Provision

I wasn't planning on doing a post today. However, it has been laid upon my heart after our pastor at Southside has started a series about being confident in God no matter what life throws at you.

Many times during conversations with others, we are asked, "Why does God let so many things happen to the ones we love?" I have never been able to know exactly what to say in response. Last night after evening service while pondering what our study was on, I read several chapters in 2 Corinthians. I suggest reading Chapter 4 and 5 over and over again.

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KJV (amplified):

2 Corinthians 4:8-18

We are hedged in (pressed) on every side (troubled and oppressed in every way), but not cramped or crushed; we suffer embarrassments and are perplexed and unable to find a way out, but not driven to despair;

We are pursued (persecuted and hard driven), but not deserted (to stand alone); we are struck down to the ground, but never struck out and destroyed;

Always carrying about in the body the liability and exposure to the same putting to death that the Lord Jesus suffered, so that the (resurrection) life of Jesus also may be shown forth by and in our bodies.

For we who live are constantly (experiencing) being handed over to death for Jesus' sake, that the (resurrection) life of Jesus also may be evidenced through our flesh which is liable to death.

Thus death is actively at work in us, but (it is to order that our) life (may be actively at work) in you.

Yet we have the same spirit of faith as he had who wrote, I have believed, and therefore have I spoken. We too believe, and therefore we speak.

Assured that He Who raised up the Lord Jesus will raise us up also with Jesus and bring us (along) with you into His presence.

For all (these) things are (taking place) for your sake, so that the more grace (divine favor and spiritual blessings) extends to more and more people and multiplies through the many, the more thanksgiving may increase (and rebound) to the glory of God.

Therefore we do not become discouraged (utterly spiritless, exhausted, and wearied out through fear). Though our outter man is (progressively) decaying and wasting away, yet our inner self is being (progressively) renewed day after day.

For our light, momentary affliction (this slight distress of the passing hour) is ever more and more abundantly preparing and producing and achieving for us an everlasting weight of glory (beyond all measure, excessively surpassing all comparisions and all calculations, a vast and transcendent glory and blessedness never to cease!),

Since we consider and look not to the things that are seen but tot he things that are unseen; for the things that are visible are temporal (brief and fleeting), but the things that are invisible are deathless and everlasting.

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Many times we as just humans think to ourselves we don't deserve the trials and tribulations especially when we are (in our minds) doing what is right or trying our best.

Christ always did what was right (by God's standards). Christ suffered ridicule, scoffing, mockery, was laughted at and spit upon, was beaten and bruised, suffered anguish, endured shame and death on the cross. Knowing this, how could I possibly think that I am somehow deserving enough not to have to suffer the things life throws at me?

This can be hard to swallow when things aren't going just right in our lives. To sit and remind ourselves that what we endure is nothing compared to what He endured. We can be thankful and praise God that Christ did his suffering for us. We can be even more thankful that also as Christ was resurrected and is with God the Father that we too will someday be resurrected and be in his presence for an eternity.

No more pain. No more crying. No more ridicule. No more stress. No more pressure. No more fear. No more worry. No more...... No more.......

Christ lived, suffered, died and rose again. I am extremely thankful to God that part of his plan for me is that I too shall live, suffer, die, and rise again.