That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.
If you asked Mark how to get home, he’d say he didn’t know. When we married and moved to the Bay Area in California, I’d been living there for almost 40 years and knew every back road so that I rarely went the same way twice. Yet, I’m not one to change the furniture arrangement in my house, but, I seasonally change out all the decorations.
You might say, I’m a bit conflicted about change. Some is good and some I’d like to reject. It seems that the older I get, change happens more often.
We had the wonderful opportunity to hear Sandi Patty at her Forever Grateful Farewell Tour concert this week. Sandi’s music is embedded in my heart and soul after listening to her for 40 years. From the opening note, tears filled my eyes and spilled down my cheeks because something wonderful was ending.
We changed churches this year — never an easy task — and I’ve struggled to find my place, meet new friends, and serve with the gifts God has given me. Our church is expanding and in the middle of a building project. The sermon series for the year is all about change and the pastor noted that some people will like it and some won’t. We haven’t been involved long enough to have feelings about the changes, yet, I feel like God has brought us here for “such a time as this.”
Our women’s Bible study finished “entrusted” by Beth Moore last week. Paul’s second letter to Timothy was the theme and its focus was to encourage us to be mighty women of God — to share the Gospel with the gifting God has given to each of us. And often that means we have to change how we reach out.
I’m pretty set in my ways but nothing makes me see red faster than for someone to give the answer “but we’ve always done it this way” to a particular problem or situation. How do we share the Gospel in a way that connects with our neighbor in this ever escalating all-about-me and my needs world if we are not willing to speak in a way that is heard?
We fix our eyes on Jesus and shine the light He gives us to those we meet. People are looking for answers — and we have the answer. Discouragement, fear, apathy, and frustration swirl about in every arena. A change in President, home, marriage, or job is not going to solve the hole in our hearts. In the end, it’s not about us — it’s about Jesus.
So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen.