Hmm. A clue!

I think it was Dr. Robert Schuller who wrote a book called "Why do bad things happen to good people?"  Here is at least part of the answer.

Hebrews 5:8(NKJV)

though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. 

Here the author is speaking about Jesus.  Think about what the author is saying.

God has a lesson He wanted Jesus to learn.  Now this is God's kid we are talking about here.  He loves His kid.  He doesn't want His kid to suffer needlessly.  So why didn't God just make it easy on Jesus and impart the lesson to Him in a way that didn't involve suffering?

One of my long held beliefs is that there are just some life lessons that cannot be learned any other way than through adversity.  I don't know why it has to be that way but I think this verse confirms that belief.  Even Jesus, the Son of God, had to learn some lessons the hard way.  If Jesus had to learn it that way, why should we be any different? 

Make sense?

Now since we can't avoid learning some of the lessons of life through adversity let's talk about how we should respond in the tough times. 

Let's go to one of my foundational verses for the answer.  As I have said many times I believe this is God's success plan all rolled in to one.  And it begins with how we handle adversity.

Romans 5:3-5(NKJV)

And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 

and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 

Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

I'll bet many of you can say this before I even type it.  "Taking glory" in our tribulations is an outward, physical manifestation of our inner faith.  It's the concrete way that we show that 

 we truly believe that God has our back and things will ultimately work out for the best. 

It takes faith to do that!  It takes faith to see the worst of humanity going on around us and still believe that God has our back.  It takes faith to believe that God will always keep His promises.  It takes faith. 

And isn't that what the Christmas season is really all about?  Faith that the little baby born on Christmas day all those years ago would grow up to become the Savior of the world.  Faith that Jesus is who He and God said He is.  Faith that Jesus would lead us to a deeper and everlasting relationship with God!

Thank you so much Jesus for doing so!