Faith in Deliverance

I am so thankful for the sufferings of Christ Jesus. I am so thankful for the sufferings of those who hold strong to their faith in Christ. Through the suffering we can see God's glory. Our trials and the suffering through those trials are never in vain.

Do you think your trials not note worthy? Even in the "smallest" trials and the "smallest" sufferings God is glorified when we cling to Him. You see, just as all sin is the same "size" in God's eyes, just as all measure of blessings is the same in God's eyes, so is our sufferings. You either suffer for Christ or you do not. You either sin or you do not. You either use your blessings for Christ or you do not. There is no grey area in God's eyes. 

As I was reading 2 Corinthians this morning, I was overcome with a sense of awe. I thought about how much the apostles suffered. I thought about how much they endured. All of it was done through their faith, their complete trust in God.

But then I considered "size" in God's eyes. Their suffering truly was great - but it was the fact that through all of the suffering, no matter how much, they clung to the promises of God. It came down to choice. They could either suffer for Christ or not. To them all that mattered was Christ. All that mattered was pleasing our Father. They took Him seriously and through them we are shown how to hang on, no matter what we must endure. Because all that we suffer here on earth is but worldly things. Once we have given our soul to Christ it is only our body that suffers. We must remember that our bodies are mere shells. Christ, too, suffered in the same ways we do. He showed us to turn to God. To keep His word. To do His work no matter what the world may say or do. That is faith. Faith in deliverance. 

The deliverance we receive through or from trials on earth is only the beginning. The ultimate deliverance is when He delivers our souls through Heaven's Gate and into our Abba's Eternal Kingdom. 

The road to God's Kingdom is narrow and difficult, even impossible at times. Yet NOTHING is impossible for God. Therefore if you are on His road you must trust Him that He will do the impossible and carry you through the places where you cannot make it alone. The road may seem lonely. But keep the faith that you are NEVER alone. His road may not have many other humans traveling on it, but it is not desolate. He places angels to help us along the way. His Holy Spirit is within us so that we may recognize Him and His help. Throughout the journey we are in God's hand. Though we, ourselves, may let go of Him He never lets go of us. Once we are in His hand NOTHING can take us from it. 

His promises that He will always be there for us are fulfilled every time we cling to Him through our trials. When we tire, He is there to comfort and renew us. When we are recharged and set out again, He is there to amplify our light which is only a reflection of Him. Without Him there is no light. 

Darkness is the absence of light. Our shadows are formed because our bodies do not allow light to pass through them. So how do we minimize our shadows so they are not cast out - covering anything that needs His light? The only answer is to have His light within us. So that we do not block His light but reflect it to cast out the darkness.

How do we best reflect His light? The only answer is to have more of Him within us. Feed the light or not. When you get into His word. When you spend quality time in His presence. When you spend time with Him, talking to Him, listening to Him. That is how you feed the light. The closer you are to Him, the deeper your relationship with Him, the brighter your reflection of Him becomes. You know the saying, "You are what you hang with."? I would much rather hang with God. Even if it means hanging on the cross with Christ.

The point is, you're either with God or without Him. The trials do not change. The circumstances do not change regardless of which choice you make - to be with God or not. But the way in which you go through them is dependent upon which choice you make. A person with God may have cancer and suffer greatly from their affliction, but they can have a peace so great and His light within them so bright that no one can deny seeing that light and peace within them. Yet a person without God suffering the same affliction will be overcome by their bodily affliction. Because they do not have His light within them, because they are not with God - the impossible remains impossible.

"Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now am found. Was blind but now I see."

How unworthy we are to receive such grace. But so much more does He love us that He would gift it to us if we only accept. Once we accept His freely given gift, we are saved. We are no longer lost in the darkness. The scales from our eyes fall away and we are no longer blind but can see because of His light. He lights our paths. He carries us when we have not the strength. He reveals the truth to us and His promises become more real to us as His ever faithfulness proves time and time again that He is worthy of our praise. He is worthy of our trust. He is worthy of our faith in Him. He WILL deliver us into His kingdom. Knowing, trusting, believing this TRUTH, this PROMISE, is all we need to keep going. Because if you truly trust, believe, and have faith in His deliverance, there is absolutely nothing to fear. He never tells us how it will happen. He just promises that it WILL happen. THAT is what we must hang onto. No matter what, no matter how, deliverance WILL happen.