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Adversity in the Center of God’s Will

Saul told his son Jonathan and all the attendants to kill David. 1 Samuel 19:1 NIV

One day David was minding his own business, tending sheep, when God called him to be a king. He didn’t ask to be king, but God said he was the one. He turned out to be a really good king. Imagine that? God made a good pick! David had a heart modeled after God’s, according to the Bible.

So, since God had chosen to bless David in such a way, why, throughout David’s story, do we continually find Saul trying to kill David? For some time, David was chased by Saul. David hid out, sometimes all alone, which is the setting we find him in during the writings of many of the Psalms. David was God’s choice for king and yet he was often placed in incredible adversity.

What does this tell us about the way God guides His children? It says to me is that sometimes God’s will for us places us in the middle of trials. More importantly, I am learning that I cannot determine whether I am in God’s will based on whether or not my life is peaceful. Just because I have struggles in life, doesn’t mean I am not in God’s will for my life.

Think about Abraham who faced the trial of leaving his homeland; Moses wandered in the wilderness forty years; Joseph was sold into slavery; Nehemiah had to fight off naysayers; Daniel was thrown into a lion’s den. All of these great servants of God faced persecution, heartache, and trials beyond most of our imaginations. Yet, all them, during the adversity, were right where God wanted them to be; in the center of His will.

We all like for life to be peaceful, and we can have inner peace in the middle of the storms of life, but God has not promised us a life free of problems. In fact, we can perfectly within His will and still be facing adversity. He has promised us we we can trust Him and that His grace is sufficient. Through it all, God uses the difficult seasons of life to make us more like Jesus.

How has God used adversity to shape you?