PASTOR’S CORNER, David Harris, Fellowship Baptist Church, Liberal
Becoming a Christian will not end all your suffering – at least it will not end it immediately. Jesus told his listeners as much in the Sermon on the Mount. Toward the end of Chapter 6, he is warning them against sinful anxiety (i.e. the kind that does not trust God to take care of his people).
Notice what he says toward the end of the passage.
“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.’” (Matthew 6:34, ESV, emphasis mine).
Take it from Jesus – following him does not mean all your troubles will go away. In fact, one of the reasons Jesus anticipates his followers struggling with worry is precisely because their troubles will not go away. They will come, and one can expect them to come daily. Every day has its own trouble. But that’s not all - each day will be sufficient for whatever trouble the day brings. What does this mean? It means that there is no need to worry about these daily troubles before they occur, because they will be dealt with as they come – with resources to meet the trouble when it arrives. What is the trouble afflicting you today? Perhaps you woke up lonely. A disappointment at work has slowed down your career plans. Maybe you are deeply discouraged because of some recent bad news that came into your life. A tragedy in the family came out of nowhere. Your stand for Jesus has put you in hot water, and all of a sudden, there it is - trouble.
Paul dealt with his share of trouble. Much of 2 Corinthians expounds on this trouble in his apostolic ministry. Those difficulties arrived fresh for him each day in all kinds of ways, including imprisonment, shipwreck and stoning (see even more in 2 Corinthians 11). And yet the fourth chapter of this incredible letter finds Paul explaining why he “does not lose heart” (4:1, 16) during this trouble. Part of his explanation is found here:
“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18, ESV, emphasis mine).
Paul suffers, each day. The trouble comes, just like Jesus said it would. But Paul is renewed, each day. God does something within him as Paul looks ahead to his eternal reward. He sees a glimpse of the weightiness of his glorious reward and the daily trouble (yes even Paul’s) becomes light and momentary. It seems Jesus knew what he was talking about. Sufficient, indeed.
Even if you are a Christian, you will experience trouble. I have no clue what your trouble is today as you read. But I know this: God has a renewal for you, each day. Daily trouble is met by daily renewal. What will this renewing work look like in your soul? How is God calling you to gaze on your eternal reward? He has a renewal for you. Go to him. Open your Bible again. Talk to him. Let his renewing work in you address the trouble around you.
