Someone once asked an elderly Christian woman what her favorite scripture was. Without hesitation the elderly woman said "It came to pass". The person responded 'Out of all the passages of scripture why that one?" She smiled and said "Because it does not say it came to stay"
There are some days so wonderful and so joyful that you wish time would stand still just a little longer. There are moments in life you wish you could return to, or repeat because they were wonderful experience's in you life.
A few Sunday's ago me and my wife went out and ate at Cracker barrel and beside us was a family with a small child. The mother laid out a place mat for the child and put a bib around his neck. The mother gave the boy some mashed potatoes and a hand full of cheerios.
Both me and my wife were reminded of when our children were that age. We remember with fondness of how cute our kids were when they were that little. We both smiled as we saw this boy and remembered a time in our own lives when our children were that little.
Its moment like that you sometimes wish you could repeat. Moments you wish you could enjoy just a little longer.
However not every experience or circumstances in life are the same. There are moments in life that time does not go fast enough. Moments in you life that you would never want to repeat or experience ever again.
There are moments in our lives when we find ourselves going through various trials and difficulties. Some of these times maybe minor irritants, while others may seem to be insurmountable obstacles. However no matter how big or small the problems come in our lives, one thing is certain, we all have problems. No one is immune to difficulties in this life. Difficulties come to all of us and it does not matter how much money you have or what positions you hold.
Now as a believer there are a few things that we need to keep in mind when we think of our problems that I think can be helpful.
The first thing we need to keep in mind is all our problems are comparatively small when we place them beside what awaits us in Glory. No matter how terrible, how overwhelming our problems seem to be, it is a small thing when we look at what awaits us in Heaven. We can always look beyond the problems we face and know that there are better days still ahead of us. We are able to look past the dark clouds of the storms we are in and see the bright day of eternity that await us. This is what Paul was pointing to when he wrote in Romans chapter eight verse eighteen.
“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us ( Romans 8:18)
Paul did not just write those word, he lived those words. Paul was a man who knew all to well the sufferings that you and I might face. In his lifetime Paul was beaten many times over, and was once beaten so badly that the people who was beating him thought he was dead. He was mocked by both the outside world as well as some of the Christian believers. He was lied about, dragged into court and imprisoned. On a number of occasions Paul's life was threatened.
Yet we see that Paul who had a great deal of trouble in his life is able to write that the sufferings of this life, cannot compare to what is waiting for him. I have to believe that Paul relied on that truth as he was lying in prison or healing from his wounds that he endured or when he got news of the lies being told about him. I have to believe that one of the helps Paul had when he was suffering was he looked past all the troubles that he was going through to be reminded of the great blessings that awaited him in the end. I think if Paul could do that certainly you and I should do that as well.
Second thing I think we need to keep in mind is that our problems, though we might wish to avoid them all together, can and often are used of God. In fact we may find this truth hard to swallow, but it may just be that our problems that we are desiring to run from, is in all actuality God's way of positioning us to be blessed or be a blessing to others.
When the nation of Israel came to the Red Sea they looked behind themselves and saw the entire Egyptian Army behind them. It was then that they turned to Moses and blamed him for getting them in this situation. They told him "are there not enough graves in Egypt that we had to come here to die, didn't we tell you leave well enough alone?" Yet what they failed to see was that there trouble, the very place that they found themselves at was the very place that God wanted them. It was at the Red Sea God delivered the Nation of Israel. You see it was only after the nation of Israel traveled through the Desert that they came into the promise land. Most of the Psalms in the bible that we read were written by David after or during his own hardships. Some of the sweetest hymns we sing in church today are a result of some difficulty that the write had endured.
I think the greatest example of this is seen in Jesus Christ. Remember when Jesus was arrested and falsely accused. Jesus did not resist but willingly submitted himself to the cross. Wasn't it in the garden of Gathsemine where He prayed "If it is possible, let this cup bass from me" but he ended his prayer with "But not my will but thine be done." You see it is through his suffering, that you and I were able to be saved. It was His sacrifice, His shed blood that made our redemption possible. It is Jesus Christ who endured the cross for us, that is our example for enduring suffering.
So as we go through certain trials and tribulations in our lives let us remember these two things.
- Better days are ahead of you because of your faith in Jesus Christ. You have something greater awaiting you that far surpasses any trial you are facing today.
- The trials you are facing today are opertunties in your life God is using to bless you and bless others through it.
"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us" (Rom_8:18).
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