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| First-World problem. |
Do you have problems?
I’m not talking about things like your smart phone being too
large for your pocket or the having to face terrible traffic when you go to
pick up your daughter from horseback riding lessons to get her to soccer
practice across town on time. (Two actual complaints I’ve heard in the last few
days.)
I’m talking about serious, soul-piercing troubles that weigh
you down every day.
I have been praying fervently for loved ones who are
drowning in a sea of sorrow with problems like
a suicidal daughter,
a mentally ill son,
an unfaithful husband,
constant depression,
an alcoholic wife,
a mother in the final stages of ALS,
an anorexic daughter,
a friend wishing she were dead,
and a drug-addicted husband.
These aren’t tragedies. Because tragedies are usually one time events: horrific, yet
over so you can move on to recovery.
The problems I’m talking about are on-going. They dole out continued pain: that feeling of disease
without a cure, constant sadness with no reprieve, darkness with no light, rain
with no end, confusion with no answers.
Third world countries deal with this same consistent
difficulty and anguish. Hunger,
thirst, sex trafficking, child labor, illnesses without treatment, refugees
fleeing war-torn homes only to live in camps for the foreseeable future—evil
attacking the poor and downtrodden.
We joke about first-world problems like when our yoga class
is too full or the waiter getting our order wrong. But, these people in my life live in a first world country
and yet battle an evil, which currently feels unconquerable.
They long for circumstances to be different.
Their hearts are raw from pain.
Their eyes are sore from crying.
Their shoulders are tense from the burden.
I cry with them.
I ask God to intervene. (Sometimes I yell at Him because it seems like He’s not
awake—not seeing this pain, not caring about this suffering.)
I beg God for a miracle—inject joy into her heart, heal his
mind, fix his attitude, take away the depression, addiction, and disease! Where is the joy? Why are you silent and far away?
Is He far away?
Are you longing for a change? Are you looking for a turning point? Have you lost hope?
Others have felt this way too. There are people world-wide currently desperate for hope and
there were people long ago who were also buckling beneath the constant pressure of
persecution. Paul wrote to them in
the book of 2 Corinthians.
7 But
we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of
the power will be of God and not from ourselves; 8 we
are afflicted in every way, but not
crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; 9 persecuted,
but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always
carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also
may be manifested in our body. 11 For we who
live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the
life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
We who struggle with real and heavy burdens will not be
crushed! We don’t have to despair because we are not forsaken and we will not
be destroyed. Did you hear that? We are
afflicted, perplexed, persecuted, and struck down, but NEVER destroyed. How is this possible? It’s possible because Jesus was forsaken instead of us. What is this treasure we
have inside our ailing bodies? It's a soul guaranteed reunion with God the father
because we trust Christ.
When we trust Christ, we are automatically given a
key to a very real Kingdom—it’s in operation now, but one day, we will walk
into God’s perfect presence because of this key (Jesus). It’s ours. No one can take it away. And one day everything will be as it should be instead of
all screwed up and wretched and broken and evil like it is now.
HOWEVER, more often than not, our road through and to that kingdom
is
DIFFICULT,
SICKENING,
PAINFUL,
and
DEPRESSING. We can hardly hold our
selves up. We can barely put one
foot in front of the other. We
can’t see the path through our tears let alone some future shining, happy place
that many people think is a fairytale.
Fortunately, we weren’t only given a key, we were also given
a companion. Jesus sent the Holy
Spirit to walk with us, fill us, remind us of God’s love, and whisper comfort
when all seems lost.
We have a key, a comforting companion, but we also have
something else going on. Something
mysterious and behind the scenes—something we may not welcome when it comes
right down to it.
We have a refining fire burning all around us.
Not one of these hideous trials will go to waste. All of this seemingly senseless,
disgusting mess is being used to refine our souls.
16 Therefore we do not lose heart, but
though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by
day. 17 For
momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far
beyond all comparison, 18 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, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
As I’ve been praying for my loved ones, I’ve been tempted to
lose heart. I so want relief for
them! But, who am I to yell at the
Diamond Maker?* I thank Him for
the comforting reminder that although we will have troubles in this world, He has overcome the world! While the
circumstances may not change, the Holy Spirit will never leave us, our souls
are being refined, and one day everything will be made right again.
Diamonds
Here and now I'm in the fire
In above my head
Being held under the pressure
Don't know what'll be left
But it's here in the ashes
I'm finding treasure
[Chorus]
He's making diamonds, diamonds
Making diamonds out of dust
He is refining in his timing
He's making diamonds out of us
[Verse 2]
I'll surrender to the power
Of being crushed by love
Till the beauty that was hidden
Isn't covered up
Oh it's not what I hoped for
It's something much better
[Chorus]
He's making diamonds, diamonds
Making diamonds out of dust
He is refining in his timing
He's making diamonds out of us
[Verse 3 (x3)]
Oh the joy of the lord
It will be my strength
When the pressure is on
He's making diamonds
Food for my soul! Thank you.
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