- Joined
- Apr 25, 2006
- Messages
- 18,404
Rainy Days and Mondays
'Our light affliction ... is working for us' 2 Corinthians 4:17
Here in old Blighty we'd like nothing more than Ambre Solaire weather 24/7, 365 - being burnt like overdone toast is what we Brits do best! Yet the corn of the fields, the trees in the country, the spuds in the ground wouldn't be too glad of all sunshine and no rain.
To get the best out of God's creation it's essential there are three other seasons on top of the sunny one. The same is true of the seasons in your faith life. If everything you touched turned to sunshiny gold, it wouldn't be too long before your head outgrew your body.
That's why God also allows us to go through rainy seasons and tough times to grow us. There's nothing quite as ugly as arrogance and God didn't build us to be self-sufficient but God-sufficient.
The storms and snowfalls of life lead us to shelter under God's wings, and getting closer to God can only be a good thing.
Today's verse can seem back-to-front because Paul is saying the misery he's facing works to his advantage. Paul is wise enough to recognise that his weakness is bringing out God's strength: with less of him there is more room for God. What a great way of thinking!
Perhaps that's why he could write 1 Corinthians 1:25 from experience, 'Human wisdom is so tinny, so impotent, next to the seeming absurdity of God. Human strength can't begin to compete with God's "weakness"' (TM).
written by Bob Gass
'Our light affliction ... is working for us' 2 Corinthians 4:17
Here in old Blighty we'd like nothing more than Ambre Solaire weather 24/7, 365 - being burnt like overdone toast is what we Brits do best! Yet the corn of the fields, the trees in the country, the spuds in the ground wouldn't be too glad of all sunshine and no rain.
To get the best out of God's creation it's essential there are three other seasons on top of the sunny one. The same is true of the seasons in your faith life. If everything you touched turned to sunshiny gold, it wouldn't be too long before your head outgrew your body.
That's why God also allows us to go through rainy seasons and tough times to grow us. There's nothing quite as ugly as arrogance and God didn't build us to be self-sufficient but God-sufficient.
The storms and snowfalls of life lead us to shelter under God's wings, and getting closer to God can only be a good thing.
Today's verse can seem back-to-front because Paul is saying the misery he's facing works to his advantage. Paul is wise enough to recognise that his weakness is bringing out God's strength: with less of him there is more room for God. What a great way of thinking!
Perhaps that's why he could write 1 Corinthians 1:25 from experience, 'Human wisdom is so tinny, so impotent, next to the seeming absurdity of God. Human strength can't begin to compete with God's "weakness"' (TM).
written by Bob Gass
