What If

After years and years of reading Paul’s writing and hearing his stories taught, today, this moment, after reading 2 Corinthians 4:1-18— a passage I’ve read countless times before — today, I finally identify with Paul. Today, I finally feel these Words of God in my soul. 

It’s completely overwhelming, but completely comforting at the same time. 

Like Paul, I consider my temporary suffering worth it for the glory of God to be revealed through it. 

What if God chose to manifest His glory through our suffering as a way to combat the enemy? The god of this age blinds the minds of unbelievers so that they can’t see the light of the gospel. (2 Corinthians 4:4) The enemy thrives on distraction and deception and loves to plant disbelief at every turn. 

As humans we are a people that need to see things. We need to have tangible evidence in order to believe something to be real. 

What if my suffering, our suffering, and God’s goodness to us through the suffering, was the “light shining in the darkness”? The tangible that we needed to see and hold onto to release the enemies grip. 

What if my eye opening revelation today, my new found identity with Paul, is God “working all things together for my good”? (Romans 8:28)

What if after all these days, and months, and years of sadness and suffering, I can finally, and truly say that I can “count it all as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ”. (Philippians 3:8-10) 

“We believe and therefore we speak because we know...” (2 Corinthians 4:13-14)

“We do not lose heart.” (2 Corinthians 4:16)