When Trouble Comes Your Way

When Trouble Comes Your Way

II Cor. 1:8-9 and 4:8-10

Introduction

People react to trouble in different ways:

Some Grumble – Some Gripe – Some Groan – Some Grieve – Some Growl - and SOME GROW.

Trouble will never leave a person the same. It will either leave you “bitter” or “better”.

A poet wrote:

“Christ is no security against storms,

But He is perfect security in the storm.

He does not promise an easy passage,

But he does guarantee a safe landing.”

Let me point out some of the benefits of trouble:

I. Trouble Unifies – Trouble can be a blessing.

1. It draws people together.

Remember when Hurricane Hugo hit. –Neighbors who had never even talked with each other became

friends. They shared food and ate together. They loaned each other tools. They helped each other cut

down trees and repair their roofs. When there was no electricity for several weeks and traffic lights

didn’t work, people were courteous and polite when they drove. The whole community rallied together

to survive.

2. It draws people to the Lord.

a. Trouble not only draws people together. – It draws people to the Lord.

The Psalmist writes: “Before I was afflicted I went astray” Ps. 119:67

b. God is often the last resort instead of the first resort when problems arise in peoples lives. Trouble

forces us to look beyond our own resources and seek God.

3. It draws people to the church.

a. It draws believers to the church. Trouble causes believers to seek the help and comfort of the church

and other Christians.

b. It draws non-believers to the church.

Churches are constantly getting calls from people when they are in need.

1.) Financial problems – need money for food, utilities, ect.

2.) Marital problems – divorce, spouse abuse.

3.) Family problems – children, drug abuse, alcohol

4.) Health problems

II. Trouble is Universal – Sooner or later it comes to everyone.

Matt 5:45 “…for he (God) maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

1. Trouble comes to the Christian and to the non Christian alike. It comes to the young and the old. It doesn’t discriminate because of age or race or sex.

2. Trouble comes to the Lost man to draw him to God. – Salvation

3. Trouble comes to the Christian to draw him to God.

1 Cor 10:13 There hath no temptation (test or trial) taken you but such as is common to man: but God

is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation

also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

III. Trouble Gets Our Attention

Rom 5:3-4

3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:

1. Here we find the effect of trouble. It was a blessing in disguise.

Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are

the called according to his purpose.

2. Trouble is often God’s “chastening”.

Heb 12:6-7

6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the

father chasteneth not?

When trouble comes into our life our first prayer is usually; “God, help me. Get me out of this. Deliver

me from this quickly. Now!

Illustration

When I was a boy, I sometimes did things like shoot out the window with my BB gun. On such

occasions my father take away my BB gun and take me to the “woodshed”. I would plead for mercy.

I would never do it again. I would be the best boy in the world. I would do my chores and treat my

sisters right. Anything, but please not the “belt”. But the belt came.

But you know what I discovered? The closer I stood to my daddy, the less it would hurt. The closer we

draw to God, the less it will hurt.

IV. Trouble Produces Spiritual Maturity

Ps 71:19-21

19 Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high, who hast done great things: O God, who is like unto thee!

20 Thou, which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth.

21 Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.

1. The world is filled with veneer, sham, and hypocrisy.

After a serious bout with trouble, we don’t usually care much for the things of the world. Pride is