How faithful our Lord is that even through the busiest, craziest, most misunderstood seasons of our lives He is, "restoring our soul...leading us in those paths of righteousness..." This journey of the christian faith is by no means a cake walk, it has it's challenges on a daily basis. How in even the shadows of death do we take comfort and joy in the Lord? When everything around us is condemning us and speaking death and not life, how do we reach out take ahold of the promises of the Lord?
"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trails of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." James 1:2-4
"More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." Romans 5:3-5
"And have you forgotten the exhortation that address you as sons? 'My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.' It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it." Hebrews 12:5-7, 11
"Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is DIFFICULT that leads to life, and those who find it are few." Matthew 7:13-14
Even Jesus addresses us at the end of His message of the Sermon on the Mount, 'DIFFICULT is the way that leads to life and few are those who find it.' Why has our culture and society created this notion that our 70 to 90 years in this life are supposed to be pleasurable living and with minimal trial? This is not what our Lord says! We are strangers in this life, we are pilgrims looking for a city who's builder and maker is God! Psalm 84 has been one of my favorite pictures of this reality.
"How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of Host! My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God. Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O Lord of hosts, my king and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise! Selah Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion. As they go through the Valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools. They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion. O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed! For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you!"
Our journey, our hardship, our sanctification process can all be explained for one reason, FOR HIS NAME SAKE! This is the glorious joy of our years here on earth, to exalt the name, worth, and glory of the man Jesus. Truly this journey has very little to do with us, but everything to do with Jesus receiving the praise that He is due.
There is no history, this is no Bible, there is no redemption without the man Jesus, so why have we ignored Him? In the midst of our wrestles, we are so quick to shift introspective and make everything about 'us.' If we would only lift our eyes to the one that suffered the most, our hope is found in glorifying HIS name in our momentary light affliction.
I have not tasted hardship yet, I have not even caught a glimpse of persecution. In my very small beginnings I want Jesus' name to be glorified in my every life circumstance! May this pathway be filled with experiencing and gaining perseverance, long suffering, endurance, patience, and may it cause my heart to fall deeper in love with the only one worthy. Jesus.
Grace and Peace,
Isaac
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