2 Corinthians 4:15-18; – Page 4 – REACHING HURTING WOMEN MINISTRIES

The third Friday of each month in 2019 we’re studying my favorite life verses: 2 Corinthians 4:15-18. This section of Scripture has proven a solid source of faith for me through many challenges over the past fifteen years. As we work our way through this passage you’ll see it build on the previous phrases all the way to the end.

All this is for your benefit so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart, though outwardly we are wasting away, inwardly we are being renewed day by day…

The faith walk isn’t for the faint of heart. When we look back over our life we will see the days that matured our faith were the ones that were the most difficult. The trials and challenges we undergo are building our faith and character. Even things we’re waiting on are growing us into more Christ-like people.

Spiritual growth is not without pain and suffering. As our scripture states above, we may feel like we are wasting away outwardly, physically. But inwardly, spiritually, we are being renewed each day, maybe even each moment depending on what we are going through. I know I’ve been through situations that just making it through the hour, much less the entire day, was stretching my faith to its limits!

No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he’ll never let you be pushed past your limit; he’ll always be there to help you come through it. ~ 1 Corinthians 10:13 (MSG)

God doesn’t put more on us than we can bear. He isn’t going to allow us to go through something that He hasn’t already prepared us for. That means this situation, this season of life, may be new to me but God knew it was coming. In this process He’s peeling off a layer of deadness, as it were. God is taking the old me that I know, the old life I’m comfortable with, the old habits that I cling to and making them new. He’s making me new, making life new, making today new!

We are still alive because
the Lord’s faithful love never ends.
Every morning He shows it in new ways!
You are so very true and loyal! ~ Lamentations 3:22-23 (ERV)

Enjoy Danny Gokey’s recent release. See today is a New Day!

The third Friday of each month in 2019 we are studying my favorite life verses: 2 Corinthians 4:15-18. This section of Scripture has proven a solid source of faith for me through many challenges over the past fifteen years. As we work our way through this passage of verses you’ll see it build on the previous phrases all the way to the end.

All this is for your benefit so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart.

Stretched Faith.

Sometimes life gets tough as we press into the destiny that God has called us to. Our faith gets stretched to limits we’ve never experienced. We may find ourselves questioning God’s plan and purpose. We may even begin to doubt that God is with us because He seems so distant.

Count trials as joy.

Count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. ~ James 1:2-3

Scripture encourages us to count our trials as joy before us as we follow in Christ steps of suffering. And we can count on God’s joy to strengthen us for our journey. Math is Jesus’ Kingdom is unlike that of the world:

When the world counts troubles: BAD + BAD = WORSE.

In Jesus’s Kingdom: BAD + BAD = JOY

The author of Hebrews calls us to keep our eyes on Jesus and to follow His example. As He endured the cross, He focused on the joy of the coming Kingdom rather than the suffering He was experiencing. So too, can we. As we keep our eyes on Christ and the joy before us in His Kingdom we will be less likely to lose heart during our trials and struggles.

We look away from the natural realm and we fasten our gaze onto Jesus who birthed faith within us and who leads us forward into faith’s perfection. His example is this: Because his heart was focused on the joy of knowing that you would be his, he endured the agony of the cross and conquered its humiliation, and now sits exalted at the right hand of the throne of God! ~ Hebrews 12:2

Prayer guards our heart.

In Luke 18:1 Jesus tells we are always to pray and not lose heart. Meaning that prayer encourages steadfastness in our spirit and guards our soul against disheartedness while we are waiting on God to answer us.

Trust The King

There will always be opportunities to lose heart and be disappointed. People will let us down. We will even let ourselves down. But with Jesus the King of our heart we can’t lose! No matter how things look today we can trust that God will never let us down!