Why do Christians go through hard times?

Have you ever asked yourself this question before ‘why do Christians go through hard times’? 

As we go through the journey of life, tough times will come. Sometimes we ask, why Lord?. Lets look at a few scriptures to see reasons why difficult times come our way.


Persecution for the Words Sake!

 Mark 4 verses 14 to 17  The sower soweth the word. And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard,  Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their  hearts. And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when  they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;  And have  no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for  the word’s sake, immediately they are  offended.


 The reason why affliction or  persecution came was for the Words sake. It came to try the Word. Thank  God that we know the Word always prevails. So next time sickness comes, or lack or cirumstances contrary to what the Lord had told you, stand on what He has already told you and do whatever the Lord tells us to do.


Hebrews 4:12 (a) For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword.


 Isaiah 55:11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I  please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.


For committing your life fully to the Lord  and becoming His disciples.

 Mark 10: 29And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or  mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s, 30But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and  sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the  world to come eternal life.


 Persecution is part of the package.


For  living Godly.

 2 Timothy 3 12: Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
 
This scripture speaks for itself.


Attack from our enemy:


1 Thessalonians 2:18  Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but  Satan hindered us.

 Satan may hinder you but he cannot  stop you.

 Luke 22: 31 to 32 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift  you as wheat: But I have prayed for  thee, that thy faith fail  not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy  brethren.


 I know we talk about Peter denying the Lord, yes he did, but according to  this, the attack came from the devil.  Peter was probably not strong enough  to resist the attack but thank God the Lord had already prayed for him. We need  to pray for one another as the Lord leads us and especially when others are going through tough times.


Living in disobedience to Gods will, voice or purpose:

 Proverbs 13: 15 Good understanding giveth favour: but  the way of transgressors is hard. Lets look at this verse in other translations: 

Good understanding wins favor, but  the way of the transgressor is hard [like the barren, dry soil or the
impassable swamp]. (Amplified Bible)


Has the Lord told you to do something and you are doing something else? Or has He directed you to do something but you are delaying. The wise obey.


Lack  of knowledge.

 Hosea 4 verse 6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge:

 The study of the Word and church attendance or house church attendance is  very important. Sometimes the Lord is trying to prepare us ahead of a difficult  time but we don’t yield. Instead of studying what we has been laid on our hearts to study we  get too busy. What we fail to realise is that the  Lord is trying to teach us something that we will need, if only we attended  those meetings or studied our bibles as He has been trying to get us too. It  could also be books lying on the shelves or CDs that we should have listened  too.  When we get too busy and go a different way, not yielding to the Lords preparation, it makes the situation more difficult and sometimes more prolonged because we were not prepared for it.

 Have you ever said this to yourself before? I wish l had known this 2 years ago.

 Proverbs 10:14a Wise men lay up knowledge: (Even when you think  you don’t need it now).


Whatever the source of the difficult time is, we will always have the victory as long as we stay close to the Lord.


1 Corinthians 15 : 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth  us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

 2 Corinthians 2 :14Now  thanks be unto God, which always causeth  us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge  by us in every place.


Tough times may come, but the Lord is faithful and ever ready to help us. He  is our ever present help. If you are going through a difficult time please be  assured that there is hope.


Bisi Oladipupo