When a woman gives birth to a child, it is often an uncomfortable, painful event as the baby child is born into the world. But as soon as the baby has been born, that pain is over and is replaced with the joy of holding their baby son or daughter.
The Lord said the same in John 16.
John 16:20-21 “Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.
A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.”
In a somewhat similar fashion, I can remember getting a cut or scrape as a very young child and it seemed like the tears would not stop flowing! I would cry and cry, but as soon as someone offered me a cookie or similar treat, immediately the tears and pain would go away. The pain that I had felt had been replaced by joy.
As Christians, a part of our lives is going to be suffering at the hands of others who fight against Christ. And it might not be pleasant, but this is what the life of a Christian entails. The world hated Christ, and Jesus says that they still hate us too, because we believe in Him. But no matter how much we are made to suffer for our faith, it is a small price to pay for eternal life. A “light affliction” as Paul called it.
2 Corinthians 4:8-18 “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.
So then death worketh in us, but life in you.
We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;
Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.
For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.
For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
How long is a person’s life on Earth? On average, 70, 80, 90 years? How long is eternity? Infinite. Time almost has no meaning when you can live forever. So don’t let the world bring you down with its petty attempts to bring suffering to your life. Life is a vapor that vanishes away, but eternal life is forever, and on that glorious day in which we go to be with the Lord, any persecutions and sufferings through which we will have endured will be a distant memory. Until that day we must wait,enduring patiently.
Romans 8:16-19 “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.”
In Christ,
Andrew
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