Proverbs 15:24 — The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath.
So how’s it going? Your day I mean … Your week, your year, your life …? Are you in one of those times of life when it seems that everything is uphill?
How do you feel about those hard times? Is God maybe not being fair to you? Or maybe you deserve what’s happening to you? Or perhaps it’s all just random? No, no, and no! God is never unfair, difficulties are rarely punishments and God is always in control!

James set the scene:

“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” James 1:2-5.

It’s a truth that’s well known … When the going gets tough, the tough get going!

So what’s going on? One thing is that God is working to form character. He is making us into the image of His Son. Paul writes about it in his letter to the Romans:

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 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 5:1-5)

There is another thing, however. Proverbs 15:24 tells a literal truth of spiritual geography. Heaven is above, and hell is below! And even the pagan Roman poet Vergil knew that the road down is easy and the road up is hard! In his masterpiece, the Aeneid, he wrote a passage beginning “facilis descensus Averno”, that the 17th century English poet John Dryden translated as:
The gates of hell are open night and day; 

Smooth the descent, and easy is the way: 

But to return, and view the cheerful skies, 

In this the task and mighty labor lies. 

Even the non-Christians knew that a good afterlife probably involved some struggles in this life! If times are tough — embrace it. If the road is never uphill, you can be sure you’re headed in the wrong direction!