0802 逆境的教导
在世上你们有苦难，但你们可以放心，我已经胜了世界。《约翰福音 16:33》
基督徒生活，典型的观点是以为从一切逆境中被拯救出来，但它实际上意味着在逆境中得到拯救，那是非常不同的事情。 「住在至高者隐密处的，必住在全能者的荫下…祸患必不临到你，灾害也不挨近你的帐棚。」（诗篇 91:1,10）——这是你与神合一的地方。
如果你是神的孩子，你肯定会遇到逆境，但耶稣说，当逆境来临时，你不应该感到惊讶。「在世上你们有苦难，但你们可以放心，我已经胜了世界。」祂是在说：「你没有什么好害怕的。」那些在得救之前拒绝谈论自己的逆境的人，在重生后常常抱怨和担忧，因为他们对活出圣徒的生活有错误的看法。
神并没有赐给我们得胜的生命，但在我们得胜之时，祂赐给我们生命。生活的压力正是建造我们的力量；如果没有张力，就不会有力量。你是否在祈求神赐予你生命、自由和喜乐？祂不能给你，除非你愿意接受压力。一旦你面对压力，你就会立即获得力量。你要克服自己的胆怯，迈出第一步；然后神就会赐给你营养——「…得胜的，我必将神乐园中生命树的果子赐给他吃…」（启示录2:7）。如果你身体上付出自己，你会变得精疲力竭；但当你在灵里付出自己时，你会获得更多力量。神从来不为明天或下一个小时赐给我们力量，而是只为了当下压力时刻赐给我们力量。我们的试探是从我们自己常识的角度面对逆境。但是圣徒即使看似被逆境击败，也「可以放心」，因为胜利对每个人来说都是出奇的不可能，除了神之外。
来自章伯斯的智慧
对那些没有经历过痛苦的人，耶稣说：「我没有什么可以给你的；站稳自己的脚，挺起自己的肩膀（挺身而立）。我是为这样的人而来：知道自己所面对的远超出他能应付的，知道有他无法触碰的势力；若他放手让我来，我必为他做一切的事。只要让一个人承认他有需要，我必出手帮助他。」《痛苦的阴影》
0802 The Teaching of Adversity
In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. —John 16:33
The typical view of the Christian life is that it means being delivered from all adversity. But it actually means being delivered in adversity, which is something very different. “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. No evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling…” (Psalm 91:1,10)— the place where you are at one with God.
If you are a child of God, you will certainly encounter adversities, but Jesus says you should not be surprised when they come. “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” He is saying, “There is nothing for you to fear.” The same people who refused to talk about their adversities before they were saved often complain and worry after being born again because they have the wrong idea of what it means to live the life of a saint.
God does not give us overcoming life— He gives us life as we overcome. The strain of life is what builds our strength. If there is no strain, there will be no strength. Are you asking God to give you life, liberty, and joy? He cannot, unless you are willing to accept the strain. And once you face the strain, you will immediately get the strength. Overcome your own timidity and take the first step. Then God will give you nourishment— “To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life…” (Revelation 2:7). If you completely give of yourself physically, you become exhausted. But when you give of yourself spiritually, you get more strength. God never gives us strength for tomorrow, or for the next hour, but only for the strain of the moment. Our temptation is to face adversities from the standpoint of our own common sense. But a saint can “be of good cheer” even when seemingly defeated by adversities, because victory is absurdly impossible to everyone, except God.
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
To those who have had no agony Jesus says, “I have nothing for you; stand on your own feet, square your own shoulders. I have come for the man who knows he has a bigger handful than he can cope with, who knows there are forces he cannot touch; I will do everything for him if he will let Me. Only let a man grant he needs it, and I will do it for him.” –The Shadow of an Agony