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Introduction:
Introduction:
I want to welcome you again this morning.
First, to those joining us online, we are so thankful for our online technology that allows you to be a part of our church family today.
I also want to welcome those who may be joining us for the first time today. I hope your time with us today is encouraging and helpful, and I look forward to meeting you.
I would also say if you are new to our church today, it would be helpful for you to know that we practice a form of preaching called “Expository Preaching”. What that means, is we believe the Bible is best taught by taking books of the Bible and then breaking them down from beginning to end, chapter by chapter, verse by verse. Our goal, to better understand not only what God’s Word says, but what it means in our lives today.
Over the past couple of years we’ve been doing that through the NT book of Acts. A book written by a First Century disciple named Luke who wrote it for a couple of reasons:
First, to give us a history of how the church started, who was there, and the circumstances that surrounded it.
Second, in a way, to give us a template on how to accomplish the mission that Jesus gave us to take the gospel to the entire world. With that said, if you haven’t been with us I would encourage you to go online to http://www.mcf.life or to our Facebook page where you can watch previous messages.
Today however we are picking back up in Acts 20 as we continue with the Apostle Paul on his journey towards Jerusalem.
You may recall, this is a journey that started back in chapter 19 as Paul felt led by the Holy Spirit to leave Ephesus and head a new direction, specifically towards Jerusalem. Back in chapter 19, Luke put it like this:
21 Now after these events Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.”
Luke says Paul, resolved by the Spirit, determined that God was leading him to Jerusalem and then eventually to Rome.
So, why is that important? It’s important because as we learned, in many respects Paul’s Spirit led journey towards Jerusalem represents a model of how the Holy Spirit leads a Christian on their journey of faith.
A journey that often involves walking a path of uncertainty. A journey that doesn’t always lead us to a place we would naturally choose for ourselves. A journey that more than likely involves some sort of hardship.
In fact, we know this will be the case for Paul, because as we’ve learned, the closer Paul gets to Jerusalem, the more certain he is that hardship awaits him. You may recall Paul put it like this as he spoke to the Ephesians Elders in Miletus:
22 And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, 23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me.
In this passage Paul once again verifies that he’s not only being led by the Spirit, but that he knows it’s a journey that will lead to significant hardship in his life. Hardship that apparently involves imprisonment and afflictions.
So, again, why is this important? It’s important because if Paul’s faith journey is meant to be a faith journey model, and it is, then we can be sure as we are led by the Spirit, that at some point in our faith journey, we too are going to face significant hardship as well.
And the truth is, that’s a challenge for most Christians. And it’s a challenge for a couple of reasons:
First, it’s a challenge because nobody likes to face hardship. In fact, if possible, we avoid it at all costs.
Second, it’s a challenge because for most American Christians, we have a distorted view of what following Jesus may actually entail for our lives.
In other words, we have an Americanized version of Christianity we’ve given ourselves too, versus the Biblical version that Jesus calls us too.
An Americanized version that isn’t so much a lifestyle as it is an added addition to our life.
An Americanized version that focuses more on the temporal versus eternal benefits.
An Americanized version that focuses more on blessing than it does sacrifice.
An Americanized version that's more about receiving than it is giving.
An Americanized version that has convinced many Christians that we are meant to live our best life now.
And the problem with that version of Christianity, is that the Bible doesn’t support it. In fact, the Bible tends to say the exact opposite.
For example, when you become a Christian, you’re not just adding Jesus to your life, you’re making Him Lord of your life. And I can tell you right now, those are two different things.
In addition to that, when you become a Christian, you’re no longer living for this life, but instead for the life to come. Which means, this isn’t your best life now. Your best life now is yet to come in eternity.
Not only that, but when you become a Christian, yes there is a blessing that comes from that, but there is also a great amount of sacrifice that comes with it as well. Sacrifice that doesn’t always include prosperity. Sacrifice that will require you to at times give more than you get. Sacrifice that will often include hardship.
That being the case, as we come to the end of Acts 20 and begin Acts 21, we will be picking up once again with the subject matter of hardship as Paul says his final goodbye to the Ephesian Elders and continues on to Jerusalem.
You might be wondering, “Ok Pastor, wasn’t really expecting to hear you talk about hardship today. That’s depressing. But here we are. So what aspect of hardship are we going to be looking at today?”
Well let’s find out as we pick back up with Paul as he says his final goodbye to the Ephesian elders:
Luke records it like this:
36 And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. 37 And there was much weeping on the part of all; they embraced Paul and kissed him, 38 being sorrowful most of all because of the word he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And they accompanied him to the ship.
As Paul finishes out his time with the Ephesian Elders, Luke says the final goodbye is an emotional one as the reality sets in that they will never see Paul again.
Not only that, but based on what Paul has told them, difficulties and hardship await him, and that’s the last thing they want for their friend.
But regardless of the pain of this emotional moment, Paul knows he needs to keep pressing forward as he now heads for the ship. Which brings us to chapter 21 as Paul now boards the ship and continues on towards Jerusalem. Picking up in chapter 21 verse 1, Luke writes:
1 And when we had parted from them and set sail, we came by a straight course to Cos, and the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara. 2 And having found a ship crossing to Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail. 3 When we had come in sight of Cyprus, leaving it on the left we sailed to Syria and landed at Tyre, for there the ship was to unload its cargo. 4 And having sought out the disciples, we stayed there for seven days… Acts 21:1-4a
Luke says after leaving Miletus, Paul makes a series stops and boat changes that results in a seven day layover in the city of Tyre.
Now, you might be wondering, “What’s the significance of Luke mentioning Paul’s travel arrangements and this layover?”
Really there’s no significance in giving us the travel plan. If anything Luke is just historically documenting the route they took in order to get to Jerusalem.
However, what he tells us about Paul’s layover does have significance for our subject matter of hardship today. Because with a seven day layover in Tyre, Luke says Paul decides to seek out disciples.
In other words, Paul decides the best use of his time while in Tyre would be to find other Christians that he can spend time with. And as you might expect, after searching for them, he finds them. Because Luke goes on to write:
4 And having sought out the disciples, we stayed there for seven days. And through the Spirit they were telling Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. 5 When our days there were ended, we departed and went on our journey, and they all, with wives and children, accompanied us until we were outside the city. And kneeling down on the beach, we prayed 6 and said farewell to one another. Then we went on board the ship, and they returned home.
Luke says after searching for fellow Christians Paul finds them, where for the next seven days they spend time fellowshipping, learning from each other, and encouraging one another.
But what I want you to notice is what Luke specifically says the Christians in Tyre said to Paul. Because as they fellowship together, Luke says through the Spirit, they were telling Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.
So, what’s that all about?
It’s what Paul has been saying is happening to him everywhere he goes. Remember, back in Acts 20, he put it like this:
22 And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, 23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me.
So here in Tyre, once again, the Holy Spirit is confirming to Paul that hardship and affliction await him in Jerusalem. And like the Ephesian Elders, the Christians in Tyre don’t want Paul to face such hardship. And so because they care about him they are encouraging him not to go to Jerusalem.
But just like in Miletus, Paul knows he has to keep pushing forward. So after saying his goodbyes to the Christians in Tyre, once again he makes his way back to the ship where he will continue on his journey towards Jerusalem, knowing that hardship awaits.
Now you might be wondering at this point, “Is Paul a glutton for punishment? Does Paul have some kind of martyr complex? I mean if he knows hardship is coming, why is he still going towards it?”
Well, as we’ve learned, Paul isn’t going to Jerusalem based on his own desires, but on he leading of the Spirit. In other words, Paul believes God wants him to go to Jerusalem because Paul believes God’s plan and purpose for the next chapter of his life wait for him there.
So, why the constant reminders of hardship then? Is God trying to discourage Paul?
No. By reminding him, the Holy Spirit is preparing Paul for what he’s going to face. In other words he’s prepping him. He’s getting him ready. He’s giving Paul time to soak it in. So that when the hardship comes, Paul isn’t taken off guard.
Which now takes us to the last leg of Paul’s journey to Jerusalem as he now enters the city of Caesarea. Luke describes it like this:
7 When we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais, and we greeted the brothers and stayed with them for one day. 8 On the next day we departed and came to Caesarea, and we entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him.
Luke says after leaving Tyre, they eventually arrived in Caesarea, which puts them about 55 miles outside of Jerusalem. About a days journey.
What’s interesting though is who they choose to stay with in Caesarea. Because Luke says when they arrived they stayed with a man named Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven.
So, a great question would be, “Why is that detail so important?”
Well, to determine that, let’s start with who Philip the evangelist is.
You may recall back in Acts 6, as the church started to grow, there was a need for more church leaders. It was at that point the Apostles decided to select qualified men that could help them accomplish the work of ministry. And in doing so they choose 7 men. Back in Acts 6 Luke writes:
5 And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch.
Luke says the Apostles selected seven specific men to assist them, the first being a man named Stephen, the second Philip, along with 5 more.
Which brings us back to Acts 21, as Luke now references Philip the evangelist, one of the seven. Which means, the Philip Paul is staying with is the same Philip that was selected by the Apostles back in Acts 6.
You say, “What’s the significance of that?”
Well, if anything it’s ironic. Ironic that Paul would now stay with a man who he once persecuted. A man he once ran out of town. A man whose friend Paul killed.
Because if you don’t remember, prior to Paul’s conversion, Paul had been busy persecuting and killing Christians. And one particular Christian he killed was a man named Stephen, who was one of the seven.
Which means he was one of Philip’s friends. A murder that resulted in the church being scattered. Back in Acts 8 Luke puts it like this:
1 And Saul approved of his execution.
And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.
4 Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. 5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ.
Which now brings us to Acts 21 as Paul enters the home and stays with the man he once persecuted.
Do you see the irony here. But along with the irony, we also see the grace of God as two men who were once enemies are now brothers in Christ. As Paul has now come full circle. Pretty awesome, right?
But maybe what’s even more ironic, is that while there was a day Philip was being persecuted by Paul for his faith, Paul is now the one who is about to face severe hardship and persecution for his faith. Which leads us to what Luke says happened next. Because as Paul relaxes at Philip’s house, Luke writes:
9 He had four unmarried daughters, who prophesied. 10 While we were staying for many days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’ ”
Luke says as Paul reclines at Philip’s house, a prophet named Agabus from Judea arrives. And upon seeing Paul he receives a word from the Holy Spirit. A very specific word that leads to a prophetic demonstration as Agabus takes Paul’s belt, binds his own feet and hands, and declares:
“Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles’.”
In other words, “Paul, this is what is about to happen to you. When you get to Jerusalem, the Jews, your own people, are going to have you arrested, and they are going to turn you over to the gentiles”.
Or, here’s another way to put it, “Paul, your own people are going to treat you just like they did Jesus. They’re going to arrest you, bind you, beat you, and turn you over to the gentiles to be killed.”
That’s encouraging, right?
And as you can imagine, nobody wanted to hear this or wanted this for Paul. Because Luke goes on to write:
12 When we heard this, we and the people there urged him not to go up to Jerusalem.
Luke says following Agabus’s prophecy, everybody in the room started urging Paul to abandon his journey to Jerusalem. To do everything he could to avoid this terrible hardship.
But just like before, Paul isn’t about to be detoured from the path that God has laid out for him. Because as his friends urge him to abandon his journey to Jerusalem, Paul says this:
13 Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”
Luke says Paul responds emotionally to their pleas. He says, “Please stop. You’re breaking my heart. I know this is hard. I know what I’m about to face is going to be difficult. I know it’s tearing you up. But you all need to know how committed I am too God’s will. Because not only am I willing to be imprisoned for Jesus. I’m willing to die for him if need be.”
Luke says Paul is now more determined than ever to keep moving forward. In fact, he’s so determined that his friends finally give up trying to change his mind. Because Luke writes:
14 And since he would not be persuaded, we ceased and said, “Let the will of the Lord be done.”
Luke says before long it became apparent that nobody was going to change Paul’s mind. So they gave it to God and said, “Let God’s will be done”.
Now, at this point you might be thinking, “Ok pastor, this is all very interesting. It’s been quite a journey for Paul. I get it. Glad I’m not in his shoes. Sounds like he has some rough days ahead. I guess I’m just wondering though, what does this have to do with my life?”
That’s a great question, because as we come to the end of Paul’s journey towards Jerusalem, we come to hardship reality that we all need to be willing to face.
You might ask, “What’s the reality?”
It’s simply this:
Hardship Reality - Hardship isn’t something I might face, it’s something I will face.
Let me explain it like this.
Up until this point, all Paul knew, all that he’d been told, is that hardship was coming. That something difficult awaited him. That at some point he was going to face some adversity. He was going to face some difficulty. Which means, to a degree, up until today, his hardship has just been an ambiguous idea that lacks definition and to some extent certainty.
You tracking with me?
But now the ambiguous idea of hardship has become a reality and a certainty.
Because now Paul knows exactly what’s going to happen to him when he enters the gates of Jerusalem.
Paul now knows the specifics of his hardship. A hardship that involves betrayal by his own people, arrest, and gentile imprisonment that will more than likely lead to death. The ambiguous is now defined. The reality of Paul’s hardship is now here.
And I believe this is where most Christians struggle the most and where many Christians even falter in their faith when it comes to hardship.
Because the fact is, while we’ve all been told as Christians that we are going to face hardship, I’m not sure we believe it.
Why? Two possibilities.
For some, it goes back to our American version of Christianity. You know, your best life now thinking.
For others, hardship hasn’t been fully defined and it hasn’t been something we’ve had to face, yet.
Because until it happens, it’s just an ambiguous idea.
But then all of a sudden the hardship comes. All of a sudden the reality of hardship hits us square between the eyes. And now it’s no longer an ambiguous idea. Now it’s a reality in our life. Now we are looking at it in the face. Now:
We’re looking at a cancer diagnosis.
We’re looking at a health crisis.
We’re looking at a loved one in a casket.
We’re looking at a relational loss or crisis.
We’re looking at a decision we’d hoped we’d never have to make.
We’re looking at the loss of employment.
We’re looking at our child’s depression and despair.
We’re looking at a marriage that is falling apart.
We’re looking at a prayer that seems to go unheard and unanswered.
We’re looking at a pandemic.
We’re looking at something we hoped we would never have to face.
And it’s in that moment of hardship reality we begin to wonder where God is. We begin to question why God would allows this. And in that moment we either rise or we fall. We either overcome or we fold. We either rise in victory or we surrender.
And in my opinion, it’s one of the most critical moments a Christian will face as their faith and trust in God are tested to the maximum. Because this is where the rubber hits the road. This is where you find out just how much you trust God.
So, a great question would be, “How do you face the reality of hardship? What do you do when the ambiguous idea of hardship becomes a reality?”
With the time we have left this morning, and based on how Paul responded to the reality of his hardship, I’d like to suggest we have to be wiling to do two things:
We have to come to terms with the reality of hardship.
What I mean by that is that we have to be willing to accept that even though we are Christians, we are going to face adversity and hardship.
I think this is why the Holy Spirit had been so adamantly warning and dropping clues for Paul that hardship was coming. So that when it happened Paul wouldn’t be caught off guard. That he wouldn’t be caught up in some kind of disillusionment of why this was happening to him.
This is exactly what Peter was talking about when he gave this advice on hardship:
12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.
Peter says, don’t let hardship catch you off guard. Don’t let it cause disillusionment. Don’t let it send you in a tail spin. Be prepared for it and come to terms with it when it happens.
But that’s the challenge for so many of us, because we thought, now that I’m a Christian, bad things won’t happen to me. At least that’s what the preacher on tv said.
Or because I’m a Christian, God will always rescue me from hardship. That He won’t let me go through anything difficult.
But that’s not true. Because like it or not, facing hardship is a part of the journey of faith. Jesus Himself said that would be the case. He puts it like this:
33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
It goes back to something we talked about a couple weeks ago. We called it the hardship principle. We stated it like this:
Hardship Principle - The hardship you face on your faith journey is not accidental, a senseless tragedy, and not a judgment on God’s part, but is in fact a part of God’s plan and purpose for your life that will ultimately bring Glory to God and point people to Jesus.
Let me put it like this. If you’re a Christian, what you have to come to terms with is that not only will you face hardship, but nothing that happens in your life is random, by chance, or a fluke. That whatever it is you are facing, whether it be blessing or hardship, that God has allowed it in your life. That in His perfect plan and will for your life, what you are facing is a part of his plan for your life.
That’s how we come to terms with it.
You see, the problem for a lot of Christians, is we don’t want to come to terms with the reality of hardship. Instead, we act surprised when it happens. And we want to wish it away. We want to pretend it’s not happening. We want to deny that it’s a reality in our life.
For example, I know for me, I struggled with this in the beginning days of Covid. I struggled accepting that we weren’t going to have church as normal for awhile. I struggled with the mask mandates. I got angry when I heard “experts” say, “We won’t be back to normal until the end of 2021” I struggled accepting that Covid was happening. I wanted to pretend it wasn’t happening. And I don’t think I was alone in that. I think many of you struggled and still struggle.
But it’s our reality. And so if we want to overcome it and navigate it in a healthy way, it starts by accepting the reality of it. Because believe it or not, God allowed Covid, it has served a purpose, and it’s a part of His plan for your life, my life, and for this world. Which means, we have to come to terms with it.
That’s what Paul had to do and what he did. Because after Agabus revealed the reality of his fate, Paul was willing to accept his reality, and eventually everybody with him as they all said, “Let the will of the Lord be done”.
Listen, I know this is hard:
It’s hard to accept that you have cancer.
It’s hard to accept that you won’t see a loved one again.
It’s hard to accept the loss of that friendship.
It’s hard to accept that your child is struggling with depression.
It’s hard to accept that your marriage is in trouble.
It’s hard to accept that your going to face some financial challenges.
It’s hard to accept that the path God has for you may not be the path you would have chosen.
But I’m going to tell you right now, if you want to overcome the hardship and come out victorious on the other side, you have to come to terms with it.
And please hear me, by coming to terms with it, I’m not saying you have to like it. But you do need to come to a place where you can say, “Ok, if this is the path God has for me, then so be it. Let the will of the Lord be done.”
To be honest, that’s what helped me start navigating Covid in a healthy way. To finally come to terms with the reality of the situation. To accept that life isn’t going to be normal for awhile. To accept that I’m going to have to wear a mask. To accept that for whatever reason, God has allowed this to happen, but that He is in control. And that if I want to come out victorious on the other side, if I want to grow through this pain, it starts with me accepting the reality of it.
And I can tell you right now, since I’ve done that, my life has been more at peace and my trust in God has increased. Do I like the circumstances? NO. But I’ve accepted the reality of where we are right now.
So, when the reality of hardship comes, we have to be willing to come to terms with it.
This now leads to a second thing we need to be willing to do. Because along with coming to terms with the reality of it:
2. We have to be willing to walk into the hardship, regardless of the pain, and regardless of what it costs us.
Upon finding out what the specifics of his hardship would be, notice what Paul says:
12 When we heard this, we and the people there urged him not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”
After hearing what would become of him, Luke says Paul not only accepted it, he was ready to walk into it. How do we know? We know because Paul says not only would he be willing to face the imprisonment, but even death if necessary.
Now, was that an easy decision for Paul? No. And we know that because as his friends begin to try and dissuade him from accepting this reality, Paul basically says, “Please stop. You guys are killing me. You’re breaking my heart. You’re making this decision really hard.”
You see Paul wasn’t some sort of super Christian that never struggled with facing hardship. He was just like you and me. He loved his life. He loved his friends. He enjoyed his freedom. The last thing he wants is to be arrested and imprisoned.
But he knows this is the path God has for him. He knows this will lead to God’s best in his life. And so he’s not only willing to accept it, as hard as it is, he’s willing to walk into it knowing it could cost him his life.
And to be frank with you, this is where A lot of Christians falter when it comes to facing hardship. Because yes, maybe they’ve come to terms with it, but actually walking into the hardship takes another level of commitment.
I know this from personal experience.
In 2009 I was on staff at a large church in Springfield, MO. Every Tuesday we had a staff chapel where all the staff joined together for a time of worship and a leadership teaching from our Lead Pastor.
On one particular Tuesday that year, our Lead Pastor was out of town, so we watched a video teaching by Craig Groeschel with the title, “Stepping into your pain”.
To be honest, I had no idea the impact that message would have on me as Pastor Craig talked about the challenge of stepping into a plan that God has for you that could bring some discomfort, change, and even heartache into your life.
Because as I walked out of chapel that day, I heard the Holy Spirit speak to me. And He said, “Your time is almost up here.” And in that moment I knew that was the pain I was going to have to walk into.
And to be honest, the reality of that pain hit me like a ton of bricks, and it was a reality I wasn’t ready to walk into.
So, the Holy Spirit didn’t give up, and for the next 18 months at different moments He reminded me of the hardship to come. One day He did it through my wife Denise. I didn’t handle that very well. I told her to never say it again.
And then one day, on a Wednesday in July of 2010, the reality came, and I had to walk into my pain.
And I can tell you right now, walking into that pain was heart wrenching. It was heart wrenching to leave a church I loved. It was heart wrenching to leave friendships and a community I had a deep compassion for. It was hard to watch my kids weep, cry themselves to sleep, and beg me not to move us out of Springfield, It nearly tore my heart out. But I new I had to step into the pain.
And yes it cost us. It cost us financially. It cost us relationally. It put added stress and strain on our family and our marriage. It created anxiety for my children. It nearly drove Denise into a depression. I had to get professional counseling.
Some of you are like, “Pastor, that sounds awful. Are you sure that was the right call?”
Honestly, I wondered then. But now, 12 years later, I look at my life and I can see we’re exactly where God wants us to be, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Because through the pain I grew, Denise grew, my kids grew, and God’s will has been accomplished in our lives.
But to get here we had to go through some pain. We had to experience some loss. We had to walk through some hardship.
And what was true for Paul and what was true for Denise and I will be true for all Christians. In order to get where God wants us to go, we’re going to have to walk through some hardship. Hardship that we must walk into regardless of how much it hurts and what it costs us.
Now, you might be thinking, “Ok pastor, that’s all good, but what exactly does that look like in my life?”
As we close, while there are a multitude of examples I could give, I’d like to make some key applicational suggestions of what this might look like for some of you. Examples that I think are very relevant for Christians in our culture today:
Example #1 - Health Hardship.
Maybe it’s cancer. Maybe it’s diabetes. Possibly heart disease. Or maybe it’s something that’s not life threatening, but it’s brought discomfort and pain to your life.
And if you’re like most people, two things happened or going to happen when you face this hardship.
First, your going to be in shock as you process something you hoped you’d never hear come out of a doctors mouth. In that moment you may even wonder where God is and why He’s allowed it.
Second, after the shock, you’re going to start praying that God will heal you. You’re going to ask God to take away the cancer. Take away the diabetes. Take away the health hardship.
And that’s a good prayer and something I think you should pray for, no doubt.
But along with that, you need to be willing to walk into the pain. So, how do you do that?
Well, along with praying for healing, you also pray, “God, what is the purpose for this pain? What is it you’re trying to teach me? What is it you’re trying to show me? God how are going to us my pain to bring glory to you? Lord what do I need to do in order for this hardship to point people to you?”
That’s how you walk into health hardship. You walk into the mindset that this has happened for a reason. That for whatever reason, cancer is a part of your journey. This sickness is a part of the plan. A plan that God is going to use to grow you and point others to Him.
And I’m going to tell you right now, if you start praying like that, it’s going to change your entire perspective as God begins to show you what the purpose of your pain is, and how He’s going to use it for your benefit and His glory.
Now, will you see the purpose right away? Possibly. But what I’ve found, is as time passes you’ll be able to look back and see how God was at work and how He used your health hardship to grow you and lead others to Him. But for that to happen, you’re going to have to walk into the pain.
Example #2 - Relational Hardship
This kind of hardship comes in all different shapes and sizes, so I’m going to spend a few minutes on this one:
For some, this hardship comes when you first come to faith in Jesus, and you begin to realize the friendships you’ve had, aren’t going to be the friendships that move you forward spiritually.
And to be honest, this is a hard reality every new Christian has to face. Because with it comes relational loss.
I see this happen all the time to new believers as the reality of their faith in Jesus now separates them not only from their old life, but from old friends.
And for a lot of new Christians this is heart wrenching. This is difficult. Because you still love and care for those old relationships. And you should.
But in order to move forward in God’s plan for your life, you can’t stay where they are at. You can’t keep going out to the bars with them. You have to keep moving forward. And sometimes it will mean the loss of a friendship. And that’s hard. In fact, it’s heart wrenching.
For others, this hardship comes when you begin to realize the person you’re dating doesn’t love Jesus like you do. When all of a sudden you face the reality that you are in a relationship that is “unequally yoked”. And the truth is, you’ve known this to be the case from the beginning. The Holy Spirit has been dropping hints all over the place. And now the reality has finally sunk in.
And for you, the hardship will be the decision to break off the relationship.
And it will be hard, it will be heart wrenching, because with it comes the emotional pain and the fear of always being single. The fear that if you don’t keep this one, you may never find another one.
And that’s a hard pain to walk into. But here’s what you have to be willing to ask yourself, “Is it God’s will for me to marry somebody that doesn’t love Jesus like I do?”
And the answer to that is no. It’s not his plan. He actually has someone better for you.
And I would say this, if they won’t serve God to get you, why would they serve Him once they have you?
For some married people, the hardship your struggling with is the reality that you are unequally yoked. You’re married to a spouse that won’t go to church with you. A spouse that doesn’t love Jesus like you do.
And for you, the hardship will be the will to stay in a marriage you wish you weren’t in. The pain will be loving somebody who isn’t acting in a way that’s lovable. The pain will be in praying for somebody that maybe doesn’t treat you Christ like. Because as long as their faithful and they don’t care if you serve Jesus, that’s a marriage you need to be committed to. Paul puts it like this:
12 To the rest I say (I, not the Lord) that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her.
Paul says as long as your spouse is ok with you serving Jesus, then it’s a marriage you need to be committed to. And the hope would be that as you love and pray for them, that one day your spouse, like you did, will come to know Jesus. And yes, until that happens, your marriage will face some hardships.
And no, not all marriages will make it, and for some, your hardship will be the pain of divorce. An unfortunate circumstance that may be out of your control because your spouse was unfaithful or abusive.
And yes, it will be painful to walk into that pain. Yes it will be hard on you and your kids. But it is a pain that can and will grow you. A pain that will make you stronger. A pain that God can use to lead you to a new path.
One more example and we’ll wrap up. I call this one:
Example #3 - Parental Hardship.
This is the pain a parent feels when their child is hurting or facing opposition. If you’re a parent, you can relate with this pain. Because nobody likes to see their child suffer or go through a difficult time.
In fact, our instinct in moments like that is to rescue them. To pull them out of school. To confront the bully. To keep them from going into the world. To shield them from adversity.
And granted, there are times we need to shield and rescue our kids. No doubt. Denise and I have done that on many occassions.
However, there are times they need to go through some hardship.
And to be honest, this the problem I see in our culture today, as so many parents are going out of their way to protect their kids from all hardship and pain. And that’s a mistake.
Because like it or not mom and dad, sometimes our kids need to go through some hardship. They need to learn to deal with the adversity. They need to learn to trust God when the going gets tough. Or they will never grow.
When I was 19 years old, I eloped with Denise and we got married. And for 2 months I didn’t tell my parents. Wouldn’t recommend that. But what I did do is keep taking their money. What I did do is keep driving the $20,000 car they had bought me.
But then one day, the inevitable happened, and they found out we were married.
I’ll never forget my parents drove out to Denver not long after that discovery. My dad drove up in an old $1500 car. He handed me the keys, took the keys to my $20,000 car and said, “Brad, you want to be a man and be married. Ok. Go be a man.” And at that point, the support ended and I had to grow up.
To be honest, that’s one of the best things my dad ever did for me. And being a parent now, I know it was probably the hardest thing he ever did. And while it seemed cruel at the time, it was the right thing for him to do. Because looking back, that was a defining hardship moment in my life that eventually led me back to my faith in Jesus.
Was it painful? Yes. For both of us. But God used the pain to get me back on the right path.
Mom and dad, we live in a generation where we don’t want our kids to experience any pain. And the problem with that, is when there’s no hardship, they never learn to deal with adversity or trust God.
And the reason they can’t is because your afraid of the pain you’ll have to experience if you see them in pain. The pain any parent feels when they see their kid struggling or hurt.
I’ve shared this before, but several years ago a woman in our church told me how she was always bailing her son out and never letting him experience any hardship. She said she used to pray and ask God why He wasn’t helping her son. Why things never went right for him. She said one day the Holy Spirit spoke back, and He said, “I’d like to. But every-time I try and work in his life, you get in the way and bail him out.”
Listen, I know it’s painful mom and dad. But like it or not, hardship is a reality of life that not only do we need, but our kids needs as well.
Paul understood this. He knew if he was going to grow and accomplish God’s plan in his life, that hardship was part of the process. And as a result he gladly embraced it.
Because as we said earlier:
Hardship Principle - The hardship you face on your faith journey is not accidental, a senseless tragedy, and not a judgment on God’s part, but is in fact a part of God’s plan and purpose for your life that will ultimately bring Glory to God and point people to Jesus.
So, let me ask you this, “What’s hardship reality are you currently facing? Is it health related, relationally related, or maybe something else?”
Let me ask you this, “How have you responded to it? “ Have you come to terms with it? Are you willing to walk into it? Have you considered that maybe the hardship is meant for your good and not your harm. That maybe just maybe, God is going to use it for your benefit and ultimately for His glory?”
My hope and prayer is that you would. And please hear me, in saying that I’m not minimizing your hardship or implying that you should celebrate hardship or be joyful when it comes.
But what I am saying is that you should recognize it’s the hardship that makes you stronger. It’s the hardship that teaches you to trust God. It’s the hardship that shapes and molds you into the man or woman of God that God has called you to be.
The Apostle Paul puts it like this:
3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
Let’s Pray