Jars of Clay

I met with a dear friend last week. It was last minute. I had had another episode and a friend of mine encouraged me to meet with someone. The friend I met with is an intern in my campus ministry. I had been very discouraged and felt that I was going back into the inevitable valley after being in a state of spiritual mountain top. He encouraged me with 2 Corinthians 4:

"7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So death is at work in us, but life in you.

13 Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, 'I believed, and so I spoke,' we also believe, and so we also speak, 14 knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. 15 For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God."

This spoke to my situation well. God is sovereign. He is in control. He sets limits to what can happen to us. In Job 2 Satan is given permission to test Job.

"3 And the Lord said to Satan, 'Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil? He still holds fast his integrity, although you incited me against him to destroy him without reason.' 4 Then Satan answered the Lord and said, 'Skin for skin! All that a man has he will give for his life. 5 But stretch out your hand and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face.' 6 And the Lord said to Satan, 'Behold, he is in your hand; only spare his life.'"

God allowed Satan to go after Job. This can seem unfair and cruel. We can tend to question God's motives. However, we get so caught up that we miss a very important part of this story. God was in control. He set limits to what Satan can do. Satan does not have free reign over us even in this world. God can set the line that Satan can't cross. 1 Corinthians 10:13 states the God will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear. This doesn't mean that He won't allow us to be tempted beyond what we as humans can bear but beyond what we can bear as people in Christ with His Holy Spirit. It doesn't mean things will be easy. He's promised us the opposite in this life. Hebrews 12:7 states that we must endure because God is disciplining us as sons. He is using the bad circumstances and trials that Satan carries out on us for our good. He wins. And if we are in Him that means we win as well. In 2 Corinthians 4 Paul gives more encouragement.

"16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self [3] is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."

We have to get our eyes to look beyond this life-what is seen. Our hope is not in what is seen. If it were we would have no hope. Our hope is in what we have not seen but have been told of. The promises of God are our hope. The promise of salvation, eternal life in Christ, dwelling with God for eternity. These promises are true. We have to fight what the world, Satan, and our flesh tells us. Emotions, thoughts, and worldly "wisdom" are lies that we must fight. We must keep the objective truth of the gospel in our gaze constantly. That is our hope and our strength in times of need.