We don't always know why
we have to face certain trials or heartaches- and we may never know
why. We may never understand them either. It is not a
realistic thing to expect to understand everything we go through on this
earth. Expecting to will only cause us intense frustration, and a
questioning about our relationship with God. Trying to
figure out why one has a chronic illness that He has not chosen to heal
despite many prayers, will certainly cause some heartache.
If we really want to see things
from His viewpoint, then several things happen.
We begin to face our
circumstances with confidence that God is going to get us
through all of them. Our fear gets replaced with confidence in
Him, instead of lack of confidence in ourselves!
We see our problems or
circumstances in a new light. Instead of roadblocks, they
become opportunities for growth. Spiritual growth
always seems to come with a set of difficult circumstances.
We begin to see our life and
all our experiences in the light of eternity instead of just
tomorrow. Our whole perspective changes regarding our
pain and what it has done to our life.
All the hardships we face
become different when we see them in light of the cross. There
is no pain that Christ has not suffered more intensely than we have.
Every pain, setback, trial,
hurt, persecution, and rejection becomes something for our
behalf. We will never be able to see that in the midst of it-
but we can trust Him that it is true, and praise Him for them while
we go through them. He never makes us go through them alone.
We gain an understanding that
we have nothing to compare eternal glory to. We grasp the
truth that there is so much more waiting for us after this life is
over, and that our present pain will be nothing then!
We begin to see our life
through His eyes. We begin to look forward to each new
challenge as a means of drawing closer to Him, and for watching Him
in action.
He doesn't ask us to be always cheerful in
spite of everything, and expect that to be like Him. What He does
want is for us to be willing to recognize His work in our lives.
He wants us to the point that we can thank Him for all things!
Even our pain. Even our handicap. Even our lost
dreams.
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.
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.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18
