how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already (Ephesians 3:3 NKJV)
Before you start to envy the profound insights of the Apostle Paul, consider soberly the price tag:
. . . For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more (Luke 12:48 NKJV).
While Paul may have been gifted by God to explain mysteries hidden from the foundation of the earth, he was also hand picked by God to “suffer many things for the name of Christ.” He mentioned just a few:
24 From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26 in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27 in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness—(2 Corinthians 11:24-27 NKJV).
It is our human tendency to want the gain without the pain, the glory without the gut-wrenching trials that create the kind of character that can rightly handle fame and fortune. We pray earnestly for God to use us for His glory, yet many times when the first inkling of suffering comes our way, we are begging for a way out. We are very different from the first church, who after being beaten for the sake of the Gospel, prayed for the courage to speak God’s Word more boldly so that the Will and Power of God could be made manifest on earth. We live in one of the safest and most blessed countries in the world, yet our prayer lives are consumed with requests for safety, comfort, and more blessings. We don’t often pray that we would be counted worthy to suffer for the sake of Christ.
I am so guilty of being a comfortable Christian who does God’s will when it is convenient and continues to request the high road. Lord, please help me to deny my flesh’s craving for self-gratification, and grant me a spirit of sacrifice that will deny you nothing you wish to do in my life and that will allow you to have a heart in me dedicated to the trenches.
Thank you soo much for posting this :)
ReplyDeleteI often feel like this. Walking **Through** the valley of death, instead of setting up a Kool-aid stand, and hangin' out, takes an enormous amount of courage.
We, as Christians, often ask God for the easier road, but it is usually the HARD road, that makes us better people, and gives us the true gifts we really want :) All things actually DO work for the greater glory of God. We simply have to have enough patience to see it through. :)
Thank you for sharing this with me, and please let me know when you post more.
Well said, John. I like the analogy of setting up the Kool-aid stand in the valley of the shadow of death.
ReplyDeleteI try to post daily, Monday-Friday. Sometimes my schedule gets hectic (like tomorrow morning). Thanks for joining me and taking the time to give your feedback.
I never knew you had a blog post :) this is great :)
ReplyDeleteYes, the "Kool-aid Stand" analogy was from my Pastor a long time ago... when I had the brain tumor. He was very insightful, in helping me get through it, but helping me to understand about 2 simple options...
1, I could "hang out" and wait to die, or live in my own misery.
2, Grab a cup of Kool-aid, Rest for a moment, and KEEP WALKING !! until I got to the other side :)
It was one of those profound lessons of Psalms 23, that I never forgot.