“Yet those that be against us, so far are they
from thwarting us at all, that even without their will they become to us causes
of crowns, and procurers of countless blessings, in that God’s wisdom turns
their plots unto our salvation and glory. See how really no one is
against us!”
— John
Chrysostom (349–407)
Such is the power of the gospel in the dross of life that even
in loss there is victory, where we
live as if, in that defeat, it was
victory. For only in defeat, when things
are not going according to plan, do we get the compelling opportunity to
show how different our lives are, living joyously for hope in spite of loss,
for the sake of Christ!
This is why there is more to celebrate in despair than in hope,
for in despair our attitude should rise on the wings of hope. The more we’re thwarted, the more God is with
us through a joy that overcomes that thwarting through patient perseverance.
But responding in this gospel way is so counterintuitive that
it’s hard even when we know it’s God’s will that we respond that way.
Yet we only need to respond this way once, and we experience its
power.
We only need to respond in this counterintuitive way once to experience Christ’s gospel
power. Likewise, we only need to cry out
to God in our distress once, for one night, and finally we experience the truth
of God’s promise; a joy indwelling relief that comes after an exhaustingly
despairing lament, simply because we’ve knelt before God’s honour in pleasing
Him. God’s Presence in and through us,
having pleased Him in surrendering to His will, becomes its own compelling
evidence. Such strength in comparative
weakness to obey, not to be overcome by our own screaming desires!
This is why this gospel way works: faith goes ahead of reason,
knowing that God is faithful, and, in doing what is right, faith alone is
revealed as blessed — despite how we feel when things are so wrong.
The more things appear to be against
us, whilst we know God is for
us, the more our hope shines in spite of myriad despairs and difficulties. Nothing is truly against us in the totality
of all spiritual realms when God is for us.
***
Trust in His Spirit, rely on His strength, obey
His Word, and all will go well, especially when there are many hardships.
***
Nothing else works like it in all of God’s
creation: the greater our despair, the deeper is the gospel’s reach through
grace into our lives.
The more we’re touched by grief and loss, the
more we’re reached by grace and love.
© 2016 Steve Wickham.
No comments:
Post a Comment