Significant Hope

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
II Corinthians 4:17

Consider the word weight which may convey the heaviness of life’s burdens or the great influence one person has over another. Place a box of shoes on the scales and it will register differently in weight than a box of marshmallows. However, weight may also convey significance.

Today’s verse speaks of eternal glory being significantly weightier than the ‘lighter’ weight of our troubles.

At first glance, it looks as if the author, Paul, is dismissing our hardships. Does he have any compassion? Why is he labeling the tough situations his readers experience as no more than a light trouble versus what we feel is impossibly heavy? Sometimes, the heaviness we undergo from our trials is far more of a burden than we can handle.

Yet, let’s return to significant as defining weight and hear what Paul is truly saying: Our troubles do matter, but his focus in our verse is on the hope of a wondrous future that matters even more. Our eternal glory (versus momentary troubles) accomplishes that very thing. We hurt yet are comforted in knowing that our pain will someday come to an end, and God’s glory will wipe away all tears and suffering.

Our troubles will not last forever. There is an end in sight, and oh, what a glorious end!

Peace, or even joy, do not free us from our struggles while here on earth. We struggle anyway, whether we have peace and joy or not. But, the coming eternal glory of heaven and being in God’s presence far more outweighs everything we go through in our earthbound bodies.

Our minds cannot even fathom what is to come. When we try to imagine it, it is beyond our comprehension.

In the midst of hardships we feel and see, we fix our eyes on what is unseen, on what will transpire in time. The heavy illness or harsh circumstance in front of us, now, become beautiful reminders of the glory ahead (glory actually means ‘weighty’). Our physical, emotional and mental frailties and handicaps can take us into the spiritual world where all we see and behold is the face of God.

In the context of today’s verse, Paul is speaking of the trials that Christian’s underwent because of their stance on Christ (who knew these trials well!) They were afflicted and persecuted for their beliefs. Paul wanted them to see into the heavens a glimpse of the comfort that was ahead. He wanted them to know that their troubles were actually working them towards (achieving for them) the eternal glory of God.

Like a mother-to-be labors to have her child, we work through our sufferings and find our hearts not so fixed on the things of this world. We discover the purifying nature of our pain and the training of our thoughts to turn toward Him alone. We realize the temporary tents of our bodies and the transient nature of earth. Heaven is our true home!

Thoughts such as these that Paul was relating to them had the potential to change their perspective in terrible circumstances. And we can use these same thoughts to help us through the difficulties we go through.

Lord, give us spiritual eyes to see and have hope for more than just bad circumstances. Help us to transform what is happening around and into us into angels of mercy that are moving us toward something grand that nothing can neither destroy nor harm. Our hearts cannot take it all in. What amazing wonder is in front of us. Thank you, Lord. In Jesus name, Amen.

Difficult and Powerful

Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit. Luke 4:14

In chapter 3, Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. Then chapter 4 records how He was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tested, enduring 40 days without food. He conquered each temptation gloriously. Today’s verse tells us the beautiful results of His adventure: He returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit!

We, too, are tried and tested in what we might label dark and difficult seasons of our lives.

Sometimes, we wonder why we must go through such ordeals. Yet, years later, we can look back and see how the time of trial strengthened our character, made us stronger than ever before and even better prepared us for things to come. We see our circumstances with wiser eyes, and our emotions are more self-controlled. We become more able to visualize the Father inviting us to come join Him and His work.

To be the ME God intended for today, I will have to have gone through times of testing!
To be the ME God intends for tomorrow, I will continue to go through times of testing.

Isaiah 40:31 says, “Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

How does one arrive to this place of soaring like Jesus did? Such spiritual growth is certainly not from our own abilities! In fact, when we attempt to do things in human strength, the results are found wanting.

The verse says that those who put there hope in the Lord will be strengthened and will soar. God enables us to do His work, and when we lean on Him, we can trust the results to Him.

The dynamic of soaring is never perfectly achieved (we never ‘arrive’ here on earth), but the process of learning how to receive God’s power and strength increases over the years of growing in Christ.

And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. II Cor. 3:18

Holy Spirit lead us wherever you may. Be with us in our journeys and give us what we need to stand against temptation. Transform us through the tests of life that come our way through your loving plans. Mold and make us as a potter would with steady hand as he enhances the clay. Empower us through our hardships to become more powerful in your kingdom. In Jesus name, Amen.

That’s Not ME! (Discernment Series #4)

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Rom. 12:2

Last week we covered Romans 12:1 and found in making our decisions that it is necessary to follow Paul’s urgent call to view God’s mercy, to offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God and to know that in these things we are worshiping Him.

Let’s continue our study of discernment.

Romans 12:2 begins with: Do not conform to the pattern of this world.

Conform – to be like, imitate, adapt, match, fit in

Pattern – When I was a teenager, my mom taught me how to sew. First, we would go to the fabric store and choose a pattern, then we would pick out the material. The pattern was an exact outline of each piece I needed to have the end result of a new dress or skirt. But what would have happened had I come home from the fabric store with the wrong pattern? The outcome (the dress) would NOT have been the one I had chosen.

The world has a pattern: a design, blueprint, mold, guide, model, plan or precedent. In order for me NOT to imitate their example, I must intentionally make wise choices and be aware of what I come home with in my bag of goodies. I must check the bag before I leave the store! Spiritually, I must check my heart to see what pattern I am following! Lord, help me not to chase after choices that are based on what the world would do. My life and the lives around me depend on it!

How do I wholly give of myself daily to the Lord in conformity to His will and His way?

First, the pattern of Christ can be found in a community of believers. The people of God can walk with us in being courageous, content, patient and loving when we would rather follow after fear, despair, anger and self-centeredness.

Second, we must stay in His word to know better what Christ’s pattern looks like.

Third, realize that we are all made from God’s pattern (solid); each in our unique ways. It is wise to leave no room for jealousy of how other people are made differently from us. That is silly.

Fourth, in our community of believers, we know that when 2-3 come together to pray (Matt. 18:20), God is with us and He helps us to conform to His will.

The next part of the verse in Romans 12:2 says, “….but be transformed by renewing your mind.”

Transform – convert, renovate, change, receive a makeover. Another way to put it is: to become like Christ.

Renew is another word for restore (to what it originally was made to be). Think about restoring a piece of furniture. The first step in this process is to strip everything away that is old and tattered in order to prepare the wood for a new finish to give it a brand new look.

In our renewal, we become stripped of lies and evil thoughts, motives and attitudes. We lose the things that have burdened and brought us down: choices made from our feeble intellects instead of our spirits, and all that is ugly and bad. We may be brilliant of mind but dull of spirit. Seeking after the spirit is intentional hard work. It is a raw place for us. Also, if the ‘furniture,’ at this point, is left unprotected, mold, dirt or rot can stealthily infiltrate its layers. In the spiritual renewal process, we must put on the armor of God to protect our hearts from worldly rot.

In order to make wise decisions, discernment must come, not from the flesh or feelings or from our decaying bodies that let us down, but from our souls (filled with God). Just because we don’t feel up to doing something: having anger issues or holding grudges, our heads hurt or we have a stomach ache, it doesn’t mean we are absolved from a calling or cannot do God’s will.

Love God with ALL your heart, soul, mind and strength. Mark 12:30

All these parts of us have their being inside our soul (which is the part of us that lives forever). Resolve things in yourself by going deep into the place where God dwells, deeper than the aching body or hurt feelings, deeper, even than your own personality or preferences.

“Oh, but that’s not me!” you may say.

This is a wrong response. Instead, become who the Lord enables you to become in this moment, even if it is out of your comfort zone, even if you must become a ‘someone you’re not!’ God provides the rest.

Discern your decisions from Jesus Christ who lives in the depths of your soul.

The Bible says, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matt. 10:28

Do not be afraid of physical but of spiritual death!

When I desire the transformation that comes by renewing my mind, everything changes. My thoughts are on things above. Col. 3:2

My choices are thought through with a renewed mindset, one that is daily changing me to be more like Jesus.

Today, I have added to the discernment wheel (in purple) thoughts from last week’s blog post:

Discernment is urgent! Discernment is viewing God’s mercy (which is the foundation of discernment). It is an offering (of my body as a daily living sacrifice), holy and pleasing to God, which is worship of Him.

Lord, when I don’t know what to do about a situation, it helps me to concentrate on how Christ would handle it versus what the world would do. Deep in my soul there are times I just want to fit in and not be the weirdo that sticks out and is different. But you made me so beautiful and unique to shine to a lost world. Help me to stay true to how you created me from my mother’s womb. Help me to stay true to your pattern and what you intend for my life. Keep my mind in a state of constant renewal and give me the heart of Jesus. Lead me to the right choices and make me wise. In Jesus name, Amen.