Day 232

have you ever experienced one of those light bulb moments where suddenly the fog is lifted and everything makes sense (well maybe not evetrything, but a lot of things)? And then you sit back and think, wow, it really took me a long time to realize this, hmm… well, this morning i had one of those when i was reading my bible and devotional book (My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers – such a classic!)

the verse that stuck out to me today was 2 Corinthians 4:17-18:
For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

i love this verse because it says, momentary troubles, and that is the thing, even if they last a lifetime, compared to eternity, they really are only momentary. hmm, 80 years on earth vs. eternity in heaven, think about it. and then it goes on to tell us to fix our eyes on the unseen as the seen is temporary but what is unseen is eternal. well praise the Lord! if what is seen is temporary, then all the worry and fret over problems and struggles is so not worth it, as they are seen and this verse just told us they are temporary. what is unseen is eternal, and what is it we don’t physically see, our God. and He is eternal, no beginning and no end.

and then, in My Utmost, i read the following:
“The joy of Jesus was his absolute surrender and self-sacrifice to the Father – the joy of doing that which the father sent him to do.”

and it continues:
“The first thing that will hinder this joy is the subtle irritability caused by giving too much thought to our circumstances.”

so, i realized (not for the first time mind you, probably for the 100th but apparently my feeble mind needs to be reminded over and over again) if what is seen is temporary, then all my circumstances are temporary, and if i am putting too much thought to them, then i won’t experience this joy. (caveat, joy is not happiness, they are two very different things, being joyful in the Lord is being certain of your future as you know in all things God works for the good of those who love him, even when you can’t see it.) if i am consumed with my own circumstances then i am not doing what i have been called to do, because i’m too wrapped up in myself – i have now robbed myself of the joy of the Lord. am i making any sense here? so, despite how i feel, i need to get over myself and my circumstances and know that “he who began a good work is faithful to complete it.” praise the Lord!

tonight i brought the cookies to the women's ministry book club and they were eaten up, thank goodness! i did not need them in my house :)