Life can be overwhelming. Many who call me for counseling are in the middle of battling their negative thoughts about their life’s circumstances. When we deal with stress, it’s very easy to keep our eyes glued on the earthly issues and forgetting that we have a hope beyond this life. 2 Corinthians 4:7-10 NKJ states, “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. Vs15 – For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.”
Our challenge is to ‘look unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.’ When we refocus and get our eyes set on the Lord, we gain renewed faith and strength. 2 Corinthians 9:15 NKJ instructs us, “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” The ‘treasure’ that is within us is ‘God in you the hope of glory!’ We are the temple of the Holy Spirit. This Holy Spirit is our Comforter, our strength, our hope in this life and the life to come! Giving thanks to God cannot be based on our circumstances. This ‘indescribable gift’ that lives within us was given to us by God coming to earth in a robe of flesh to purchase us back to Himself. We have a hope for eternal life living in Glory with the Lord ruling over the new heaven and earth with God Almighty forever. We can thank God for this hope we have in Him in the middle of adversity of any type. But we must make a conscious effort to put on the whole armor of God (Ephs. 6:10-18).
When I look at the armor, I see truth, righteousness, peace, faith, helmet of salvation and sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Soldiers wear helmets to protect their brain – the system that controls their bodily movements. Our ‘helmet of salvation’ can protect our thinking regarding our circumstances of life. We must keep looking at God’s truth – God said give thanks in all things not for all things. When we give the ‘sacrifice of praise’ in the middle of adversity, God understands that we are thanking Him as an act of our faith trusting that He is in full control and is working out His perfect will in our lives.
Our ‘indescribable gift’ is our present hope and eternal salvation that dwells within us through the power of the Holy Ghost. It was for the joy that was set before Him, that Jesus endured the cross. Yes, He resurrected from the dead, but He has not entered into His full joy with His Bride (the Church) yet. That will come when He comes in the skies to take his Bride to Himself and we have the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. The anticipation of my future with God causes me to be thankful now. “Oh, I want to see Him, look upon His face. There to sing forever of His saving grace.” “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”(I Thess. 5:18 NKJ).
© Carol Clemans – October 2013 – www.carolclemans.org – (636) 448-0121 – carol@carolclemans.org