The Eternal View

Right now we are in the midst of great difficulty.  I know, if you’ve been reading, you’re saying “again?  Really?”  The answer is absolutely!  The closer I draw near to God the more I realize the why. 

This is life. 

This last week He led me to these verses:  2 Corinthians 4:7-18

⁷ But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. ⁸ We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; ⁹ persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. ¹⁰ We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. ¹¹ For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. ¹² So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

¹³ It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.”^[b] Since we have that same spirit of^[c] faith, we also believe and therefore speak, ¹⁴ because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself. ¹⁵ All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

¹⁶ Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. ¹⁸ So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

I was immediately encouraged.  When I looked into this deeper, I realized why.

We are hard pressed, like grapes being pressed for wine, but not crushed.

We are perplexed, like without a thought of what to do or where we are, but not in despair.

We are persecuted, like being stalked to be consumed, but not abandoned.

We are struck down, with heavy, overwhelming burdens, but not destroyed.

I try to imagine being pressed like a grape for wine, without a thought of where to go, as I’m being stalked for consumption and overwhelmed with burden.  My human self knows those emotions.  They call me to act, toward revenge, toward anger, toward justification of my actions. 

Yet, God says that I will not be crushed, in despair, abandoned or destroyed.  I read that to mean those emotions, while human, are not His.

My life is full of each of these things, yet I have more peace and comfort than I can explain.  What God is showing me is that my human view is limited.  I need to see His eternal view.  Each step I take needs to be in obedience to Him.  If it’s not, I can detour His plan.  His eternal plan shows His love to everyone.  His eternal plan is for salvation.  His eternal plan brings everything to Him.  His eternal plan brings Him glory. 

As I am pressed, perplexed, persecuted and struck down, He will use all of it for His glory.  I just have to rest in the knowledge that He is the author and perfector of my faith.