Broken Shackles

Familiar hot, salty tears fell freely onto my pillow. Yet another woe joined my ever-growing list of personal afflictions. The pain was real and tore at my weakened, despairing heart. This year has been a season (what has seemed a very long season) of painful changes that have shaken me to my core. My emotions no longer obey my will and I struggle to accept them. How can such grief and a faith in God’s goodness/sovereignty coexist?

Afflicted, perplexed, persecuted, struck down—these are the verbs Paul uses to express his very real physical life. Yet he concludes, that he is “not driven to despair.” Why? Because “[I am] always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in [my] mortal flesh. (emphasis added) What hope! When my pillow is drenched with tears, in that very moment is when I want Christ to be manifest in me. I want Him to manifest Himself to and through me.

Daily, we swim in sin, death, pain and suffering. Where is the joy in that? It can be found at the cross! (The cross—itself a representation of suffering.) It is there that Christ took upon Himself the ultimate curse of sin. While we bear the pain of where our shackles once tore into our skin (the consequence of sin here on earth), our chains are gone! We've been set free! Because of Christ's work, we have hope that this “light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.” Our final victory over sin will culminate when we unite with Christ in heaven.

In your sorrow, press deeply into Jesus. Spend time in His word daily. Commune with Him in prayer. Spend time with His people. And serve Him in obedience.

And finally, look to others needs, to serving and pouring out in the midst of your own suffering. (To be continued)

All scripture referenced from II Cor 4