Good day, Black Creek Church Family, 

 

When I heard a devotional on Our Daily Bread regarding suffering.

I realized that sometimes in my brain 

I like to have a 'reason for' view of suffering.

If someone is suffering.... they did something wrong..

If someone is not suffering.... they did something right..

 

and of course.... there is some truth to those statements.

A consequence of poor choices often includes suffering. 

BUT

The theme of the devotional reminded me that God's view of suffering 

and my view are much different.

 

 

 Pray for those in our circles and in our world of hurt.  For God's comfort, His strength, and new vision for a way forward.

 

Paul grabs on to this when he writes to the church in Corinth about their and his suffering.

2 Corinthians 4:16  So we do not lose heart.  ‍

Though our outer nature is wasting away, 

our inner nature is being renewed day by day.
17  For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us 

an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,
18  as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. 

For the things that are seen are transient, 

but the things that are unseen are eternal. 
5:1    For we know that if the tent, which is our earthly home, is destroyed, 

we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
2  For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, 
3  if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked.
4  For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened not that we would be unclothed, 

but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.

 

He uses the term.... slight, momentary affliction

 

'The Message' transliterates that thought this way:

17  These hard times are small potatoes  compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us.

 

The lady in the devotional had a dream that became a promise from God 

that the suffering she and her dad experienced (his dementia)

would be treasured and restored in eternity to come.

And that made a significant difference in the middle of their struggle and pain.

 

Today, I lay my struggles before you Lord

I recognize that life on this side of Heaven often has difficulties,

but... You more than restore,

You will 'swallow up' today's challenges in a glorious way 

that I can't comprehend right now.

Thank you

 

Blessings on your week

as you walk forward, 

one day at a time.

Peter Jackson

Part of Your Team

Black Creek Community Church

peterj@blackcreekchurch.ca