2 Corinthians 4:7-10
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. 8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— 10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
There have been more times that I can count, when I wonder if I ever make a difference in someone's life. It is in those times that I want to give up and say, "What's the use?... no one listens to me anymore" or "I don't seem to be making a difference..."
When those feelings come, I feel defeated. I feel as Paul describes our lives as Christians: hard-pressed on every side, perplexed, persecuted, and struck down. However, those feelings are not of God. Besides, when did God ever say our lives serving Him would be smooth sailing? I am quite sure Jesus actually promised these predicaments would come to us. (Matthew 10 and 24)
Satan would love nothing more than for you and me to give up and forsake our faith. That's his goal - to destroy us from within, starting with our heart. If he can entice us to fall for a lie that God's too busy or to Holy to care for us, then we will fall for every other lie Satan tells us.
What God does say about our lives, though we may be encountering all the adversities mentioned above, is He has already overcome them. And if He has overcome them by the excellent power of God - and not of us - we are overcomers too!
As Paul says, "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels (that is the Lord Jesus)... always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
I pray these words will encourage you to fight on and press on towards the goal of the heavenly prize that awaits every one who is Christ Jesus. The words I want (and hope you do too) to hear from the Lord are, "Well done, thy good and faithful servant."
In Christ,
Pastor Tom
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