Hope

Problems in Perspective

It’s been a rough year for our family.

And it seems that every time I think that we’re about to enter a new season, another thing happens that makes me realize that this season is going to last a little bit longer. And intellectually I’m o.k. with that. After all, Scripture states that “to every thing there is a season; a time for every purpose under heaven.” So I know that life will be filled with good times and bad times, but that through it all God remains the same. Yet, while I know this in my mind, sometimes my heart is a little tired of the beating.

Recently, however, a song by Jars of Clay reminded me that it’s important to keep my problems in perspective. As they sing:

And though the pain is an ocean
Tossing us around, around, around
You have calmed greater waters
Higher mountains have come down

In other words, the same God who has comforted me in loss, is the One who raised the widow’s son. The same God who gives me peace, is the same God who through His command, calmed the storm. Whether it’s the passing away of a loved one, dreams that remained unrealized, job loss, or hospital stays, God has already proven that He can handle much bigger problems that these.  So whatever problems we may be facing, they are nothing He can’t handle. In light of His majesty and power, then, our problems are pretty insignificant.

This isn’t to say our problems don’t matter; they certainly do. And this isn’t to say we need to minimize our pain; we certainly don’t. The problems are real and the pain is real, and God knows this.  But we do need to keep our problems in perspective in light of the One that we are trusting our lives with. While our problems may be big, He is bigger. While our pain may be deep, His grace is deeper. He can handle anything that this life contains; after all, He’s the One who has conquered death.

So we need not fear any season or any uncertainty.

When we think we can’t take any more, we know the One who can handle it all.

 

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Purpose

For Who’s Sake?

“I want you to know, brothers,that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ” – Philippians 1:12-13*

There are a lot of things in life that prompt action:

  • Our feelings towards someone
  • Opportunities that we want to take advantage of
  • The directive of someone in authority
  • Bad circumstances we want to avoid.

And while we all understand that our actions are precipitated by these things, it’s important for the Christian to understand that “we” are not to be the central consideration for the actions that we take. In fact, even when it’s the actions of others that are affecting us, our comfort, our convenience and our concerns are not of primary importance. Because as Paul so wonderfully makes clear in Philippians 1:12-13, everything we have, and everything we do, should be for the sake of Christ.

After all, here was a man who is writing about being wrongly imprisoned, and what he is reflecting upon is how God has used his circumstances for eternity’s purposes. He considers even his chains to be “for Christ” because he recognizes that as a result the Gospel has spread. His life was focused on a single aim  – “how can what I do, what happens to me, be used for Christ?”

It’s the right focus for every Christian’s life – to see our circumstances not through the lens of “what does this mean for me?” but “what does this mean for Christ?” – because we want our lives to truly matter.

We want our lives to be used for Christ’s sake.
Now it’s your turn….

How will you let your life be used for Christ’s sake?

*Author’s Note – For a slightly different take on the same passage, check out my previous post here.

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