Momentary and Light Afflictions

I woke up this morning with the words, "momentary and light afflictions" in my heart and mind.  I thought, "momentary and light"?  That's not how the world is feeling right now.

These afflictions FEEL unending and dark and heavy.  Paris killings.  A young pastor's pregnant wife brutally murdered.  A 7 year old brutally murdered.  A young mother killed in a car wreck right before the Holidays.  A family grieving the unexpected death of their baby.  A dear friend still grieving and experiencing a deeper grief. Family members lost in the world of drugs.  Brokenness.  Defeat.  Depression.  It just doesn't seem to end.

I asked God, "How are these people handling this?  Where are You?  How are You "working" through all this?"  I can't imagine the pain- deep aching pain- these families are feeling.  As I laid in bed my heart ached and I clicked through my mind of the young husband and grieving parents and siblings, of the parents whose daughter has been brutalized in a moments time, of the husband and young children who lost their mother yesterday in a car accident- HOW, HOW, HOW God are You going to work "good" in all this?

And He spoke to me, "You've been there.  How have I worked "good" in your life?"

But God, "That was 36 years ago.  I was so young and little."

"But you've been there.  You've experienced deep loss.  What has that light and momentary affliction produced in you?"

And yes, as I think, once again...and again..and again over the last 15 year of finding my healing in Jesus.  And more especially in the last 7 years of allowing Him to set the captive free and BE my Healer.   Brokeness- made complete and whole.  Defeat replaced with Victory.  Depression/oppression released and filled with joy and peace.

"while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, bu the things which are not seen are eternal.  For we KNOW that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.  For in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven." (2 Cor 4 &5)

Our hope is not in this world of grief, sadness and despair.  This world, temporal, has NOTHING to offer us.  We can only find our life, joy and peace in Jesus.  Not Mohammad.  Not Budda.  Not any cult or religion.  Not in our spouse.  Not our children.  Not our opinions or thoughts.  Not getting all our wants or needs.  NOTHING.

Paul said, "I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord." (Philippians 3)

This world is not our (born again believers in Jesus Christ) home.  This body is not our eternal dwelling.  They both will perish.

Someday, this temporal "earthsuit" I currently live in will die.  And my true eternal self will no longer be confined in it.  My true eternal self (spirit and soul) with a glory to be revealed.  Yet not on this earth.  But with my Creator in whose image I was created.  

I KNOW.  And I live, yet not I but Christ lives in me- and the life I live in this physical body and on this earth I live BY the FAITH of the Son of God, my beloved Jesus, who loves me and gave His life for me- that I can LIVE despite the "momentary and light afflictions".  (Galatians 2:20)