hospital recuperating from various fractures and other injuries. It’s amazing what can be endured when it is expected and when we are prepared for it. Fourteen years later, at the age of 67, while touring New Zealand, Leach slipped on an orange peel in the street and badly fractured his leg. Complications required that his leg be amputated, but gangrene developed and Leach soon died.[ix] All this came about because he didn’t anticipate any danger in walking down that street. His failure to be vigilant led to his fall. So it is with the temptations we face. When we anticipate something, we can prepare ourselves for it. Therefore, we need to be ever careful of the danger we face (Matt. 26:41, Eph. 6:18, 1 Pet. 5:8).

An Eventual Fall

The second result of overconfidence is a fall. Paul exhorts us to be careful so that we will not fall. The word “fall” can mean to fall down, or to come to ruin or destruction. In this context it is used of falling into some sin¾which is certainly destructive. It is easy to become so spiritually overconfident that we do not anticipate the possibility of committing sin. When we do, we are more vulnerable than ever.

A well known Christian communicator was on a Christian campus to speak at a commencement when a school board member asked him, “If Satan were to blow you out of the water, how do you think he would do it?” “I’m not sure I know,” he responded. “All sorts of ways, I suppose; but I know there’s one way he wouldn’t get me.” ”What’s that?” “He’d never get me in any area of my personal relationships. That’s one place where I have no doubt I’m as strong as you can get.”[x] Several years later that Christian communicator recalled this incident and wrote about it after having faced personal failure in this very area. Overconfidence in the spiritual realm can be disastrous, leading to an eventual fall.

RESIGNATION

A second false assumption involves the opposite of overconfidence. There are certain temptations that seem so powerful that we assume that we cannot resist them at all. Everyone certainly has areas of weakness. Some temptations can be much more difficult to resist than others. It is good to recognize these areas of weakness so that we can be alert and spiritually ready to resist them. However, it is not a good thing if after repeated failures we conclude that we cannot avoid certain sins. We need not run up the white flag. The assumption that we cannot resist certain kinds of sins is self-fulfilling, and it is so for two reasons: first, because there are no “unique temptations,” and secondly, because divine help is always available.

No Unique Temptations

The first reason why we should not resign ourselves to committing certain sins that we find difficult to resist is that our situation is not unique. It is easy to conclude that what we find difficult to resist is overpowering and that no one else has ever faced the degree of temptation we routinely face. Such a conclusion is false. Verse thirteen says, “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.” Implied in this statement is the fact that many have successfully resisted the very temptations we have concluded are too much for us. Our temptations are never greater than what others have experienced.

Flip Wilson, the well-known comedian that hosted his own network TV show in the 70’s, used to quip, “The devil made me do it.” Spouted by his favorite character¾Geraldine¾as an excuse for outlandish behavior, it was humorous. It is not so humorous when Christians come to the same conclusion. The devil may well influence our behavior, but we need not give in to his temptations. Others have resisted and so can we.

Divine Help

The second reason why we should never assume that we couldn’t resist a particular temptation is the fact that we have God’s help. Verse thirteen continues, “And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” As we can see from this verse, God will never allow us to face a temptation that we are unable to resist. Apparently believers have a hedge of protection around them as did Job, and Satan cannot breech this barrier to tempt us unless God allows it (see Job 1:10). Furthermore, any temptation that God does allow us to endure comes with a way out provided by God. The way out, our escape route includes the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit that indwells us. The Apostle John reminds us that the one who is in us is greater than the one who is in the world (1 Jn. 4:4). In addition to the Spirit’s help, we have the Word of God as our roadmap to show us the way out.

CONCLUSION

We are rendered vulnerable when we are deceived. Knowing the truth exposes temptation for the lie that it is, and helps us see through the fog. (Note Jesus’ use of the scriptures in resisting temptation in chapters four through six.)

Early in the Second World War, British Field Marshall Claude Auchinleck’s 8^th Army was up against the Desert Fox, German Field Marshall Erwin Rommel. Although Auchinleck had more troops and weaponry at his disposal than did the Germans, Rommel, due to his reputation, had an edge psychologically. This led Auchinleck to write the following order to his commanders.

There exists a real danger that our friend Rommel is becoming a king, or magician, or bogey-man to our troops, who are talking far too much about him. He is by no means a superman, although he is undoubtedly very energetic and able. Even if he were a superman, it would still be highly undesirable that our men should credit him with supernatural powers.

I wish you to dispel by all possible means the idea that Rommel represents something more than the ordinary. The more important thing now is to see that we do not always talk of Rommel when we mean the enemy in Libya. We must refer to “the Germans” or “the Axis powers” or “the enemy” and not always be harping.

Please ensure that this order is put into immediate effect, and impress upon all commanders that, from a psychological point of view, it is a matter of the highest importance.[xi]

What we think about our enemy dictates our response to his advances, whether we fight or run, whether we resist or surrender. So, it is in the spiritual battle, we must not make the wrong assumptions. False assumptions produce a vulnerable state of mind, be it overconfidence or resignation.

13: DEMORALIZING CIRCUMSTANCES

No one ever worked harder or sacrificed more for the Lord. He was responsible for planting numerous churches in many varied fields. Yet, he never received the acclaim of men. He was, by many, unappreciated during his lifetime. In fact, he was often criticized and opposed by his own brethren, some of who were members of the very churches he established. Unbelievers constantly attacked him. He was imprisoned several times unjustly, and on more than one occasion physically abused. He often went hungry, thirsty, and without proper clothing. On top of all this, he was afflicted with poor health that often interfered with his ministry. Perhaps by now you have recognized the Apostle Paul, of whom I speak. For a catalog of his difficulties see 2 Corinthians 11:23-28 and 12:7-10. Why was someone as dedicated as the Apostle Paul so afflicted? Why would God allow someone who accomplished so much for His glory to suffer so much at the same time? There is a very specific reason mentioned in scripture for his physical malady, that he would not become conceited (2 Cor. 12:7). However, in general, the answer is simply that difficulties are a normal part of the Christian life. James provides us with the specifics of this reality in the New Testament letter that bears his name. Notice that he considers difficulties or trials to be both a normal and a beneficial part of our lives as Christians.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (Jam. 1:2-4)

In these three verses it is assumed that trials or difficulties will be a part of our lives. James says that we should respond joyfully, “whenever we face trials of many kinds.” Trials certainly come in many different forms, including health problems, financial difficulties, and relationship issues. Each one of us could make our own list of difficulties that we have experienced. The difficulties we routinely face may be of our own making, or they may be wholly undeserved, but they are almost always present in one form or another.

Not only are difficulties a normal occurrence, but they are also beneficial. They produce something of value if they are handled properly. Exactly what that is, we will discuss later. However, if we do not realize that our difficulties are normal and beneficial, we will not profit from them. If we focus on the difficulty, and not the potential benefit of the difficulty, we will undoubtedly become angry with God for letting us suffer. After all, he could prevent difficulties from occurring and he could certainly spare us from suffering. So, why wouldn’t he intervene on our behalf? Once we have reached this point in our reasoning, it is easy for us to quit on God¾quit serving him, and quit obeying him. After all we reason, he let us down. So, we must understand that our difficulties are a normal and beneficial part of our life. Once we understand this truth, we can go on to respond properly to our difficulties. There are two responses James exhorts us to make, both of which help us realize the benefit of our afflictions: he says that we are to rejoice, and to remain faithful.

REJOICE

The first response to any difficulty we experience in life should be to rejoice. James says, “Consider it pure joy, my brethren, whenever you face trials of many kinds.” We must consider our trials to be joyful. Certainly, the difficulty itself is not pleasant, but we are told to rejoice in it.

Rejoice Deliberately

Rejoicing in the face of trials requires a deliberate choice. It requires the exercise of our will. While experiencing unpleasant circumstances and the pain they produce, at the same time, we should choose to be joyful. This is not some silly, empty façade that we put on. It is not inexplicably rejoicing over our losses without reason. Who would praise God for being fired from their job, or because their house burned down, unless there was some good news that went along with such miseries? No one rejoices over a trial, but along with each trial there is good news¾what those trials produce in our life. Rejoicing in trials requires this realization. This kind of rejoicing involves the deliberate, specific expression of thanksgiving in prayer that acknowledges the good that the trial will produce in our life, even though present circumstances are painful.

My wife is in the habit of stashing extra money into a seldom-used pocket or some unlikely place in the car or house. Over time, she often forgets about the money she has set aside for some future need or minor emergency. Then one day she will happen upon the cash and discover she has more money than she thought, bringing a smile to her face and perhaps some verbal expression of her joy. So it is with any possession. It is only when we know what we possess that we are able to rejoice in the possession. Our difficulties are never lost. They are all too obvious to us, but they must be regarded as valuable in order to be counted as a blessing. Such a perspective seems ridiculous on the surface, but not when we come to a deeper realization of what it is they produce in our lives.

Rejoice In Every Situation

Not only is rejoicing in difficulty a choice of the will, it is a choice that is possible in the toughest of situations. James says that we should rejoice, “whenever we face trials of many kinds.” The idea James conveys here is one of being surrounded by problems of every kind. Picture an old west wagon train with the wagons circled and Indians attacking from every direction. This is often the situation we face. Many kinds of trials surround us. When they do, we often take a pessimistic, depressed outlook on life. Robert Orben’s words capture the mood well: “Sometimes I get the feeling the whole world is against me, but deep down I know that’s not true. Some of the smaller countries are neutral.”[xii] By acknowledging the nature of trials, James is not painting a bleak picture in order to give us an excuse for being dejected. He is simply acknowledging the reality that we face. It is a formidable reality as Thomas Brookes observed.

God who is infinite in wisdom and matchless in goodness, hath ordered our troubles, yea, many troubles to come trooping in upon us on every side. As our mercies, so our crosses seldom come single; they usually come treading one upon the heels of another; they are like April showers, no sooner is one over but another comes.[xiii]

The point is not that such trials are overwhelming, but that they are often multiple. We need to remember that God orders all trials for our good. This truth means that we can rejoice, even in the face of multiple difficulties, not in the suffering they bring, but in what they will ultimately produce in our lives. Rejoicing is indeed possible in the toughest of situations.

Understanding Required

So far, we have learned that we should rejoice in our trials and that we should do so no matter what difficulties we face. Therefore, trials must certainly be good for us in some specific way. Joy in the midst of difficulties requires a basis of understanding. We need to understand what it is that trials do for us. So, James adds, “Because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” Herein lays the reason for rejoicing: the difficulties that test our faith develop perseverance. This is the truth that we need to know in order to rejoice in the face of trials. Our faith is tested by our difficulties. Now, we must understand that faith is not the assurance that every circumstance in life will be pleasurable and free of pain. True faith is not the assurance that everything will be fine in this life. Instead, faith gives us assurance that we will eventually be rewarded for our trust in God, even if it is in eternity. Trials test our faith because they require that we trust God all the way to the end of this life. Our trials can cause us to question God’s goodness, love, and mercy toward us. We must not allow this to happen. We have to keep eternity in mind. The proper perspective on life can be compared to a ball game we record and watch later, after we know that our team won. All of our play-by-play concerns are eliminated when we later watch the game knowing its final outcome. Faith tested by the play-by-play trials of life can hold firm if the final outcome of our faith is held in view. As this testing unfolds, we are provided with an opportunity to learn perseverance. The word translated “perseverance” means “to remain under a burden”. It has to do with staying power. As we are confronted with the burdens that we face in life, we learn from experience what it means to persevere in faith. A greater capacity to persevere is the result. This growing perseverance should be the focus of our joy. It is the reason we can rejoice in the face of trials. Perseverance is an important part of our Christian character, and it cannot be learned without facing difficulties. So, trials are a blessing¾not because they are pleasurable to endure, but because of what they produce in our lives. If we do not understand this concept, we will not only fail to learn perseverance, but we also become vulnerable to temptation as a result of failing to understand God’s work in our lives. Once we become convinced that God isn’t treating us fairly, our bitterness toward him will lead to disobedience much like Eve in the garden, when Satan induced her to question God’s goodness (see chapter three, Gen. 3:1-6).

REMAIN FAITHFUL

The second necessary response to the difficulties we face in life is to remain faithful to God. As we have noted, it is the testing of our faith that develops perseverance. Again, perseverance is the ability to remain under the burden God has placed on us. The temptation we face is to falter under the load. Although we are powerless to lay aside our trials, we can refuse to fulfill our God-given responsibilities in reaction to them, and not persevere.

Be Responsible

We must not quit serving the Lord when the going gets tough. James tells us that perseverance needs to finish its work in us. Remember, the idea behind the word translated “perseverance” is that of remaining under a burden. We must willingly accept God’s chosen burden for us, realizing that it is beneficial. We do this by remaining obedient to God in spite of the burden we carry. On one hand, we have no choice but to endure the difficulties that God allows. They come upon us. We have no say in the matter. On the other hand, we do have a choice to make. We must decide whether or not to continue obeying God, the one who brought the difficulties into our life. James urges us to make the right choice¾to be faithful.

Become Mature

The reason we need to persevere in the face of difficulties is because the end result is maturity. James says that perseverance needs to finish its work in us, “so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” The only way to become a mature believer is to persevere in the face of difficulties. If we want to be fully grown someday, we must remain faithful to God in the present. If we want to be whole, not lacking anything, we must persevere. If we are to be Chirst-like, we must be faithful to God in difficult times.

Difficulties are a normal and beneficial part of the Christian life. They are good for us. They benefit us spiritually. Malcolm Muggeridge has expressed this truth well.

Contrary to what might be expected, I look back on experiences that at the time seemed especially desolating and painful with particular satisfaction. Indeed, I can say with complete truthfulness that everything I have learned in my seventy-five years in this world, everything that has truly enhanced and enlightened my existence, has been through affliction and not through happiness.[xiv]

So, our difficulties must be accepted as normal, even welcomed as opportunities. Our testing develops perseverance, and our perseverance results in maturity. Christ-likeness is God’s purpose for us, and difficulties facilitate our growth in Christ. Our trials make us better. They increase our value to God and to other people. M. R. DeHann helps us grasp what it is that God is doing in our lives through the crucible of trials.

A bar of steel worth $5, when made into ordinary horseshoes, is then worth $10. If this same $5 bar is manufactured into needles, the value rises to $350. And yet if it’s made into delicate springs for expensive watches, it is worth more than $250,000. The same bar of steel is made more valuable by being cut to its proper size, past through one blast furnace after another, again and again, hammered and manipulated, beaten and pounded, finished and polished until it’s ready for those delicate tasks.[xv]

Similarly, God’s work on us to make us into something better involves a process that isn’t pleasant. We must allow ourselves to be made better rather than bitter by the process. We must persevere, and not cease to obey God because of the difficulties we face.

CONCLUSION

When trials come, we need to maintain a joyful attitude and at the same time be faithful to our God-given duties. In so doing, we will insure our spiritual development and avoid yielding to temptation. We must not listen to Satan’s voice. God never treats us unfairly. There is never an excuse for sin, and never a good reason for it. Eve thought there was, but she was deceived. Don’t be deceived. Persevere

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