Finding God's Purpose in Adversity

For me to that point to see the gospel and not wins in and for me to not keep score of God's grace towards me on my terms, but on his… Changed everything. That's Daniel Ritchie and he's our guest today on Focus on the Family assuring how he's found hope in the midst of intense physical challenges. I do hope you'll stay with us for this conversation. As we hear powerful truths to ground you in a difficult, this is Focus on the Family with Jim Daly. Thanks for joining us I'm John from John, one of the most famous verses in the Bible. In the New Testament book of Philippians as I can do all things through him strengthens me.

And it's right there in Philippians 413.

It's often uses that motivational mantra through you know make you climb the mountain or do better. Whatever it might be. But when the apostle Paul wrote that I can do all things. He was really meaning it for the difficult things that you know the content.

If you look at it is about suffering. So even in suffering. As Paul was expressing was his singular goal to honor the Lord in that suffering, and the glorify God, and I don't know about you but that's not always my initial Lord, help me to attain this mountain or to do better on Friday night football. Remember in high school, praying that, but I wonder what each of you listeners and viewers on YouTube. What you would respond that.

How does that passage speak to your heart.

Is it one to attain a higher level or to get through a really difficult situation in our guest today has dealt with adversity. I'm so looking forward to this discussion with Daniel Ritchie and his expression and he is lived an amazing life and you learn more in a moment, yet born without arms Daniel and his wife had during their two children live in North Carolina.

He's a writer and speaker will be covering some of the content in his book my affliction for his glory and we do have copies of that here the ministry stop by the episode notes and you find all the details, or call 800 the letter a in the word family. Daniel welcome Focus on the Family guessing.

So much for having me. I'm so looking forward to it. Really, just reading through the book in the prep that was done.

Man, what a life story you have than you're used to sharing it as a speaker, I want to try to help the listener. Just leave through this amazing story, and I know our listeners are to resonate with your heart.

First I guess tell us what it's like to navigate every day with no arms yeah I mean is is certainly complicated and you know the world we live in is made by people with arms for people with arms and insiders. There's a lot of things I mean opening a door is like a multistep process for me. You know, using a cell phone dry. You know it's like there's there's ways around it, but it's just it's a little bit bit more complicated right they know it's amazing just watching you as we started getting going here you use your feet. Amazingly well, almost as a person would use their hands and that is I mean right.

There is a triumph way right now. Yeah, I mean at this point Fritz mean literally be second nature. And it's like even even for me to get up some mornings and it's like a look in the mirror when waking up and be a holy I don't have arms, you know, it's like I think one of the most apparent things about me. Sometimes I just forget because this is just this is all of ever.

Now let's take everybody back to your birthday. Literally your birth day yeah and what took place in the delivery room, your mom, dad, doctors there.

The nurses there expecting a you know a fully healthy child right there was no direct pre-diagnosis and ending into my disability wasn't on the radar at all even though your mom had two ultrasounds healthy pregnancy just didn't catch it. No, not at all and insert note. Nobody knew till the doctors holding me in the delivery room and then in that moment, not only an eye born without arms but I was born, not breathing or moving and so did the doctor just very quickly showed me to my dad said I could see. I didn't have arms and then he asked my dad, do you just want us to let him go and so I think it's like that did double the double edge shock at the moment but it's like okay we we have a boy that it is literally born dad, and he's born without arms and and so I may, I mean I'm sure for my parents is such an overwhelming moment yeah before we get to your dad's response, which is awesome yeah and I want to make sure people here that that's not an uncommon story. I have many friends that have had the children born with spina bifida, down syndrome.

Whatever it might be in these doctors do exactly that.

It's unlike what they're learning to say in med school. Would you like to let your child die hundred percent and I mean it, not every parent is saying no yeah yeah what did your dad say no, not my dad just looked at the doctor and he said that's my son and you need to do whatever it is that you can do to try to bring him back. That's all.

No man. I mean, an Internet site without pause, without hesitation, I mean it was just it was just the response that I think just came out of his core, you face some frustrating moments learning how to do the everyday tasks that you're watching you right here in the studio do with your feet.

What was that like as a child growing up just to function as best as possible without arms. Yeah, I think the hardest part for me is you know just just for us as humans were visual learners, and so I didn't have.

I don't have a model you know what I didn't have someone like I could see and repeat and in so a lot of a lot of my formative years is learning how to either ride or eat or you know just do daily task. It was like I would watch my parents and see the end result. And then I would try just through trial and error to find my my path toward that final destination. So there is a lot of failure. Yeah, I can moving forward through childhood where the innocence is there and you're trying to learn how to do things and you got the protective covering of your parents.

I'm sure there were some things in elementary school that made it tough, but like everybody gets a junior high I mean I can imagine what you went through describe some of that for us. Yeah, I mean I am in the range from you know I think we would think of this is stereotypical middle school bullying you. No name calling the roughhousing stuff like that but then I think to his I got into to middle school.

I started become aware, I think of just the greater public because it was like for me everywhere I go like my two empty sleeves, which it just draws attention. So, so going on public it's lots of stairs. It's rude comments it's you know you even as a kid.

I mean there were multiple times where we were like tossed out to restaurants because I'm sitting there eating with my feet and is yeah oh yeah oh yeah. I mean, my goodness, I think it's just because you know other people are complaining leg on its gross you know, can you, you know, get rid of that. Get rid of the kid and I mean that that was a would do it. Yeah all hundred percent. I wish I were in that restaurant.

I mean there was I think in in middle school. That was a realization for me that it was like I was different, but it was like a bad different for energy process that I may not again just that way people treated you the evil nature of it.

I mean it's really the sin nature of our flesh for people to do that to be ugly toward you because you have this handicap.

My goodness, it's totally out of your control is not like you choose this I mean it, especially in in my teens, early teens, it really mean it was a downward spiral for sure. I think just insecurity with myself. I started to hate other people you know because new meeting new people. For me, was just another person who's going to judge me, are you know. I can imagine the end and then to its side. I think very comparatively him. Even I was raised in church. I was I was keeping score of God's love and grace towards me on my terms and so what I started to do I think was all right God, God loves you guys like you know he he gave you 10 fingers to arms because you are normal, right writing, so I don't why doesn't God love me like he loves you and so even in that like our I really started to question like the loving grace of God towards me just because of my circumstance and what a journey, and when we talk about that. Philippians verse you know I can do all things will except tie my shoe yeah yeah how did you process that yeah I mean before I trusted in Christ like it came to Christ at 15 before I trust in Christ it wishes, like there wasn't any sort of foundation of hope or strength or anything, but I but I think in those days and months you know after trust in Christ is my everything.

I mean that that verse took a full and I think just full colored life in him in what I was doing. I got to get off the soapbox or that sermonizing is coming. A lot of people don't write don't send us an email I get, it is apparent in the lower the flame now, but nobody bring it on point were okay now your own. Okay Lord on the give you a chance and help me to what film the blind, to love people more. What was the trigger for you to say alright I'm in a trust God, yeah, yeah, I think it was so buddy of mine in school. He invites me to a a youth group dodgeball logins buddies and so as is.

This is the overnight lock and yeah and armless people are garbage a dodgeball in so it's like I get you know I get beaten to death for over the first four hours of the night in the youth pastor gets up, talks about God's love quick little devotions night night keeps going guys keep playing dodgeball acid out I'm I'm done in this youth pastor comes over and in he starts to talk to me and I think he very quickly picked up.

I think just on my insecurity my hurt and and and is he starts to talk to me I'm sitting here going.

You know me and you just talked to me about the love of God, and I don't see any of that loving grace in my life at all. And then he just very fatefully for probably the next hour like walks me through just the biblical picture of God's grace towards me not only in like that. He very purposefully made me and my mother swim like I am I what was in a mutation I was in an accident then for him to walk me through the gospel to that like what what God dies is that even though I question his love for me that he sends his son to live the perfect life. I could live to die the death that I should die. God raises intellect to show his power, verbose and in death and to those who trust in him the adoption into the family of God may send you on a mission of God, and I think for me to that point to see the gospel and that lands in and for me to not keep score of God's grace towards me on my terms, but on his down and that that changed everything up. That was the night out yet trust and rest in Christ is my King and Daniel I that's a an amazing statement that you're making and I don't want to go past it to quickly when you talk about that obstacle in front of you to say okay I believe God may be exactly how we wanted to make. I'm sitting thinking of people that hold onto resentment for something they blame God for that bad marriage for that prodigal son was walked away at.

I'm how you do that how do you go okay Lord is his mount in front of me, but I'm a knock it down now and just walk over it as I note your purposes are bigger than my understanding and I think that was the unit I was a path moving forward.

You know, from that point is like even though I had the foundation of okay.

Jesus is my everything. At age 15.

Well, there's still the big honking question of okay God, why why why no arms of all the things on the planet and I know really I struggling underneath the way to that I think for the next probably for five years. Yet, which is normal yeah yeah but I think is is I got into my late teens early 20s.

The apostle Paul in second Corinthians 1.

He says God comforts us in our affliction, so we can grant that same comfort to others in their time of need and and what I started to realize for me is like I have this very visible affliction. This very visible trial but also have a very clear opportunity talk about this is how God in the midst of my brokenness, gaming, comfort, and this is how I can grant it to you since I got God in my armless and is by his design has given me. I think one of my my single greatest. I think gospel opportunity just just in everyday life vest for clarity as talk about lining up those dots again. It's very obvious and we all go wow and then when you start sharing what God has done for you were scratching her head thing I has a sky smile. How does he have joy yeah born with no arms yeah John chapter 9 was another big verse. I think we can all see how that how you would feel relatable to that tribe John nine.

What is it talking about how to speak your heart to Jesus and the disciples there.

You know they're doing their ministry. Things are going town to town and as they passed by. They see a guy that was born blind and the disciples asked Jesus Rabbi who sent like you messed up. He walks over to this man and he says listen nobody sand. I made him this way so that the works of God can be displayed in his life. And then he goes on to heat. He spits on the ground.

The he makes mud wipes and in the man's eyes he goes and washes in the pool when he can see, but I think I think very clearly to see. It's like Jesus didn't misspeak when he said not that I'm in a heal him to show the works of God.

But he said I made him blind, like II formed and fashioned him for his glory with a disability to show the world more of me and nothing just that singularity to see.

I mean up across the whole of Scripture to know that in his situation and my situation.

God didn't dare he eat fashioned me to show the world more of him and that is the site for for me to fatefully walk in that even even if it's difficult. This is so rich and so good I want to get to some of the stories in the book is again the they illustrate your life and what you have stood for and how God has worked in your life.

There's a story in there about being at McDonald's which I love. Describe what was going on will be there to do other than getting a meal yeah yeah but then, then how people respond. Yeah, I mean it was it was one of those deals I was a student pastor the time so that I was prepping a sermon to preach at a friends church but about being on mission and him and so I'm walking in and I walked beside a there's a Greensboro up on at the time was in Greensboro North Carolina and so there's Greensboro city cop walked in with me and I actually I open the door for him and held it open for him. As I was his armless guy do anything right away so we both go up we order and and I and as I was.

Get ready to pay. I keep my debit card in my shoe and so I with my debit card out kinda quick at MSU and selected to the credit card reader, and he literally put his hand on his SideArm just I think that a reflex like what's going on and that any looks over at me and is like I'm unarmed. Don't shoot, you know that my awkward moment like you almost killed me.

But I'm okay with that so I go outside and as I started my biscuit my hashbrowns and he comes out to me and so we start to talk and then come to find out he had a son with autism and so he he wanted to know his eye. How did you get to where you are with this sort of joy with the sword. Hope I get to share the gospel with this man in a right on the patio McDonald's but then it was wild like over the next two hours. It was like I go back into refill my ice coffee I get talked into a mother and a daughter who same deal there watching me do stuff with my feet and a light why are you so happy and I get to share the gospel with them. And then there's you know landscapers like were working on the flowerbeds out out there McDonald's in much the same. There want to meet a biscuit with my toes and they want to know the story they want to know the hope there's there's three friends that end up like send out on the patio. They want to know the state you know it's just like in in the next two hours. It's like his prepping for sermon to be on mission God's letting me know. Like for us as believers, our mission doesn't necessarily have to happen under the roof of the church are our mission happens in a McDonald's. It happens on a community ballfields. It it it happens when we just when we interact with so many people in our lives and nothing for for me to realize in that moment my opportunity to speak to hope more often than not it comes away from the stage as it comes. When I just get to look a person in the eyes and then tell people about how Jesus is taken with the world thinks is a broken life and is using it for a school without a doubt, when you said that, I mean I think most of the mission effort should be outside the walls of the trench where you go there to be filled up so we could take him to the community and ideally yeah let me ask you because you sound and in really are buoyant in the spirit and I can see it. We both see in your smile help, but I've got to think at times there still some discouragement that would make you normal in human and I think people that are going. Wow, I just don't know that I could live like Daniel even with my little thing, whatever it might be fill in the blank. How do you have you faced discouragement, maybe with Heather. Your wife how to get through those moments were, you know you are pulled down a little.

Yeah, I mean, you know, because again it's like you know how my identity and purpose in Christ like you're saying them in there still some days where it's like I wish it was different. You know I will. I wish my my kids didn't have to have an armless dad with a with a fishbowl life like you know but I think you would just like you know you see Paul over and over like eat, he just preaches grace. I think both himself and into the church.

You know it's it's like was it first Corinthians 15. He says it's the gospel in which were saved but it's the gospel in which we stand.

I think as much as our hurts in our afflictions and our insecurities become the most apparent part of our life at times when when were walking through that. I think it's to be faithful to preach the grace of God like even even if it's like in the picture of the gospel in the picture of how he's made us and nothing to preach that grace to ourselves is that you know what, by God's grace of outspoken up this morning by God's grace like I get to enjoy you know whatever relationships that I have are just I I get to enjoy pretty sunrise sunset. I mean just just for us to eat as tangibly as we can to look at the grace of God in our life and is celebrated. I so appreciate that because I think we do complicate our lives and we don't notice those little blessings every day and if you're in a place of depression or anxiety. Just start with small steps in thanking the Lord for those things you can hang onto you. There is a story that you had about being in Starbucks and business guy again. I think retails your action may have sermon prep. When I think of selling. So your Starbucks would happen with destiny. Same deal from sermon prep and got my headphones on casino Starbucks can be a little noisy at and I'm always aware people stare at me a lot in public and so I click this guy right beside me. He stared at me a lot like you, his eyes keep cutting over and on these in every yeah and so you know, for me it's like I understand you don't exactly see armless people don't grow on trees you know, like and so I understand and and as he gets ready to leave like he gets up and it's like he sets down it was like a Starbucks like cardboard coffee sleep.

Just put on the table. He walked out and it first. Is that shark want to throw away your trash and I'm glad that normal head and so unlike I'm kinda in 1/2 and I and I go to pick it up and he'd like split the coffee sleeve open and he wrote a note on the inside of the coffee sleeve and here's a site brother.

I'm having a really hard time in my life. He was in a bit of bad family situation with his brother, but he was like just watching you today encouraged me and thank you for being willing to just be you and I mean a site I didn't even talk to this dude but you know just to be just to be present and in some way. God used thing to encourage this guy again and what's so profound about that. I don't want us to miss it is the Lord using you in a profound way without words because it's so obvious yeah yeah you have overcome this and it ministers to people's hearts because were in the pity party about something that is so much less significant. Yeah, then we see you and what you've got overcome. That's powerful. You mentioned in the book that God had an obviously is laying out this amazing plan for your life is a plan for every person.

I think that's the point. You don't have to be armless to circle on even saying that, but what does the Bible reveal about God's plan for every believer.

I mean, again, you know, for us to realize it's like God's made us to display him in his glory, you know and and that God did not make a mistake and how he made us God did not make a mistake in in redeeming us and so I think in view of that. It's like we can leverage what we have, to show the world more of him and it might not be you not you. You might not preach a sermon you might not lead on the worship team in your church.

You might not even be a small group leader, but it's I coming. Jesus said it's like that the mark of following me is that you love one another. That's how people know you are my disciples and and so I think it's it's incumbent on us to two very openly in this bombastic culture that we live in what I think one of the most world altering things that we can do is to love people. Well, even if they don't love us well and that even even small steps like that. That's how we change the world in that as we love others. It affords us the opportunity to speak of the one of why we love and so I asked that. I think for us to just allow our lives to open the door to scatter the seeds of the gospel in people's lives now and I you know, for me, when I look in the little time we got to know each other am looking forward to hanging out more to get out. I doubt that the Scripture that comes to my mind, for use in Nehemiah where it says the joy of the Lord is your strength and it is what ministers to people around. I could see it. It's infectious and it's actually quite an admonition to the rest of us if I can be joyful with what I'm caring why can't you yeah and I man I would turn to the listeners and say that. Let that be a good challenge to all of us know Daniel can do this if he can minister in the McDonald's Santa was good throughout the retail Starbucks and everything else.

What can we do right.

How can we show the joy of the Lord so people are attracted to what we have is not the way it should be absolutely can I ask you write the end here. Can you pray for us to have that business and pray for us. In general, to the less worldly and more spiritual and more embedded in God's truth absolutely absoluteness pray God, we do think you so incredibly much I think both for your kindness and how you formed and fashioned us both in your grace in sending your son to be our our redeeming sacrifice in God I pray in view of all of that, that the father and as we live out our days, that father we would be as is Jesus implores us in John 15 that we would just simply abide there.

We would just simply trust our lives into your hands.

Knowing that that by that are joy our hope, our strengths are everything that flows from you and and and apart from you we we can do nothing and and so got up. Pray that maybe for some of us today.

The most fateful thing we can do is to realize that God I don't have this, but you do. God help us to trust when it hurts. Help us to trust when we don't know what snacks.

God help us to trust and celebrate you in a in times of grace and goodness. Father I pray that whatever the case is that we would find our everything in you that we would be content that we would live that we would trust all in view of just your kingship of your grace of your call on our lives.

Father, we love you. We thank you in Jesus name we pray, amen, amen, amen.

And for those that don't know what admin means I'm in agreement. That's important, Daniel. This is been so good. Thanks. Surveying with this info showing us what it means to have the joy of the Lord.

This is awesome and I just say to the listeners and to those watching on YouTube and if this speaks to your heart or you know somebody who's not doing well specially for the believers are struggling and get a copy of this we can get to the download get the app for the smart phone that whatever he need to do and share with someone in your life for more than one person that might need it. That's a good way to do ministry.

You can also get a copy of Daniel's great book here at Focus on the Family.

My affliction for his glory while that's a statement and you've heard why and I would encourage you to get a hold of us and get a copy and if you make a gift of any amount, especially if you can become a monthly pledge or to focus be part of the ministry with us do ministry with us.

I will send you a copy. Daniel's book as our way of saying thank you for participating. Give us a call to find out more about Daniel's book and if you could donate that be wonderful are numbers 800 K in the word family or stop by the show notes for all the details and let me remind you that Focus on the Family is here for you if you're struggling in your marriage or you're facing a challenge in your parenting and you feel stuck, contact us. Our team of Christian counselors will listen to you, though.

Pray with you and Bill point you on the path toward healing again were just a phone call away and it's 800-232-6459 or click the link in the episode next time on Focus on the Family. The secret to feeling in love with your spouse again just do it just wake up every day and think on whatever is good right honorable and praiseworthy about your spouse and then asking your spirit. The Lord give me the love for him rekindle those things remind me of those things on behalf of Jim Daly and the entire team. Thanks for joining us today for Focus on the Family I'm John Fuller inviting you back.

As we once again help you and your family thrive in Christ