2 Corinthians 4:7-9 New International Version (NIV): "7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed."
This was my Verse of the Day as sent to me daily by YouVersion Bible app I have on my phone. I love receiving the Word of the day. It encourages me and pushes me to do better each day.
This verse though hit a nerve within me. Let's read it via The Message bible: 2 Corinthians 4:7-9 The Message (MSG): "7-9 If you only look at us, you might well miss the brightness. We carry this precious Message around in the unadorned clay pots of our ordinary lives. That’s to prevent anyone from confusing God’s incomparable power with us. As it is, there’s not much chance of that. You know for yourselves that we’re not much to look at. We’ve been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we’re not demoralized; we’re not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we’ve been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn’t left our side; we’ve been thrown down, but we haven’t broken."
I have been battered but not bruised. I have been talked about, scorned, shamed, but I am not broken. I've had trouble everywhere I turned, yet I surpassed the trouble and it didn't stop me. I've been left wondering what and why, yet never left to despair. They have tried to hurt me, kill me, destroy me. BUT GOD has a plan for me that supersedes all others. Because I AM HIS and HE IS MINE!!!! There is no greater love for me. No greater mission for me. No greater desire than to live an eternity in HIS presence.
Understand this. The people are not my enemies. The enemy is that of the one that opposes God. The one kicked out of heaven. The one that many of us give too much power to. We allow him to come in, rest and reign in our lives. IF you belong to HIM, know this.....you will be persecuted, beaten, talked about, scorned. Christ was, why would you be different. STOP murmuring and complaining. Get it together.
2 Corinthians 12:10 New International Version (NIV)"10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." Delight??? What fool is delighting in adversity??? ME!!! I delight that the devil sees fit to try and stop me, to throw curve balls at me. WHY??? Because it means that I'm on my job as a Christian. People of God let's get on our job and marvel in persecution, hardships, and difficulties.
