"...there was given me a thorn in my flesh...to torment me. I pleaded with the Lord to take it from me. But He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12: 7-10
Life is hard. We go through so much. There's happy times, there's sad times. We're excited, then we're depressed. We're lonely, we're hurt, we're bitter because of what's happened to us. There's tribulations, heartbreak, suffering, and trials of so many types. How do we continue living in the Fullness God has ordained for us...when we're drowning in these trials?
Let's look at Paul for a moment. If you go to the second part of 2 Corinthians 11, he lists everything hard he's suffered for the sake of Jesus. It's a painful list. Shipwrecks, beatings, insults--Paul went through it all. He had a crazy ride.
Okay, okay. It's weird to try and imagine somebody who's gone through so much pain but still chugging on, loving God with all their heart. Do you know anybody like that?
As humans, it's so natural for us to want to give up.
But...after you've tasted the pure sweetness of the Love of God...how could you give up?
Everything God allows for us to go through...crafts us further and further into who we're supposed to be. For God to use us effectively, we have to allow Him to change us. Sometimes change comes through trials.
Emotional...
Physical...
Financial...
Spiritual...
Mental...
There are many kinds of trials.
We are used to instant gratification. When everything's good, we're good. When something goes wrong, we tend to forget the whole long ride of GOOD that we've had. All we can see is the darkness in front of us. It makes us want to run away--to turn back and put as much space between us and the suffering that we can. It's uncomfortable. We want to be safe and sure of our life. If God won't fix our problem right away, there's no use following Him for the rest of our life.
But the thing is...if you'd gone a little further...you would've seen the dazzling Light on the path. It was just a little further.
If you'd gone a little further...you would've seen the Light was there the whole time. There were only clouds blocking it.
Storms blow away. They don't stay forever. Darkness seems to drag on, but it's only a moment in time.
If we press on to the end and realize the Light's always been right here, we're able to rejoice!
We can look back at the storm and see the people behind us--those who are struggling through the same blinding darkness. And we can encourage them. We can spur them along towards the Light we know is waiting just up ahead. We can remind them of the Goodness of God and the Love He has for them.
Or we can keep on going our merry way, forgetting what God just brought us through.
That's when others perish.
If God puts something hard in our life, there's a reason.There's always a reason.
And it's usually so we're able to minister to others. Paul used his weaknesses and trials to be a light. He could relate to others, encourage them, minister to them, love them--because he knew what it was like to suffer.
It's our choice how we use our trials. But I pray we use them for God's Glory.
Live in the Fullness of God! When there's darkness, don't forget the Light.
I know this verse is prophecy about Jesus, but I believe it can be great Hope for us as well:
"After the suffering of His soul, He will see the Light and be satisfied." Isaiah 53:11
"Come, O house of Jacob, let us walk in the Light of the Lord." Isaiah 2:5
