Thursday, May 26, 2011

God is for us

If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31b

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

God is for us, not against us.

He never asks us to do anything that will harm us - just sometimes our definition of harm is different from His.

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Imagine you are facing a difficult situation - you may not have to think too hard. You might ask God to take that situation away from you, but again, you probably don't have to think too hard to remember a time when he hasn't.
God sees the bigger picture, he knows the end of the situation, and he knows what you can learn from it. 

Sometimes we have made mistakes - if we never experienced the consequences we would repeat those mistakes over and over again - so God lets us experience hardship because he knows it will get us somewhere better.

Sometimes God asks us to do something, or to follow him somewhere that results in something difficult. It may seem like harm to us, but sometimes temporary pain is worth the long term gain.

Those momentary troubles mentioned in Corinthians - we tend to think of having an argument with someone, having a few money troubles, having an operation. Things that even we can see the end of, but are still challenging to deal with at the time. But those momentary troubles, they don't just end there. They include long term disability and illness, poverty, abuse, persecution. Death.

Momentary. It takes on a whole new definition when put side by side with eternity. An eternal glory that outweighs them all.

That is what God sees. He will never do anything to harm us, but only to draw us closer to eternity with Him. And he never leaves us alone in the midst of suffering.

Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. Psalm 62:8

In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:6-9

I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. John 10:10

Eternal life is worth any amount of trouble in our temporary one.

2 comments:

  1. Amen, it's all about God's perspective

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  2. Good to read this today Jess.... Thanks :)

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