Adversity. It comes in all shapes and sizes. Some big, some small. Some mildly annoying and some life threatening. But if you are part of the human race here on planet Earth, at some point in time you will face adversity.
Psalms 34:19 says "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all." NKJV
There is this misnomer in the church that afflictions, or adversity, only come when either you are not a Christian or as Christian you must have done something wrong to get out from under God's protection. That's a great thought. It makes it easy to justify in our minds why bad things happen to good people. But it just isn't the case.
Psalms 34:19 very plainly states that many are the afflictions of the RIGHTEOUS. That would be Christians. It doesn't say that many are the afflictions of those righteous ones that got out of the will of God. It doesn't say that many are the afflictions of those with deep dark unrepented sin in their life. Nope it says many are the afflictions of the righteous.
But thank God that verse doesn't end there. How depressing would it be if affliction was the end of the conversation.
"But the Lord delivers him out of them all." Aren't you glad that's part of the verse. I know I am.
I may face sickness from time to time, but the Lord delivers me out of them all.
I may face lack from time to time, but the Lord delivers me out of them all.
I may face weakness from time to time, but the Lord delivers me out of them all.
I may have people talking badly about me, but the Lord delivers me out of them all.
Things may not go the way I intended, but the Lord delivers me out of them all.
The next time you wonder "why, why is this happening to me?" Remember, God never promised a life that was free from adversity. He did however promise to deliver you out them all.
