God's Will for Your Hardships
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Intro
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us.
For the creation eagerly waits with anticipation for God’s sons to be revealed.
For the creation was subjected to futility—not willingly, but because of him who subjected it—in the hope
that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage to decay into the glorious freedom of God’s children.
For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together with labor pains until now.
Not only that, but we ourselves who have the Spirit as the firstfruits—we also groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.
Now in this hope we were saved, but hope that is seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he sees?
Now if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with patience.
In the same way the Spirit also helps us in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings.
And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because he intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
Hardship Happens
Hardship Happens
Suffering not worth considering the glory that is to come.
All of creation groans in waiting for what is to come.
The two kinds of hardships
Inflicted by self
Coming from outside of you.
Hardship is both objective and subjective
It is objective because some things are worse than others.
It is subjective because the worst thing that has happened to you is the worst thing that has happened to you.
God is source of healing
Understanding who God is and our relationship to him.
God is where we go for help.
I lift my eyes toward the mountains. Where will my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
We don’t grieve as others do who have no hope.
We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, concerning those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who have no hope.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, in the same way, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.
Need for evangelism.
Hardship Changes Us
For bad...
Despair, loss of hope.
All the ways hardship can negatively influence us.
Or for good.
It sounds strange to say but lets look at Hardship Reimagined.
Hardship Reimagined
Hardship Reimagined
We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.
The way the phrase “Everything happens for a reason.”
It is not that you will ever say:
“It is a very good thing that this very bad thing happened.”
It is that you will say:
“God has worked a very good thing out of this very bad thing that happened.”
Your MESS becomes a MESSAGE
Your TEST becomes a TESTIMONY
Your TRIAL into a TRIUMPH
Leads a VICTIM into a VICTORY
God works through our hardships for our good.
Our hardship develops us. James 1:2-3
Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials,
because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
Our hardship can produce an ability to do good for others.
The Story of Joseph
Beloved Son
Almost Murdered
Sold into Slavery
Accused by a wicked woman
Thrown in Jail
Raised to a place of leadership.
When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said to one another, “If Joseph is holding a grudge against us, he will certainly repay us for all the suffering we caused him.”
So they sent this message to Joseph, “Before he died your father gave a command:
‘Say this to Joseph: Please forgive your brothers’ transgression and their sin—the suffering they caused you.’ Therefore, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph wept when their message came to him.
His brothers also came to him, bowed down before him, and said, “We are your slaves!”
But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God?
You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result—the survival of many people.
Therefore don’t be afraid. I will take care of you and your children.” And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.
What you meant for evil, God meant for good.
When you don’t see the good.
You are not a “bad Christian.”
It is not bad for hard things to be hard.
We must imply make sure that we are doing what we are able to to respond appropriately.
God is still good.
Seek Him and I am confident you will find Him.
The Ultimate Good Work of God - The Gospel
For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
And those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified; and those he justified, he also glorified.
What, then, are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us?
He did not even spare his own Son but gave him up for us all. How will he not also with him grant us everything?
Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies.
Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the one who died, but even more, has been raised; he also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us.
The Good that Cannot be Undone
Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
As it is written: Because of you we are being put to death all day long; we are counted as sheep to be slaughtered.
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,
nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Nothing can separate you from God’s love!
You always have God and He always has you.