Adversity Is a Bridge to a Deeper Relationship with God
Table of Contents
- The Principle of the Bridge
- That I May Know Him (Philippians 3:10-11)
- Suffering Makes Us Feel Lonely, Yet Draws Us Closer
- How Did Paul See His Infirmities? (2 Corinthians 11:23-31)
- No Confidence in the Flesh (Philippians 3:3-11)
- What Paul Says About Earthly Accomplishments
- Application: Cross the Bridge
Beloved friend, adversity is not an interruption of your walk with God; it is often the bridge that leads you into a deeper relationship with Him. Life Principle 26 teaches that suffering, though painful and lonely, can draw us closer to Christ than any season of ease. The apostle Paul discovered this truth in his own life. Let us open the Scriptures and learn.
The Principle of the Bridge
The hard places of life do not separate us from God; they can become the very path that carries us into greater intimacy with Him. When everything else is stripped away, we learn what it means to know Christ.
That I May Know Him (Philippians 3:10-11)
Philippians 3:10-11 (NKJV)
10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,
11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Paul’s deepest desire was to know Christ—not merely to know about Him, but to know the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings. He wanted to be conformed to His death so that he might attain to the resurrection from the dead. Adversity becomes the bridge into that fellowship.
Suffering Makes Us Feel Lonely, Yet Draws Us Closer
Suffering makes us feel lonely a lot. In the isolation of pain, we can feel forgotten. Yet that same loneliness can become the place where we draw nearer to God than we ever could when life was comfortable. The bridge is crossed when we turn our loneliness into seeking.
How Did Paul See His Infirmities? (2 Corinthians 11:23-31)
2 Corinthians 11:23-31 (NKJV)
23 Are they ministers of Christ?—I speak as a fool—I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often.
24 From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one.
25 Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep;
26 in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
27 in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness—
28 besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches.
29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?
30 If I must boast, I will boast in the things which concern my infirmity.
31 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying.
Paul lists an extraordinary catalog of suffering: stripes, prisons, deaths often, shipwrecks, perils of every kind, weariness, sleeplessness, hunger, thirst, cold, and nakedness. Yet he says, “If I must boast, I will boast in the things which concern my infirmity.” He did not hide his weaknesses; he boasted in them because they drove him deeper into dependence on Christ.
No Confidence in the Flesh (Philippians 3:3-11)
Philippians 3:3-11 (NKJV)
3 For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh,
4 though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so:
5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee;
6 concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.
8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ
9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;
10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,
11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
What Paul Says About Earthly Accomplishments
Paul lists every earthly accomplishment that once gave him confidence in the flesh: circumcision, Israelite pedigree, tribe of Benjamin, Hebrew of the Hebrews, Pharisee, zealous persecutor of the church, and blameless righteousness under the law. Then he declares that what things were gain to him, these he has counted loss for Christ. He counts all things as rubbish for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus his Lord. He has no confidence in the flesh. Earthly accomplishments cannot carry us across the bridge; only knowing Christ can.
Application: Cross the Bridge
Friend, adversity will come, and it will often make you feel lonely. Yet that same adversity is a bridge to a deeper relationship with God. Like Paul, you can come to know Christ and the fellowship of His sufferings. Boast in your infirmities, for they drive you to dependence. Count your earthly accomplishments as rubbish compared to knowing Him. Cross the bridge. On the other side is the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus your Lord.
Amen