Faith in Adversity

Stephen Russell

Sermons in Song • Sermon • Submitted 4 months ago • Presented 4 months ago

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Introduction

Sing “Our Faithful Care” before the sermon.

A few months ago, we had a men’s class on Psalm 88. One of the saddest Psalms of lament.

We talked about the value of that Psalm and how to Biblically deal with sorrow and adversity.

I think too many hymns (especially written in the last 100 years or so) reflect the shallow approach of the world to sorrow.

That is they either take the zipedeedoodah put a smile on it approach or aimlessly wallowing in complaint approach.

Our hymns can help us through sorrow but they need to help us in lasting ways and to do that they need to be rooted in scripture thoughts and language.

I want to use our service this evening to sing through three phases of going through trials.

A Cry for Help

Sing Psalm 88

There are two extremes to avoid.

One is pretending that nothing is wrong and we are just fine with no problems (except of course when that is the case).

Some have pressed this in some misguided notion of positive mental attitude.

Others have a false sense that toughness means having no emotional responses to life.

The other extreme is to give full vent, lashing out with no control or thought about what you are saying.

People think the “gets rid” of the anger.

Very often, it feeds the anger or at the least, adds shame to the pain of suffering making it harder to get to clarity.

There is an airing that happens here, but it is controlled and guided carefully to the one who can help us.

It is stabilized by being grounded in faith toward God.

Sing “Hear Me When I Call”

This hymn is taken from several Psalms and echos the common refrain of the Psalmist in distress.

Notice this is not an anchor-less call.

This is not someone lashing out aimlessly at the universe.

There is distress but there is not atheism.

There is even confusion perhaps, but not despair.

It is a humbled and acknowledged helplessness.

So much of the “cry for help” language of the world is just haughty accusation. It is criticism not confusion.

Honesty with focussed thoughtfulness is what we want here.

Striving for Growth

Sing “Jesus Draw Me Ever Nearer”

Part of our comfort comes from beginning to recognize how we are gaining from the difficulty (Jas. 1:2-4).

This doesn’t mean we aren’t singing through tears. But that even through tears, we can begin to see blessing.

We can begin to reorient ourselves even while we are still shaking (Matt. 26:39).

Sing “Be Still My Soul”

We gain confidence by remembering we are calling out to the one who controls there very wind and the waves (Matt. 8:26-27).

By remembering there is nothing we lose here that He has not promised to give us back with eternal interest (Matt. 19:29).

Sing “How Firm a Foundation”

As we engage with God in His word, we come to see He has already said what we needed to hear.

Our song moves from the sound of sorrow to a more confident hymn of certainty.

There is no fire that can bring lasting harm to the one who is God’s faithful servant (Rom. 8:31-37)

The Confidence of Victory

Sing “I Love You, Lord, My Strength, My Rock”

When we come through to the other side of adversity, we can look back and sing the grateful and confident song of victory.

God, you did it!

Sing “Still the Cause Before Us”

As we reflect and sing about past victories, it gives us confidence to face future trials.

It helps us see ever clearer the final victory to which all of this is pointing.

Conclusion

The Bible does not take suffering lightly. It is not dismissive of it.

But neither does it wallow in it.

If you are suffering or if you have passed through suffering, God’s word can make that valuable instead of pointless.