Light Affliction?
Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. –2 CORINTHIANS 4:17
Sickness. Poverty. Pain. Struggle. Temptation. mptiness. Lonliness. Hopelessness. Loss. Death. Mourning. All light affliction?
Paul, who had been stoned, jailed, and beaten, wrote these words to the Corinthians, knowing that they too would be persecuted. He writes to us today, who may go through loss and suffering, death and poverty. Light afflictions he calls them.
Sometimes we sit back and say, “Why me, Lord? Why this? Why now?”
His answer is not always what we want to hear. We want to hear Him say, “Whoops. Sorry about that. That wasn’t part of my plan for you,” and instead He tells us, “I am with you. I will help you. You are mine and I have allowed this but for a time, that I may be glorified.”
This is what Paul was talking about. He knew that the Lord had promised to use all of it to glorify His name. The glorification that will happen as a result of our small (in relation to eternity) affliction is so much more than any of the suffering we may endure.
Lord, help us to remember that compared to eternity our suffering is but for a moment. Remind us that compared to all that You went through to save us, our pain in the here and now is miniscule. Remind us that in comparison to the glory that is to come our present suffering is nothing. Stand with us. Lift us up. Guard our hearts lest we fail. Give us wings like eagles, help us to run and not faint, walk and not grow weary. Keep the waters from overflowing us. Be our stronghold and our mighty fortress. Help us to glorify Your name in the midst of it all. Above all, work through this, our light affliction, for Your eternal glory. We praise Your precious Name, right here, where we are.
Thank you Heather for the reminder that we sometimes are being refined to His glory. Altough I don’t like those afflictions, I know that I need to shed some things in order to be more like Him…
What a powerful prayer… I needed that today. Heather, thank you!!!
It is so true. Thanks. It did hit home for me today as well!
There is nothing we’re going through, will go through that Christ hasn’t suffered through.
Thank you for the post…yeah,it’s some time very hard to face certain situations esp. death..but we should stay close to the Lord to pass through…
Amen.
A great prayer, I needed it also. Thanks so much!
I too, needed this today, as did so many others. Thank you for your to-the-point post. What a great reminder for us all!!