Renewing Love

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.

I absolutely loved Farrell's post yesterday - I can totally relate to the idea of not fully participating in the work God has given me now and instead spending time daydreaming about my idea future. This week has certainly been an exhausting one for me - lots of long complicated terms to learn, notes getting deleted on my computer, lots of preparations for my upcoming spring break service trip. While often when I get tired and frustrated I tend to sulk and grumble at God, thinking about resting and waiting in God's presence as Farrell talked about yesterday reminded me of one of Christ's greatest blessing: the renewing, refreshing nature of His love and presence.

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. - 2 Corinthians 4:7-12

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. - 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

It is so comforting to remind myself that God can work through my own weakness and stress to reveal His glory to others. We are blessed with this beautiful dichotomy of God's power and strength in the midst of our own frailty and short-comings. I love how these verses all tell us how to best cope with these situations: Fix our eyes on what is unseen, on Christ. Christ promises to renew us daily - giving us exactly what we need to get through the challenge at hand. While we might not see how our troubles will be resolved ultimately, Christ promises to be with us each step of the way, supporting us. What an absolute blessing that we have a constant companion in our daily struggles! I pray that today we try to see the little ways in which God is renewing and sustaining us and to thank him for such an incredible, extraordinary gift!