Word of the Week - Hardships

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; ⁹ persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. ¹⁰ We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. ¹¹ For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. ¹² So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. 2 Corinthians 4:8-12

In last week’s Word of the Week I shared how God Comforts us in times of trouble, because He loves us and desires to strengthen us in times of trial to encourage us to press forward toward His divine plan for our lives.  Through these trials we continue to be sanctified and become more Christlike, which is an important part of God’s plan for us.  He promises to always be there with us because He knows that the journey of a follower of Christ is one of Hardship.  No one experienced this greater than Saint Paul; you have to love and admire his almost unfathomable determination and perserverance in some of the most challenging of circumstances.  He was only able to do this because he was so clear about his mission in Christ and the reality of the end goal.  He also clearly understood the implications and what was at stake for the balance of eternity, he had a clear sense of urgency and purpose.  The following verse really shows Paul’s heart and clarity of understanding of what God had called him to undertake in His calling and mission to advance God’s Kingdom on earth for the good of all God’s children.  By the way, Paul endured his Hardships with a heart of gratitude and thanksgiving.“As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you,  and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited.  Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; ⁶ in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left;  through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed;  sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.”  2 Corinthians 6:1-10This is a challenging message and probably not a refrigerator verse for most of us, but the reality is that when we sign up on God’s team as followers of Christ, we are also signing up for an everlasting adventure that will be very challenging and require everything, our all and all.  It is like joining the Special Forces, you are part of the world’s most elite military forces; it is not for the faint of heart and will require you to be all in and willing to give everything, yes even your life, but the reward far outweighs the cost.  The key is that we have clarity of our mission, vision and purpose in Christ then we will have the internal peace and fortitude to press on through the trials of life knowing that the eternal reward far outweighs the short term pain and Hardships that we will endure.^“ Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,  I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 3:12-14 So be encouraged and press on through your Hardships knowing that there is purpose in the pain and we are overcomers and ultimately victorious in Christ. We are on the winning team…By the way, God is with us through it all and so are fellow believers if we invite them to walk through the Hardships with us.  Remember that we all face Hardships and we are not in this alone.  They only last for a while and then the joy come.Hope you and your family have a blessed Labor Day and great week. -Duane