Who Is Your Focus?

“And because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me-- to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I entreated the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. II Cor. 12:7-10

What is your basis for handling the difficulties, disappointments, trials, and tragedies which come your way? Your response is absolutely crucial.

Unless you understand God’s purpose for allowing adversity, more than likely you will respond wrongly, and a wrong response may destroy the tremendous outcome God planned for that difficult experience.

Some of those we admire most are people who have been willing for God to put them through the valley of adversity to make them a blessing to someone else. Do you have that kind of concern for others?

One of God’s great purposes for allowing adversity is to purify our faith.

God may send adversity to remove from us the very thing we hold dear or that thing in which we place our security. Often we force God to send adversity because we choose to misdirect our faith.

God alone is to be the object of our faith.

Check where your loyalties and affections have their root. Is it still in God Who has blessed you - or are your focusing on the blessing and ignoring the Blesser?