The Hard Sting of Adversity

Hi friends and happy Wednesday! 

Today I’m writing on a hard topic. Well, at least it’s a hard one for me. Adversity comes in so many areas of life. At times, it feels non-stop. Not just in my own life, but in that of some dear friends and fellow authors. Those I know well and others I’ve only met a few times, but my heart aches for their losses. For the adversity they face. 

I looked up adversity in the dictionary and it said:

Adversity: a state or instance of severe or continued difficulty.

It was the “continued” that really hit home. Living with a chronic illness and depression, adversity doesn’t just knock on my door, it lives in my home at times. At times is the key. It may continue to hammer us. It may take a lot of perseverance. It may take years of prayer, but I believe Christ’s words. 

I like this translation because adversity can be heavy. It can wear us down. As some of the synonyms below reflect, it refers to deep hurt. 

The synonyms include hardship, stress, suffering, or sorrow. 

I think it’s safe to say that we’ve all encountered adversity in our lives. God’s Word tells us we can expect trouble.  

Other translations use different words to describe the trouble we will have. Words like tribulation, suffering, oppression, distress, or affliction.  

There are many other bible verses that speak on adversity, which I think it’s mentioned so often because most, if not all of us will deal with adversity at some point in our lives, in our walk with Christ. For further personal study, if you’re interested, you can look up:

Our characters often face adversity. Reading about men and women who face adversity and persevere through their dependence on God grips my heart. Several books have really spoken to my heart his way. One is The Protector by Dee Henderson. It was the first Christian novel I read. It was a gift. I didn’t even know there was such a thing as Christian fiction at the time, but I devoured it. It reminded me of a favorite verse from Psalm 34. 

It’s the ‘but’ that’s important. It’s our lifeline. But the Lord. He is our anchor. He is the one who delivers us. 

While Jesus tells us that we will have trouble and adversity in this life, He also promises us: 

So if you are in the trenches of adversity, my prayers go out to you, but take heart God’s got you and you will overcome. We, in Christ, are more than conquerors. 

Reader Question: 

What book have you read that has encouraged you in difficult times? 

Blessings, 

Dani