How to Handle Adversity: You Can Have Victory in Christ

by Charles F. Stanley

You lost your job. Your son ran away. A loved one just died from cancer. Your best friend is getting a divorce. The list is endless. Adversity is a reality that no one can avoid. Everyone asks why when adversity strikes. Yet Dr. Stanley contends, "As much as we all want to know the answer to the why question, it is really not the most significant question. The real question each of us needs to ask is, 'How should I respond?'" How to Handle Adversity helps you learn to If you are a child of God whose heart's desire is to see God glorified through you, adversity will not put you down for the count. There will be those initial moments of shock and confusion. But the man or woman who has God's perspective on this life and the life to come will always emerge victorious! ?Charles Stanley

Genres: Christian, Christian Non Fiction, Christian Living, Inspirational, Nonfiction, Spirituality, Self Help

185 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1989

About the author

Dr. Charles F. Stanley is the senior pastor of First Baptist Church Atlanta, founder of In Touch Ministries, and a New York Times best-selling author who has written more than fifty books, and has sold more than nine million copies. He demonstrates a keen awareness of people's needs and provides Christ-centered, biblically-based principles for everyday life.

Charles Frazier Stanley was born September 25, 1932, in the small town of Dry Fork, Virginia. The only child of Charley and Rebecca Stanley, Charles came into the world during a time when the entire nation felt the grip of the Great Depression. To make matters worse, just nine months later, his father Charley died at the young age of 29.

However, Charles refused to let the Great Depression or the difficulties of his life define him. Instead, like his father and grandfather before him, he clung to God’s Word and took up the mantle to preach the gospel to whoever would listen.

Dr. Stanley’s motivation is best represented by the truth found in Acts 20:24, “Life is worth nothing unless I use it for doing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about God's mighty kindness and love.” This is because, as he says, “It is the Word of God and the work of God that changes people’s lives.”

Dr. Stanley’s teachings can be heard weekly at First Baptist Church Atlanta, daily on “In Touch with Dr. Charles Stanley” radio and television broadcasts on more than 2,800 stations around the world, on the Internet at intouch.org, through the In Touch Messenger, and in the monthly, award-winning In Touch magazine.

Reviews

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

This work by Charles Stanley is really a great work. Why? Because it pointed me back to the Scriptures for some very careful study and followup on some of the principles that he presents. They are all very powerful.

Stanley does not ignore that some of our adversity is nothing more than our own doing. Our own personal sin can bring adversity into our lives and the lives of those we love. However, he doesn't dwell on that particular principle too long, quickly showing how both God and Satan will bring adversity into our lives.

Stanley is never trite and never allows even a hint of frivolity into this well-written and carefully organized book. He never offers simplistic truths, but points the reader back to truths that must be foundational for every believer.

An excellent work, full of in-depth ideas presented in an easy-to-follow format that was helpful to my own discipleship and ministry.

[E.G. Bella · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best books on adversity that I've ever read. As always, Stanley offers sound teaching and timely reassurances, and his writing style was conversational, succinct, and engaging. I especially appreciated his reminders that it's far more important not to ask why adversity is happening to us, but what can we learn from it? What is God trying to teach us through the trials? How does He want to work in others' lives because of the pain we experience?
We all face adversity, and we all struggle with it. What changes is how we respond to it. Will we respond to troubles with whining, anger, and resentment? Or with faith, peace, and joy? I highly recommend this book for anyone wondering how to deal with the hardships in their lives.

[Chelsea Duncan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel like this book is not comforting at all in times of adversity. It is very religious in its tone, it seems quite tight lipped and harsh, and basically tells us that God will let all manner of hell befall us here, so don't get comfortable. But it's ok because He will use it to teach us something or/and make us painfully pious. I really wanted to like this, and while I agree with the fact God can and does use adversity to grow us, I'm more acquainted with God's deep love and compassion and gentleness. But the God this author talks about is not one I would personally want anything to do with. No one would want to be a Christian if they believed God to be how this book portrays Him to be - isn't life harsh enough without more pain being dumped in? God is not impassive or cold. He loves us deeply. A bruised reed He will not break and a smoking flax He will not quench. He comes alongside us in our pain and strengthens and eventually delivers us.
The main issue I have with this book is the tone, it's just not encouraging or gentle at all. I can't recommend it I'm afraid.

[Nisreen Nisto · Rating 3 out of 5]

كتاب حلو ومعزى مع إعتراضى على فكرة إن ربنا بيقولنا على سبب كل ضيق فى حياتنا...لا مش كل الضيقات اللى بتحصل معروف أسبابها..!!

[Jennah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book shows you how important it is to trust in God through adversity. Through pain, God can be your comforter. All you have to do is go to Him in prayer and ask Him to give you peace and strength. I can tell you right now, if you truly desire for Him to be your comforter, He will give you His peace and strength. God wants us to need Him, to have a desire to have a relationship with Him, and God will use adversity to awaken our eyes that He is all we will ever need. Through trials and joyful times, God can use both to bring glory to Himself, after all, He is God over all.

[Jana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is some adversity sent by God? Is some sent by Satan? Or can both be true? Dr. Stanley gives wonderful Biblical perspecives on how to deal with the suffering in our lives. Understanding the reasons behind the difficult and painful things in life can make them easier to bear. One of Dr. Stanley's Life Principals states "The dark moments of our life will last only so long as is necessary for God to accomplish His purpose in us." Amen!

[T · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book helped me heal through my divorce, the darkest days of my life. I thank God for this work by Charles Stanley.

[Loveleah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adversities are given by God to do His higher purpose in one's life. Amen!

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charles Stanley is known as “America’s pastor” and pastors a Baptist Church along with running a television ministry called, “In Touch.” I wanted to read this book because I am currently going through a time of adversity in my life and wanted to read what he wrote on the subject.

Stanley opens his book by talking about why adversity and suffering happen. He gives several reasons in his pastoral manner. Ultimately, the author says there is a more important question about adversity besides why it happens. I agree with him wholeheartedly.

In the second chapter, Stanley moves through the story of Lazarus’ death and Jesus raising him from the dead to point out some pastoral and scriptural clues as to why people suffer and how God handles it as much as we do.

Stanley elaborates on a question we have in adversity. He answers it by telling the story of Joseph. The first is, “Why is God silent?” He is a simple answer he will answer in detail later in the book.

In chapter 4, Stanley deals with the injustice we see around us every day. How will God repay this justice, and when? These are two questions he answers this chapter. I love his pastoral tone. He is clear but not overbearing with the truth he brings forward. He further approaches the topic of adversity and explains the difference between the way the world deals with adversity in the way God has given Christians to deal with it.

Chapter 6 expounds more on the topic of adversity and Stanley puts it to the idea of God using adversity to get your attention. He has something for you to learn or simply wants you to focus on Him. He further explains adversity as part of the discipline of God and presents three guidelines for knowing when God is disciplining you.

Another way the author describes adversity is that it opens the door for us to realize there’s something in our lives and character that needs to be examined. God is going for a deep change in our character that resembles Jesus. Sometimes adversity is the only way He can get us to see these flaws.

Stanley suggests another possibility for adversity in your life in chapter 9. He says that another reason God allows adversity in your life is because of pride for the possibility of pride that could creep up as He ministers to others through you. He describes yet another reason for adversity – God’s great power working through our greatest weaknesses.

In chapter 11, Stanley reminds his readers that adversity affords us the opportunity to see God’s faithfulness in our lives. He also says another reason we go through adversity is God can teach us how to comfort others as He has comforted us. There is a very touching story at the end of the chapter that really ministered to me personally.

Stanley lays out the ultimate reason for the adversities we face in life. It is part of God’s program to make us new creatures in Christ. It is not about us trying to be like Christ but about Christ crucifying us so that He can live through us. In chapter 14, the author uses the life of Paul to point out 10 truths he has been unpacking throughout the book.

In the last chapter, Stanley leaves the reader with the wrong and right ways to respond to adversity with a lot of godly counsel on this matter. This was also a very helpful chapter to me personally.

I have never read any of Charles Stanley’s books before, but this was a very timely and helpful book for me. I am currently suffering paralysis from my neck to my feet. That’s why I picked up this book. But I never expected such a pastoral and biblical help to deal with adversity of all kinds.

I recommend this book to every Christian because we all suffer adversity in different ways. But God’s response through adversity and our response to adversity makes all the difference. If you are especially going through some kind of adversity, this book will surely help you along the way.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty good book that shows us that adversity is actually a gift from God and not a punishment. So many of us see it the opposite way.

Stanley uses lots of Biblical stories of adversity to expound upon his premise, such as Joseph being sold into slavery by his brothers, Job, etc...we are even more blessed when we can look back and see the hand of God shaping us, like clay, into what He wants for us. Some people go through adversity and never have the blessing of being able to look back and see what God's purpose for it was. Some do. According to Stanley, Job did not have the blessing of being able to see (in his earthly life) what God's purpose for the adversity he allowed to be visited upon him was.

The sophomoric Christian asks, "How can a loving God allow (fill in the blank for whatever adversity you want)?" Stanley disabuses the reader of this illusory premise by pulling no punches about the existence of Satan, the author of pain and confusion in this world. So no, the adversity is not sent by God, but ALLOWED by Him.

I appreciate the fact that Stanley makes and expounds upon this distinction, because a lot of people find this confusing. I used to also.

[Larry · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm going through a bad patch, so I impulsively grabbed this at the thrift store. It's what you might call the standard Christian answer to, why do bad things happen to "good" people?

Quick summary:

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many
kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops
perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be
mature and complete, not lacking anything.
--James 1:2-4 (NIV)

It might be because there is sin in your life and God is disciplining you. It might be to create an opportunity for God to be glorified (example: the death of Lazarus and the suffering his family and friends went through before Jesus raised him from the dead). You might need a thorn in your side like the apostle Paul's to remind you that God's strength is perfected in our weakness.

Since God did not spare his own Son from the greatest adversity, we should not expect to breeze through life on a pillow of comfort and convenience.

None of this was exactly new to me, but I did need to hear it again.

[Derek Emerson · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a Christian, I’ve also never hesitated to write about books I read pertaining to my faith. The “problem” with being a Christian is that many people typecast you, which we are better at doing to others rather than having done to us (I know I am). Yet, I like stretching out, so here I look at a book written by someone likely typecast as a fundamentalist.

Background: My youngest child (I have four) was diagnosed with neuroblastoma cancer at age 4. After over 2 1/2 years of the best treatment he could get, he passed away just over a year ago (May 7, 2013) at the age of 6. I remember sitting in the waiting room everyday while he was going through radiation, and I would pick up Charles Stanley’s “In Touch” magazine and read his column. This is not something I would normally read, but when waiting for your child during radiation, you grab something. Anything. The typecast of the fundamentalist is that of fire and brimstone, but Stanley’s work was always friendly. Grandfatherly even (and he is in his 80s, so that makes sense). He wrote as one who knows his beliefs are right, and is comfortable talking with those who may disagree with him. In other words, instead of being defensive, he was open minded.

Because of what our family has experienced, I’m naturally drawn toward writings addressing grief, evil, and the Christian faith. When I was offered a Kindle deal on Stanley’s book, How to Handle Adversity, I decided to take a more serious look on how Stanley would address my way of life.

Stanley pulls no punches, and I appreciate his honesty. I certainly did not agree with him all the time, but he does not hesitate to state his beliefs. A question that often arises in the midst of adversity, and certainly in the death of my little boy, is “why?” Why did this happen? Why to this child? Why to any child?

[Note: Given the context, I'll follow Stanley's reference to God as a male, and the capitalization of the pronouns.]

I’m comfortable knowing that such an answer is beyond my grasp. I don’t know why this happened, but I still believe in the goodness of God. Stanley is more clear in his thinking: “Some things are so important to God that they are worth interrupting the happiness and health of His children in order to accomplish them.”

As a result of this thinking, Stanley sees adversity coming from three different areas: God, Satan, and sin. The sin area is the easiest to understand, and answers the “why” clearly. If my sinful life leads to my adversity, I do not have far to search in finding the problem. And it is easier to address and overcome.

As for coming from God, Stanley offers many ways we benefit from adversity. “Adversity, however, is not simply a tool. It is God’s most effective tool for the advancement of our spiritual lives.” Not surprisingly, Stanley often turns to Paul’s letters and life as an example of someone who saw adversity as God’s working in his life (including shipwrecks, prison, betrayal, and the mysterious “thorn” in his side).

Stanley (who keeps his arguments based on a rather literal interpretation of Scripture) also points out what he calls “the old standby” of adversity Scripture, James 1:2-4

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

While noting that these verses are often used to oversimplify sermons on adversity, he sees the foundation for our thinking in this verse. It clearly impacts his direction as he explores the areas where we benefit from adversity: we focus attention on God, are reminded of His love, pushed to self-examination, see His faithfulness demonstrated, and allows us to comfort others.

I’m not sure why God cannot do all this in less painful ways, which is where I see Stanley’s argument falling apart. He can give us reasons he thinks we suffer, and he can back it up with how he sees Scripture supporting that, but no one really knows why. If it was that clear, there would be a lot fewer books written about it.

Stanley goes from here to talk about our response to adversity, which he obviously states needs to be positive for our faith. Becoming bitter, withdrawn, and angry are ways we turn away from God, at the very time we need to be trusting in Him.

One area which surprised me was Stanley’s take on Satan. “You know that if God is behind it, He is going to use it for your good. If Satan is behind it, you know he works under God’s supervision.” In other words, even the work of Satan falls under God’s domain (which makes theological sense), but quite often we see this as the battleground: God vs. Satan. I’m glad Stanley does not slip into the error of blaming all bad things on Satan — but it is still confusing as to why God would allow Satan to do this (except, for Stanley, the reasons given above explain why). My view of Satan differs greatly, but is not the focus of this review. Still, it seems Stanley’s theology does not match his literal reading of Scripture, so he hits a wall here.

In the end, perhaps the book can be judged on its success. As someone dealing with adversity (to put it mildly), I do find much of what Stanley saying to be true. My faith has grown, but on the other hand, I’ve see other people’s faith destroyed by similar events. Stanley’s advice will help some, and miss the point with others.

I was impressed by Stanley’s writings, since people with so many books to their credit often get sloppy. His tone is friendly and welcoming, he knows his Scripture passages, and he knows that some of what he says may sound glib — he is concerned about hurting people. In the end, that is why I like the book. I may not agree with all of it, but Stanley seems like someone you can talk with and instead of becoming angry with disagreement, he’ll engage you in conversation. That is a way I would not mind being typecast.

[Lenita Sheridan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recommended Reading for Christians

Don't expect this book to cheer you up. This is a serious book. If you are a serious follower of Christ, you will get something out of this book; in fact, you will get a whole lot out of this book.

The fact that I am going through an adversity at this time also helped me to gain insight from this book. The author uses the apostle Paul throughout much of the book as a Scriptural example of how we should react to adversity. He also gives other Biblical examples. These examples help us to see we are not alone in our suffering. Also, the few contemporary examples help as well, since in the modern world we experience different kinds of suffering. Stanley's experiences in his own life and counseling others are very helpful.

[Denise Lane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not sure that I have a complete grasp on the situation. Adversity is given to us by the Lord. How we respond to that adversity and let go and let God bring us closer to how he wants us to be. We cannot win him over with just our "Christian acts", but by letting go of pride of self. That is what I was able to fathom from the book. I like the way Mr. Stanley explained some of the passages, more to a laymen's terms than just preaching or reading from the Bible. Thanks to Mrs. C. for the recommendation due to my adversities.

[Katya Starling · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is facing troubles and desperately needs a little more peace in their lives, and let's face it, that's all of us! This little book helped me to get through a job and other dilemmas I would not have made it through otherwise. It gave me peace when my life felt like it was otherwise falling apart. Again, I highly, HIGHLY recommend it!

[Dalia Sanchez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adversity Shaping Us

In How to Handle Adversity, Charles Stanley provides great information on how to respond when adversity comes our way. The biblical examples he provides encourages us to remain steadfast with our faith in Christ. Adversity touches everyone's life, at one point or another, how we view it and how we respond shapes our outlook on life.

[Sheila Myers · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always, I feel Charles Stanley did a masterful job of explaining the topic of the book with the appropriate verses and passages to back his conclusions. "How to Handle Adversity" not only explains what to do when facing adversity, but also explains why we face it in the first place.

[Bassey Nya · Rating 3 out of 5]

The most important question to ask during a time of adversity is not "Why did this happen?" but "What purpose is this meant to achieve?". This is how I'll summarise this book. It was quite a beautiful read for me during this trying moment of mine.

[Chuck Cova · Rating 4 out of 5]

This man was such a gentle giant. He writes as he spoke and his words are consistent with his life.

[Miki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I almost have this whole book highlighted. It points you to scripture but in his soft matter of fact way Dr. Stanley leads you through difficult times by pointing you to the One who will sustain you. This book is a great comfort when dealing with all kinds of adversity.

[Krista Ashe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was really searching for answers to understand some of the "adversity" in my life. What I really like is Dr. Stanley never sounds like a pretentious pastor. Instead, he's right there with you in the questioning of God and why certain things happen to people. I liked how he used not only ties in to scripture like the stories of Joseph, Jonah, and David, but he also used real life experiences from his personal life and from people he's counseled over the years. Understanding God's purpose in my life is something I've struggled with since losing my mom seven years ago as well as understanding why some prayers still remained unanswered. Lots of questions hang in my personal life and professional life with waiting for the right man, having the family I long for, and waiting for my book that's on sub to sell.

So, I really needed this book and the message it gave of understanding and hopoe.

[Sandy Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book up at CPO and I read it at night. It helps me know that even though we go through adversity its ok. How we come out of adversity and trusting God to make us according to what he wants is what I have learned. We can come out of the adversity Better or bitter. I am thankful I am coming out better.

[Giselle · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book about maturing

This was a difficult read. What made it difficult is that it makes you look at your reaction to adversity and how much we misunderstand God's purpose for allowing it in our lives. I am in the middle of adversity right now so it was difficult to see how I was reacting vs what God is calling me to be.

[Joel · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is funny how things around me got bad when I started reading this book. God was showing me things that I understand better. Mr.Stanley made some great points and I will change the way I pray about things. I will get more of Mr. Stanley books they realy hit home with me.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book helped me greatly post-divorce. I underlined so many passages in it! Full of affirmations in difficult times of faith. I loved the insight into familiar Bible stories, and I will always see them in new ways. Thankful for this book!

[Jane Dee]

really enjoying this book...

[Read1000books · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of Dr. Stanley's best. If you're going through a hard time of any sort, definitely read this book.

[Sue]

Wonderful

[Pamela Kreis · Rating 4 out of 5]

enjoyed

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful.