Hard pressed on Every Side

(Hello. Thanks for reading . This one’s not about photography today. )

“But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.

“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.

“We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.

“For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.

“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.”

(2Cor.4.7-17) NIV

Do I believe that? I don’t know anymore. I ascribe to the basic tenants of the Bible. And I believe it to be true, the Inspired Word of God.

But do my actions bare this out? Do I live like someone hard pressed but not crushed ?

Not very often lately. I feel like my soul has been ground into dust, and my actions show it.

Relationships I once thought secure, broke.

People who should know me well enough , in order to distinguish between what I would and would not do, don’t.

People who I thought had my best interest, and those of my children at heart, didn’t.

And I was very, very naive.

Heartbreak, broken trust. These aren’t new. These things are part of the human existence.

But the thing I keep wondering is, if I claim to be child of the Light, do I act like it? Because if I believe Gods Word, then how I act and react should be born out of the truth that I claim to believe.

I claim to believe in a risen Lord, who is returning.

With that in mind, my priorities shift in to very clear focus- telling the Good News to those around me, living and supporting the people God puts in my path.

“we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body”

If I’m dead , then anytime my pride is offended ; that’s a good thing. When people offend me, intentionally malign me, criticize me, that’s good. They’re helping do the work of putting my flesh to death. So I need to be humble enough to listen when others find fault me, if it is infact a moral shortcoming . Sometimes I need to be reminded that the old me is being put to death.

I need to act like even though I may be perplexed, I’m not destroyed.