Friday, June 24, 2016

From Adversity to Redemption Via Endurance

From the rigours of adversity, God, in His goodness, paves our path to redemption, so we can be thankful for His goodness, via our endurance.
The journey from adversity to redemption occurs via endurance, and, in that we know God is good, because, as we’re obedient, He is faithful.  He never fails to complete what only He could accomplish — our redemption that for months or years we hoped for, endured for, and never gave up for.
I know a tremendously inspirational young person who has faced the rigours of his own adversities.  Several of them he has had in his life thus far.  Each of them in their size of significance could’ve been devastating, and he has had multiples to deal with.  And then recently, redemption!  The reward for over a decade’s work.  His redemption reminded me of my own journey — of Joseph’s journey, and David’s.  Thirteen years of journeying, each one.  And then I reminded of a young lady who, too, has endured much over a similar time period — adversity endured and awaiting redemption.  She keeps stepping by faith, and I know she will get there.
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Redemption we all must wait for.  In the meantime, we endure.  Along the path that God is paving, we are blessed simply yet boldly to step, as paving bricks are laid down at about the time we need to step — God’s provision, working in unison with our faith.
God knows He’s paving the entire path to our redemption, yet we cannot know, which underscores the role of our faith to believe in His goodness to carry us all the way there.
So, from adversity, we suffer it, and we grieve it well.  We cry our tears of sadness, being real about it, rather than deny it or pour our vitriol over others.  Through adversity we’re given the gift of coping.  It gets easier, more manageable, and we get used to being perfectly broken.
Then, at the right time, God grants us a redemption that He’s ever been leading us to; we see it only from hindsight, as we approach, and then walk right into, that Promised Land.  Then it arrives and we experience the bliss of the surreal.  Something we came to think would never actually happen, and yet we continued stepping in faith anyway.
It happens.  Ultimately.  Eventually.  The faithful experience redemption.  God works no other way.
Endure, for in your endurance is your hope,
for redemption, from your adversity.
© 2016 Steve Wickham.

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