Afflictions eclipsed by glory.

I am SOOO completely jazzed that I was home this past Sunday because Dan Chitwood did it again. He opened my eyes to something about God that I had never even thought of. His sermon on Sunday was all about realizing that each one of us is just a tree in the big forest of the story of God. He talked about making the time we have on earth matter, making our stories epic, but also realizing that God's writing our stories and that he is in control. So much challenged my heart from hearing Dan's words, and I was especially inspired by something he said about the story of Job. 

I always thought of the story of Job as one about suffering, as a guide to how we should handle suffering in our lives, but it turns out, it's a lot bigger than that. God allows Job to undergo suffering. He lets it happen. He knows that Job will lose everything and that he will suffer immensely. Why? How could God do that to his son, to someone he loves unconditionally? It doesn't seem fair. And that's the point where so many people lose their faith in God. And that is so completely heartbreaking to me because that's not the way we're supposed to read the story. God allowed Job to suffer BECAUSE he loved him unconditionally and incomprehensibly. God allowed Satan to tear Job apart and let him become nothing because he had faith in his son and he knew that Job could handle the suffering and pain because he knew that Job would never forsake him. Dan talks about what it must have been like when God and Job were reunited in heaven: when God told Job why he allowed him to suffer, and that because Job relied on the strength and power of the Lord, he was able to defeat Satan's attempts to break him.

Here's the link to the sermon: http://www.crossbridgecommunity.org/new/content/blogcategory/21/155/

Really, it was amazing.

And it inspired me to look into this idea of "afflictions eclipsed by glory" and the idea that even when we can't see the end of our story, we can trust that God has it under control. We can trust that there is something bigger going on: God's perfect plan for not only us as individuals, but the entire world.

Here's some awesome stuff I found. I hope it inspires you too! Or at least makes you think :) The underlined parts are my favorites btw.

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. 

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

When we are in fear we can do nothing less than pray to God, but Our Lord has right to expect that those who name His Name should have an understanding confidence in Him. God expects His children to be so confident in Him that in any crisis they are the reliable ones....There are stages in life when there are no storms, no crisis, when we do our human best; it is when crisis arises that we instantly reveal upon whom we rely. If we have been learning to worship God and to trust Him, the crisis will reveal that we will go to the breaking point and not break in our confidence in Him.

-Oswald Chambers

He will set them off with communications of His presence which, though faint, seem great to them, with emotional sweetness, and easy conquest over temptation. But He never allows this state of affairs to last long. Sooner or later He withdraws, if not infact, at least from their conscious experience, all those supports and incentives. He leaves the creature to stand up on it's own leg- to carry out from the will alone duties which have lost relish. It is during such periods, much more than during peak periods, that it is growing into the sort of creature He wants it to be... He wants them to learn to walk and must therefore take away His hand; and if only the will to walk is really there He is pleased even with their stumbles.

-C.S. Lewis

This is my prayer in the desert 

When all that's within me feels dry 

This is my prayer in the hunger in me 

My God is the God who provides 

And this is my prayer in the fire 

In weakness or trial or pain 

There is a faith proved 

Of more worth than gold 

So refine me Lord through the flames 

I will bring praise 

I will bring praise 

No weapon formed against me shall remain 

I will rejoice 

I will declare 

God is my victory and He is here 

And this is my prayer in the battle 

When triumph is still on its way 

I am a conqueror and co-heir with Christ 

So firm on His promise I'll stand 

All of my life 

In every season 

You are still God 

I have a reason to sing 

I have a reason to worship 

This is my prayer in the harvest 

When favor and providence flow 

I know I'm filled to be emptied again 

The seed I've received I will sow

-Desert Song by Hillsong United