How much of the Bible would have / could have been written if not for trouble and difficulty?
The Bible, consisting of 66 books (39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament), is deeply intertwined with themes of conflict, opposition, and the struggle between God’s will and forces that resist it—human, spiritual, or natural.
Stories often hinge on conflict—without it, many events wouldn’t occur or be recorded. Opposition reveals God’s power, justice, mercy, and plan for redemption. Without it, these attributes might not be as fully expressed.
The KJV Bible has about 783,137 words. Roughly 70-80% involve conflict, disagreements, trespass, wars, rebellion, exile, or judgment.
Trouble is a reality.
Trouble is the context and setting for the work and ways of God being revealed and known.
The wisdom and principles of the Word of God speak to our reality. The difficulty is where we grasp the truth of the grace of God.
The Earth is different from the other planets in our solar system. Our ecosystem has all manner of elements that create chaos and challenge. From droughts to floods, from winter and summer, from the mountain peaks to the deepest valleys, the vast distinction provides the context of everything in nature. It is the only planet that can sustain life. It’s perfectly tuned.
It’s true for our spiritual journey and growth in faith.
The Giants demonstrate the source of our victories.
The difficulty demonstrates the beauty of God’s grace.
The conflict highlights the benefits of peace.
Moral failure and sin reveal the amazing nature of deliverance and salvation.
It is the challenges of this present life that will provide the context of what hope we have and will experience in the ultimate promise of our salvation.
The super, incredible, fantastic, amazing, and wonder-filled promise in Romans gives us hope in whatever we may face.
“ And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28
This is why the Bible was written, that we might read of the trouble and difficulty that is common to all peoples. We read how God worked in their lives, and we can have assurance that God is working in our lives.
“4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” Romans 15
I don’t understand so much about what happens in our world. The chaos, the difficulties, the freak accidents, and the unexplainable events that cause so much pain. Many things I don’t understand. There are many that have philosophical and theological explanations. These oftentimes are of little comfort in the moments of anguish.
There is a reality: trusting, hoping, praying, and crying out to God in these days and nights of darkness, we will experience the strength that will sustain us.
When we get to the other side, we will know, “I would not have made it if not for the Lord.” “It could have been so much worse.” And of course nothing makes us appreciate the good and God in our lives than those unexpected difficulties to give us a proper perspective of what really matters.
We choose to be thankful and grateful or hopeless and bitter.
When we read the Bible, we see this illustrated time after time; their trouble and God’s working speak great wisdom and inspire faith that endures.
Let me encourage you, trouble, if it helps us to be more thankful, prayerful, merciful, and helpful and to live a life of Godliness; these things drive us to a greater spirit of faith and devotion to the Lord.
It could be, many of us would never be saved and live a saved life if not for trouble. If you didn’t live for God in trouble, you would never have lived for God without it.
Trouble sharpens the mind and teaches the wisdom that only comes through these things.
I do not believe that God orchestrats every tornado, car accident, or health event. We live in a world of chaos, and many factors are beyond our control. The choices of others are one of many natural and spiritual influences by which we are affected.
However, through it all, there is w
“And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” Romans 5:3-5
This a simple warning we observe in scripture, and if you live long enough, will observe this time as well.
God rains down mercy on the just and the unjust and causes the sun to shine on the same. God, it is not his will that any should perish, but that all would repent.
Some people will never be saved, not because of predestination, but a character trait that refuses to have a submitted, obedient, desire to do right. You see this in scripture: no matter what God gives and promises, they are hardened to do wickedness.
Others it is in trouble that they will humbly repent and cry out to God.
Their response will ultimately determine their final destiny. Not for the lack of mercy but for the lack of humble repentance and submitted trust.
I believe this scriptural wisdom should speak to all of us and if we heed it, your trouble will produce a treasure that could only be given to you by God.
“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
2 Chronicles 7:14
May we all humble our heart, bow our heads, surrender our souls and determine in our minds, “I will return to the Lord and live for him for the salvation of my souls and by the grace of God, my example will encourage others to follow in those same acts.”
In Jesus Name.
Scott A. Phillips
“And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” Revelation 21