A Walk In The Valley

 

For I am reckoning that the sufferings of the current era do not deserve the glory about to be revealed for us.

Paul to the Romans 8: 18, Concordant New Testament 

I'm normally someone who is big on consistency.  I like having things follow a certain pattern without much deviation.  Unfortunately, in this period known as life, things usually don 't follow that pattern.  I found myself this week in prayer to the Lord that He would somehow allow my week to remain somewhat consistent.  That He would save me from the constant buffeting of this world and its experiences.  Not surprisingly, as I prayed, one word was spoken unto my heart.  That word was growth.  Suddenly it all made sense.  I might not enjoy the process, but it makes sense when seen from the Fathers perspective.  For how is it that we can grow and mature apart from these experiences we encounter?  In frustration, the apostle Paul requested that the Lord remove such experiences from his own life {Paul to the Corinthians (2) 12:6-10}.  Paul did the right thing, when he was feeling beaten he immediately prayed unto the Father.  The Lords response?  "Sufficient for you is My grace."  Don't worry about all of this other stuff, Paul, I've got you.  It is through this that Paul proclaims that he would "Glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ should be tabernacling over me" {Paul to the Corinthians (2) 12:9}.  So it is that whenever we are faced with the trials of life, we should not look at it as being defeated or beaten down.  No, we should view such seasons as opportunities to grow and mature in the Lord.  Yet, if you are like me, you may at times forget this wisdom when the troubles of life come knocking on your door.  I would suggest that a consistent believer is a believer who is not maturing in their faith.  For a life lived without challenges does little to grow our faith and maturity.  There is a saying that we learn more from walking in the mountains than we do from the valleys of life.  Amen!  The valleys are easy and consistent.  The mountains of our lives are hard and difficult to climb.  Yet we can be assured that throughout all which we do, that the grace of our Father is sufficient for us.  

Wherefore also, lest I should be lifted up by the transcendence of the revelations, there was given to me a splinter in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, that he may be buffeting me, lest I may be lifted up.  For this I entreat the Lord thrice, that it should withdraw from me.  And He has protested to me, "Sufficient for you is My grace, for My power in infirmity is being perfected."  With the greatest relish, then, will I rather be glorying in my infirmities, that the power of Christ should be tabernacling over me.  Wherefore I delight in infirmities, in outrages, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake, for, whenever I may be weak, then I am powerful. 

Paul to the Corinthians 12: 7-10, Concordant New Testament 

As we look at the words of Paul in 2 Corinthians, is there any of the issues which Paul describes that we will never encounter in our own lives?  Infirmities, outrages or persecutions?  We can easily point to the experiences of Paul and personalize them to our own life.  It's been said that whatever doesn't kill me can only make me stronger, how true that is.  Our typical reaction to hectic circumstances in our lives is to quickly find a way to overcome it, to once again return to a consistent pattern of living.  But what is it that we are supposed to be learning through all of this?  For myself, a hectic period served as a gentle reminder from the Lord that my focus should not be on my circumstances, but on Him.  I cannot grow in the Lord living my life the same way each and every day without seasons of turbulence.  Walking in the valleys is all good, but eventually we come across another mountain to climb.  Through it all, it is God who remains constant.  It is God who never changes {To the Hebrews 13:8}.  Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever no matter what it is we encounter.  Because He is the same, our life in Him will not change {Johns Account 14:20}.  So it is that even when we walk through life's difficult periods, we do so in Christ Jesus.  

~Scott~