This article will have a little something for everyone. Adversity is an aspect of life we will all face in many different stages of life. In our day to day living, in recovery, and as part of Christian growth if you are a believer! At the end we will have a little take away you can do to start facing adversity better, increase your Christian growth, and in general develop your character a bit more.
When it comes to Christian growth, something we need to look at especially is character! Christian character is especially in the world we live. I was looking into this topic and saw that it’s popularity has gone down incredibly since 2003. This post is all about fear and standing up to adversity and how we can start fueling up to live a full life! Let’s look at a great example of Christian growth and see if there’s anything we can put into practice.
Our character is going to be challenged constantly, maybe not so much with us being called out but rather how we interact and react to our surroundings. In our faith, this is to be an expected part of Christian growth and we are told we will face adversity. At times we are going to have to be a defender of what we believe in. Although it is geared toward Christian growth anyone can take something from the following story! Look at Steven, in the Synagogue as discussed in the book of Acts, this is a great example of where we should want to be in our Christian growth and Christ like character! He was in a dicey situation, he was calling out the religious elite for not adhering to the Holy Spirit. From what Acts says, it was indeed a testy situation!
What You'll Find Here
Biblical example of how where our Christian growth should lead
He spoke and the elders there disputed him but could not get past his wisdom! The power he showed they said gave him the face of an angel! The resistance from the religious establishment was not having what he said and countered him. We can only imagine the yelling and screaming that was going on. Yet he did not scream or fight aggressively giving them back an attitude. His wisdom and the spirit with which he was speaking, they just couldn’t get past it! If you ask me, that’s Christian growth!
When the resistance came, Steven stayed peaceful and calm and his continence was “glowing”. How cool is that? We could never do that, I mean if people were downplaying something we knew to be true, how would we act out? If someone was yelling at me as a man would probably get testy, wouldn’t you? When opposition comes at us at time we fold normally, it’s almost a fight or flight situation at times!
This is spiritual power God freely provides us through wisdom and He freely provides that wisdom. Proverbs 1:9 states:
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
Fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Source: https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/God-Gives-Wisdom
We may not feel strong, look at Steven’s story in Acts 7 with the elders enraged! He was called to stand up for what is right. It can be scary at times, but with any habit it becomes easier and easier to do what is right. When Steven was being stoned to death, he not only gave up his soul, he said in a loud voice that their sin not be held against them. We serve an audience of one. Sometimes especially if we are scared or face push back, we need to look at Steven. His final words remind me of someone else, Christ Jesus.
Part of that wisdom God provides allows us to be courageous, courage that matches our conviction! What do you do to stand up for your conviction? Do you stand courageously for a just cause? We are called to step out of our comfort zones and stand up for our values. Not do be silent in the face of adversity, but to speak kindly yet boldly about our beliefs.
Examples of showing our character?
Character, although is an important aspect of Christian growth, is a vital aspect of every person’s personal growth and development. Our strength to “fight” good battles! Look at the saying “One day at a time” which is a common and popular adage among individuals in recovery. Many in recovery firmly believe in the idea that wisdom will help them avoid situations that could jeopardize their sobriety. So what happens when adversity comes their way, say where the booze is flowing at a family party? “Hey can I get you a beer?” “No thank you, I don’t drink.” “Aww come on everyone is drinking, it’s a party man.” “I really can’t drink, I’m an alcoholic.” “One probably won’t kill you, will it?” “You know what, one is too much and a thousand will never be enough. But if you have a can of soda I could go for one of those. But I’m not going to drink alcohol.”
Parents are faced with adversity all the time. Sometimes it’s easiest to throw in the towel for a regular battle, but down the road are left with a “wow, I wish I stuck with that.” It’s easy to shelf something, especially under stress and tuck and roll. With children as parents we are trying to help mold them not to be replicas of ourselves, but able to navigate this world. For example, many kids will fight over going to a party that lasts into the night, especially in high school! “All my friends are going, I’ll be fine.” You could tell them “no, because I said so.” What that’s not showing them is you respect their desire, you’re an authoritarian. So how can you say no? “You know what honey, I was your age before and I’ve seen what happens when a party goes wrong. I’m not comfortable, it’s not you I worry about (unless it is!), it’s everyone else who may not have the same idea of fun as you.” “Ugh, you’re so unfair, I’ll be the loser for not going.” “If that group of kids will think you’re a loser because you can’t go out and potentially get in trouble, are they really worth being around to begin with? You know what, record me and my reasoning and play it for them.” When they raise their voice, stay calm. I was a teenager before, that voice will get raised. Just remind them you want respect and you respect them enough to explain why you say no.
To Make You Think
- Can you name an area of adversity you’ve faced before?
- What did you do where you feel you handled it well?
- What could you have done better?
How can you apply this to you personal development or Christian growth? We would love to read your thoughts in the comment section! If you liked the read we would appreciate a share!