A Devotional on Adversity

By Gary Covella

I wrote this devotional while going through some very serious personal issues. Looking back, it forced me
into a period of growth and dependence on Him. It’s during these incredibly rough times that we seem
to get closer to God…sometimes it sure seems like it was part of the plan all along…

As our church members have faced numerous and sometimes extreme cases of adversity this past year
we have an opportunity to reflect and sometimes rediscover our own relationship with God. When
nothing but the routine happens in our lives, all good, all happy, we can find it easy to neglect the
presence of God in everything we do – more like take him for granted that He is always there. This isn’t
necessarily a bad thing, but like in any relationship, the more we our communication with him amongst
the background noise, we place him on the same plane as everything else that goes on in our lives.

God said to Moses, "I am who I am . This is what you are to

say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.' "
Exodus 3:14
There are cases of faithful people placed in sudden extreme survival situations, some on the brink
between life and death, where that communication becomes not just apparent but in possible physical
presence such as a voice or a vision. Of the recent rescued miners one individual stated that he had
seen both God and the Devil during his extended stay in the mine. As I relayed in a recent Bible study, I
watched a documentary on the plane crash that happened in the Andes Mountains in 1972. These
survivors watched their companions die one after another and after 60 days, realized that help would
not come without intervention. Two faithful individuals, Nando Parrado and Roberto Canessa, decided
to trek across the mountains to find help. Facing below freezing temperature, little food, they climbed
and crossed rocky terrain. On one of these cold nights, Nando Parrado revealed that he could feel the
presence of God, as if He was physically there. He said it was the closest he had ever felt to God and
KNEW they could go on.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of

death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and
your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23:4
When we face our own shocking realities (insert any tragic situation here), I think we just need to listen
for God’s voice and be open for what He’s trying to tell us. It’s much easier preached than practiced but
He is with us even in our most darkest hour. Sometimes we don’t take that advice and try to sway
things to our own will which takes us off the path He is guiding us to. As imperfect humans, we’re
always susceptible to that. I believe there are physiological reasons for this, after all, He made us this
way…our bodies attempt to neutralize the stress we’re enduring and try to counter-balance bad with
some good. God has His own time-clock and only He knows what the future holds if we stick to the plan.

We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to

his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of
us all. Isaiah 53:6

The only complete control we have over any situation is our ability to pray and listen. Sometimes the
message won’t come, sometimes you only get part of the message, but there are bigger picture reasons
for this. Most often it will never be revealed at once until at some point in time you can look back and
say, “oh yea, if this didn’t happen then I wouldn’t be who I am today!”

Have faith in God," Jesus answered. I tell you the truth, if

anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the
sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what
he says will happen, it will be done for him. Mark 11:22-23

So I conclude this devotional with a prayer;

Heavenly Father, grant us the wisdom to seek your presence and the mind to listen when we are faced
with extreme crises. As humans we are weak but only you can make us strong and give us the power we
need to survive with a whole heart any situation that befalls upon us. All you ask of us is so simple, that
of having the faith of a mustard seed, yet we are prone to be tempted by doubt. Grant us the courage to
face these fears and trust that you know us so well, and already know that by following your voice we
will rise above these earthly demons such as anger, doubt, loneliness, temptation, and dread. May we
hear your call to us in our darkest hour and allow us the strength to constantly pursue you, even when
we think we’re alone. We thank and praise you for our ability to accept success, even when everything
seems to crumble around us. We also thank you for the many wonderful people you place in our path,
people that may or may not realize are being guided by you to say the right things we need to hear to
get us through the day…and the understanding that as Christians, we are to do the same for others we
encounter who may be going through their own dark moments in time. Amen.