Why does God allow adversity?

This is a 3-part series on why God allows adversity in a believers’ life.  This is part 1.

IT BRINGS GLORY TO GOD

John 9:1-3 -  Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”  Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. 

• This man’s blindness was part of God’s plan in order to reveal Himself during His earthly ministry 

John 11:1-4 - Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.  It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.  Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.”  When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”

• Lazarus’ death and resurrection from the dead brought God glory, revealed Christ’s divine power, and also as one of the catalysts for His own death.  After this miracle, the scribes and Pharisees started plotting Christ’s death.  This was part of God’s plan to lead Christ to the cross.

DEVELOPS HUMILITY

Deuteronomy 8:16 -  who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do you good in the end—

• When everything is going well and our lives are plentiful, we tend to forget God and all He has done for us.  God then allows adversity in our lives to reduce our pride, so that we’ll humble ourselves and come back to Him.

DISCIPLINE BY GOD

1 Corinthians 11:32 -  But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.

• There were some in the Corinthian church who received judgment for their sins, some via illness or even death.

Hebrews 12:5,6 - And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.”

• God chastises us because we are His children.  It is not a sign of rejection, but of love.  It is a tool of correction for us to run our race successfully.