Lessons In Truth - Lesson 11 - Annotation 2
Do our difficulties sometimes result in good to us?
2. Yes, our difficulties sometimes result in good to us if the desire to be free from them causes us to seek God. Difficulties of themselves cannot produce good; they are good only as they serve to point us to God as the source of their solution.
Difficulties, or what we often term "problems," come in many categories such as sickness, poverty, unhappiness, lack of efficiency. After we have exhausted outer means in an effort to alleviate our problems, we very frequently question why they have come into our life. When the desire to be free from unbearable conditions impels us to seek a way out of them through prayer, then we are on our way to the solution. Then the difficulties or problems can be seen as "angels in disguise."
"God always has a blessing for us in every experience, no matter how trying, and we must not let go of Him until we receive it" (Let There be Light 51).
A wise statement was made over two hundred years ago that holds just as true today: "Man's extremity is God's opportunity" (John Flavel). It is only when we are willing to face the fact that our problems have accrued because or our own lack of understanding of God's laws that we provide the opportunity for God to guide us in their solution. As our mind is turned Godward we begin to use His laws (His gifts) in the right way.
Often when we have solved a difficulty by turning to God for help, we are able to look back at the situation that seemed so difficult at the time and say in effect the same words that Jacob spoke after his vision of the angels ascending and descending a ladder that reached to heaven:
"Surely Jehovah is in this place; and I knew it not" (Gen. 28:16).
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Preceding Entry: What are spiritual gifts? What is the greatest gift?
Following Entry: Is God willing to grant to all men deliverance from sin?
