God in Prosperity and Adversity
Be encouraged by today’s Scripture reflection and prayer.
Today's Scripture
“In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: Surely God has appointed the one as well as the other, so that man can find out nothing that will come after him.” Ecclesiastes 7:14
Reflection
Like most people I have my favorite seasons of the year. Fall being my favorite, then Winter, then Spring. Because of my location, Summer is my least favorite season. We all have our preferences, right? During my preferred time, I feel more joyful, more content, then when summer comes I feel boxed in, uneasy, and uncomfortable. And while lately I’ve been complaining more about this lingering humidity, I realized that God made them all. That truth helped a little to curb my complaints. Well, just a little.
Life can be just like how I feel about the seasons. Some days are great, filled with joy and ease. Other days are hard, marked by grief, stress, or pain. It is natural to long for the lighter days when the heavy ones press on us. Yet this scripture reminds us that God appoints both prosperity and adversity. He uses both to shape us, to keep us dependent on Him, and to remind us that we are not in control of the future.
Prosperity can cause us to forget our need for God, while adversity presses us to lean on Him more deeply. Both are gifts in their own way. In good days we rejoice and give thanks. In difficult days we remember His sovereignty and find comfort in His presence. Whether the season is bright or heavy, our God remains faithful.
Just like the psalmist who declared, “It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes” (Psalm 119:71), we can say the same. Affliction has a way of opening our eyes to the faithfulness of God. In the harder days I am learning how He strengthens me and draws me closer to Him. Looking back, I see His hand in ways I never would have noticed without the season of difficulty. Both prosperity and adversity work together to deepen our trust in Him.
Today's Prayer
Father, thank You for the days of joy and for the days of difficulty. Help me to rejoice in times of blessing and to trust You in times of adversity. Teach me to see Your hand in every season of my life. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Before You Go
Which season of life are you in right now, prosperity or adversity? Whatever your answer, remember that God is present in both. He has appointed each day with purpose, even if you do not yet see the reason. Let your heart rest in His wisdom and His timing. The same God who made the sunny days made the cloudy ones, and He will carry you through them all. And as you look to Jesus, remember that He walked through both joy and suffering so that you could find life in Him. He is with you in every season.
Yesterday’s DevotionalDid you miss it? Don’t worry—you can still catch up.
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