Posted: Jun 5, 08 2:46am
2Co 4:17-18 For our light affliction, which is for the moment, works for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
It has been building up. Your prayers appear to be bouncing off a wailing wall. Already viewing the first half of this year, you have concluded it stinks. One problem after another has happened in your life. As you dig deep to see whatever your blessings might have been, you can find nothing worth boasting about. In fact, God appears more distant to you at this particular point in your life than ever. Aha, you think, you always had believed that God didn't take vacations nor slumbered or slept and apparently that is erroneous.
All right, step back, take a deep breath, and if you have to try counting to ten. Today's passage tells us that a light affliction lasts but a moment. Reading that, we sure wish we could take a peak at the scale and calculator God uses. Yet, we must move on and read the entire sentence which has the promise that it works much like a justice of scale balance does. The glory it brings eternally and heavenly weighs much heavier than the temporal light affliction.
The verse further goes on to tell us we must see with spiritual and eternal eyes and not with temporal and physical vision focused upon the things of the earth. What God is simply trying to do with you and for you is called spiritual positioning. He alone can project past this moment and can see the favorable outcome. We alone can choose to trust in His wisdom and love for us, or we can go the other route and find fault with our circumstances, murmuring, complaining, and resisting every contrary thing until we turn our back on our faith.
At that moment we have chosen to be in an unfavorable position with the Lord. Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
I can't speak for you, but I do have a healthy and respectful fear of God as in the sincerest form of the word reverence. I certainly want to arise each day knowing He does love and favor me and that I bring Him pleasure. When a belonging no longer brings us pleasure, we throw it out. When a spouse no longer brings us pleasure, we divorce them. When an adult child no longer brings us pleasure, we disinherit them. When a friend no longer brings us pleasure, we amputate them from our contact. So, knowing we do live in a disposal society, I have no desire to push my luck with God.
I am wise enough to know that at times when my faith level is critically low, I need to react in a positive way. Free will my responsibility, not God's. So, my best advice today if you are wearied, worn out and contemplating ditching your belief system and faith in the goodness of God's intentions toward you would be just wing this prayer to Him.
God, You can do all things, right? Please give me a pair of visionary trifocals to see me through this trial and rough patch of affliction in my life. Help me to see whatever it is You are trying to teach me. Bolster me with a dose of faith because I sure could use some to get me through this time. And thanks, for listening because I really don't believe You ever take a vacation and I don't want to be MIA when the roll is called up yonder. Amen
