Pastor Idleman in Chapter 3 is hitting us hard with example after example of difficult circumstances in peoples’ lives and he does that to get the reader to recall those bumps in the road that we all have experienced.

Sometimes it seems like a lot more than a bump.

Sometimes a difficult circumstance is a little more.  Sometimes it is a deserved circumstance.

The Bible has Job who suffers due to difficult circumstances.  Satan is betting that Job will distance himself from God [go to the Distant Country] but Job does not.  You know the story: children died, house collapses, painful sores from top of his head to the soles of his feet–he lost everything.  Why?  It does not seem to be his fault.  He is in the midst of difficult circumstances.

Sometimes we bring about our own demise and I would call this situation a deserved circumstance.  We make a series of bad choices that lead to serious trouble.

Whether it is a difficult circumstance or a deserved circumstance, how do we respond?  Job’s AHA moment occurred because of his difficult circumstance and he said”My ears had heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you God.”  He chooses to draw closer to his God.

What will we do when difficult circumstances or deserved circumstances happen?  Draw closer or move further away?

Your choice……..