Prosperity and Adversity

Consider the work of God: For who can make straight what he has bent? In times of prosperity be joyful, but in times of adversity consider this: God has made one as well as the other, so that no one can discover what the future holds. (Ec 7:13-14)

Prosperity Theology teaches that financial blessing and physical wellbeing are always the will of God for His children.  Obviously, Solomon would disagree.  And he would be in good company.  Job held the same view:

"Should we receive what is good from God, and not also receive what is evil?” (Job 2:10)

It would be nice to imagine that only good things would come to the person trusting God.  But this is far from what the Bible teaches.  In the New Testament we see trials and tribulation can be a big part of God's plan.  He specifically uses adversity in our lives to build our faith and develop our character.

My brothers and sisters, consider it nothing but joy when you fall into all sorts of trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect effect, so that you will be perfect and complete, not deficient in anything. (Jas 1:2-4) 

Another place hardship can enter is in the form of discipline.  God disciplines those He loves.

"For the Lord disciplines the one he loves and chastises every son he accepts.” Endure your suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline? (Heb 12:6-7a) Now all discipline seems painful at the time, not joyful. But later it produces the fruit of peace and righteousness for those trained by it. (Heb 12:11)

You might be interested to note that the writer of Hebrews is actually quoting Solomon from Proverbs 3:12. It seems that they all agree.  We must learn to accept both good fortune as well as bad fortune from God.  Now let's return to our passage in Ecclesiastes 7:13-14.  Solomon illustrates the inevitable nature of God's will.  If God bends it, no-one can straighten it. And he is applying this truth to the inevitability of both prosperity and adversity.  And if we live long enough, we are sure to experience both.  There will be times of great joy.  The life God has prepared for us has many pleasant surprises. There are many reasons to rejoice. 

But what about the times of adversity?  In this passage, he doesn't comment on our response to tough times, although he did in his poetic section in Ecclesiastes 3:1-4.  "A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance."

Denial

When we try to pretend that everything is always good, it’s a form of denial. And religious people certainly can be prone to this. It seems Solomon was aware of this tendency. Much of Ecclesiastes seems to be designed to expose this coping mechanism. To compartmentalize our experiences and hide the bad, we shut off portions of our personalities.  We are no longer the fully functioning individuals God has created us to be.  We become an inferior version of ourselves. Adversity, if properly embraced can teach much.  We would grow in our prayer life, our need for God, and our ability to trust Him.  We would also learn reliance on others. 

Job is the classic example of handling adversity, and Solomon mirrors Job's perspectives.  Look at the similarities in these two passages:

Then Job got up and tore his robe. He shaved his head, and then he threw himself down with his face to the ground. He said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will return there. The LORD gives, and the LORD takes away. May the name of the LORD be blessed!” In all this Job did not sin, nor did he charge God with moral impropriety. (Job 1:20-22)

Compare Solomon to Job:

Just as he came forth from his mother’s womb, naked will he return as he came, and he will take nothing in his hand that he may carry away from his toil. (Ec 5:15)

Entitlement

During adversity, the godly response is to remember where we came from and where we are going.  Since we brought nothing into this world, we should not expect to take anything out, either.  This confronts the sense of "entitlement" that is so prevalent in our day. Entitlement makes it almost impossible to handle adversity.  The entitled person says, "I don't deserve this."  They feel they have a right to a life of ease and comfort.  They resent anything that disrupts this, including God.

Arguing with God

So, we want to argue with God, "Why is this happening to me?"  "Do you know what you are doing?"  "Do you really love me?"  "Are your promises actually true?" Again, both Solomon and Job speak to this issue:

Whatever has happened was foreordained, and what happens to a person was also foreknown. It is useless for him to argue with God about his fate because God is more powerful than he is. (Ec 6:10)

If someone wishes to contend with him, he cannot answer him one time in a thousand. (Job 9:3)

I suppose it is helpful to pour out our hearts to God in the mist of tragedy and disappointment.  Certainly, David is a wonderful example of this in the Psalms.  But there is a difference between being honest with God and being belligerent.   In the end, we must submit to His will and rest in His love.  But it might take a while to get there.  It's often a process. Job is a wonderful example of suffering yet maintaining his faith in God.  He said, "May the name of the LORD be blessed!”  He continued to give thanks even in hard times.

Always rejoice, constantly pray, in everything give thanks. For this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Th 5:16-18)

The Mystery of Life

In concluding this section, Solomon reminds us that the future is obscure:

so that no one can discover what the future holds. (Ec 7:14)

God has designed a world where we can experience both prosperity and adversity, and no one can predict what the future holds. So, we must learn to live with ambiguity.  We cannot control the present and the future is unclear. Solomon has already established the fact that "all is futile".  Now he declares that life is a mystery. 

There are so many things we do not understand, so we must walk by faith.

Therefore we are always full of courage, and we know that as long as we are alive here on earth we are absent from the Lord—for we live by faith, not by sight. (2 Cor 5:6-7)

So, in summary: 

• Both prosperity and adversity come from the hand of God.
• It is impossible to change God's sovereign decrees.
• We must learn to accept whatever God gives, whether good or bad.
• It is futile to argue with God.
• It is also impossible to predict the future, whether good fortune or bad will befall us.
• We must learn to walk by faith and give thanks in all things.

 Questions to consider:

1.       What is the difference between discipline and punishment?

2.       Are there certain areas of your life where you feel entitled?  What are they?

3.       What’s wrong with a healthy dose of denial?

4.       Have you ever argued with God?  What about? 

More from Ecclesiastes at 30 Days with Solomon