Growing in Adversity

RECENTLY I SPENT some vacation time in the mountains of Colorado. During my time away, I was thinking about two friends who have gone through a lot during the year since my last vacation. In the past year, both of them have been diagnosed with lymphoma, gone through intense chemotherapy treatments, lost their fathers in death, and, having completed their treatments, become lymphoma survivors. In addition, both of them have become blessings to others who were struggling in the face of adversity.

I thought about Lynne and Sally as I hiked and relaxed in the beauty of the mountains. I found that my eyes were drawn over and over again to plants growing in cracks of rocks, blooming in crevices, thriving in the little bit of soil created by erosion. These plants symbolized for me the strength of my friends and others who continued to live, grow, and thrive, even when the forces of death attempt to drag them down.

We all face these forces from time to time -- especially now, in a time of world crisis over money, climate, fuel, and food. We are fragile creations trying to hold on to life in adverse circumstances.

I believe God created us to grow, to thrive, in the face of adversity. God gives us the extra grounding and nourishment that we need to hang on in the face of harsh circumstances. I see it in my friends who have conquered cancer, in people facing flooding and hurricanes, in our communities trying to weather the storms of global upheaval. And I remember the scriptures which promise that God is with us in the face of crisis and adversity. Thank you, God, for your presence with us, no matter what we face.

Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine.
When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you; and through the rivers,
they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you.
For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.

- Isaiah 43:1b-3a (NRSV)



From: UpperRoom Devotionals - Beth A. Richardson