 Hi, this is Pastor David O'Sullivan of Calvary Chapel of the Chino Valley, California. In the Gospel of John, chapter 6, John records a question that Jesus asked of his disciples that I've come to believe is one that he will ask to any who choose to follow him. The question is recorded in verse 67. Do you also want to go away? Today is my spiritual rebirth day, 48 years ago today. I stood to my feet at an invitation that was given by an evangelist by the name of Arthur Blessed. I was 20 years old and had simply gotten tired of my life the way that it was. And when Arthur said that I could receive forgiveness of my sins and have a brand new life, I stood to my feet with the support of my dear friend George Adams and surrendered my life to Jesus. I wish I could say that every day since that day has been rainbows and sunshine, but that simply would not be true. Life continues to be what life can be. There are highs and lows, smiles and tears, joys and sorrows, triumphs and terrible disappointments because that is how life goes. I remember Jesus' prayer in John 17 when he said, I do not pray that you should take them out of the world but that you should keep them from the evil one. We learn very quickly that though we are citizens of heaven, we still live here on earth and we still encounter difficulties and sorrows, and we still puzzle over things that God seems to do that don't make sense to us at the time. This is simply part of what constitutes a walk of faith. In the passage I mentioned a moment ago, John records how Jesus had just challenged a group of would-be disciples with some very difficult sayings. He said people were to believe in him to have eternal life. He said he would raise people up at the last day. He said that he was living bread that came down from heaven and that people were to eat his flesh and drink his blood in order to have life. The response to these teachings was for these would-be disciples to simply say, this is a hard saying. Who can understand it? With that many of his disciples went back and walked with Jesus. No more. This provoked Jesus to ask has been, does this offend you? Do you also want to go away? I'm thoroughly convinced that every Christian is eventually asked the same question. We need to understand that spiritual depth does not come easily nor is it gained without a great price. The fact is deep faith is a refined faith and refining comes at a price. This is something the ancient writer Job learned in the book of Job chapter 23 verses 10 through 12. Job said, he knows the way that I take. When he's tested me, I will come forth his gold. My feet have closely followed his steps. I have kept to his way without turning aside. I have not departed from the commands of his lips. I've treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread. It is through the refiner's fire that our spiritual appetites are deepened. And it is at that time that our hunger for him is satisfied, our thirst for him is quenched. We must always remember that God demands our total devotion to him, never satisfies himself with half-hearted curiosity that comes from us. It is he who commanded that we love him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and he does not desire anything less than that. Total openness before God leaves you open to hurts and disappointments and how things seem to go. And yes, you can become disappointed even with God. This is not because of something he isn't or something he has failed to do. It's because you do not yet know his ways and thus they seem mysterious to you to the degree that you can completely miss the reasons why he is or is not doing something you've desired of him. The simple fact is, it is possible to truly love him but to still not understand his ways. Events conspire in our lives sometimes that may very well lead us to hear Jesus ask the question, do you also want to go away? In the end, we begin to learn that the things that hurt us and often cause us to suffer are an important part of the Christian life. They are part of God's shaping process that develops us into the person that we desire to be. It is part of how God accomplishes the task of conforming us into the image of Jesus Christ. It is fulfilling what Jesus said in Matthew chapter 10 verse 25 when he said it's enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher and a servant like his master. Have you yet noticed that in the hard times you are much more sensitive to the presence of God? Have you seen that it is in your difficult times that you start searching the scriptures to find answers to your problems? It is in these times that you begin to understand what the psalm has said when he wrote in Psalm 119 verse 71 it is good for me that I have been afflicted that I may learn your statutes. Do you want to go away or will you answer in the way that the apostle Peter answered when he said Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life also we have come to believe and know that you are the Christ the Son of the living God. No Lord. In these difficult times we will not leave you. We will cling all the more to you because we have begun to learn what your servant Charles Spurgeon once said. If we would be scholars we must be sufferers. God's commands are best read by eyes wet with tears. Hold fast to the Lord this too shall pass and through it all you will learn to trust in Jesus. You will learn to trust in God. This upcoming Sunday I will be teaching on this passage. I have called my message a common question. This is Pastor David Rosales of Calvary Chapel of the Chino Valley, California.