Do Not Run from Hardships (Past or Present or Ever!)

"9And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong." (2 Corinthians 12: 9-10)

The way some Christians live, they act as if God's grace is insufficient.

Whatever Jesus did at the Cross, it was simply not enough to take care of every hardship we face, or to remake all the hardships we have dealt with in the past.

The truth remains, however, that God takes our bad, whether in the past or in the present or in times to come, and makes good out of it.

That's who He is.

We receive all things freely from Him because He died on the Cross for our sins, was raised from the dead as proof of our justification before God the Father, and now sits at the Right Hand of the Father ministering and interceding on our behalf.

We do not have to run from hardships, past or present, because He is making all things work together for our good.

We receive all things as freely given:

"Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God." (1 Corinthians 2: 12)

What are these things? All things!

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:" ("Ephesians 1: 3)

and

"31What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 33Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. 34Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." (Romans 8: 31-34)

No one can take anything from us, for all things have been granted to us through Christ!

Hardships not only cannot hurt us, but they allow Christ's goodness to further manifest in our lives!