rooibos

this morning at church i was reminded of a beautiful and thought provoking truth from

1 Corinthians 15 {reminder of The Resurrection}

If you knew the ending of this “mess” or particular situation that you are going through was GOOD —how would that change the manner in which you walk through the trial? how would that affect your day to day struggle? how would it change each calculated decision, thought, deed or action you execute? 

well it is GOOD, because it is FINISHED. when Christ accomplished His work on the cross and died, yes it was finished but it did not end there. we ought to pause at the cross and not in any way lighten the burden under which our Lord Jesus Christ suffered for our sake, but once we have silenced our soul before the cross and reveled in the depth of it’s implication on our lives we should remember that CHRIST IS RISEN and IT IS GOOD -maybe not for you or i in this very moment but this moment is fleeting, in the blink of an eye you will be 80 years old with a couple of grandkids coming over for tea and your life will be a but a speck on the eternal canvas of time, but our Saviour’s life possibly 3x shorter than your human life will still be the greatest historical accomplishment. being reminded of the historical truth of the Resurrection and the spiritual implication that it has on my life over 2000 years later —well it really helps put things in perspective. when i suffer i want to suffer well, i want to endure well, because my God died to give me the power of the Gospel to endure and suffer for His namesake and to bring Him glory. I do not endure to count it gain in my human strength, what my flesh perceives as gain is a pain-free life of leisure where my every want and need is met instantaneously with little to no effort on my part. But.. (and i shudder to type these words.. yet my Saviour gives me the strength to proclaim them boldly) ..i want the trials, i want the struggles because i want to be more like Christ, to proclaim His excellence rather that my foolishness. i want the Lord to have His way in my life so that it is no longer mine but His because i cannot save anyone, i cannot bring life long happiness to any sorry soul because i will sin and i will fail, but i can point to Christ who is more faithful than we can fathom and will never do either of those things. 

so i pray for strength to endure for Christ no matter how small or large my trial may be because i know, and have assurance that in the end.. it is good.