Seeing the compensation in our sorrows

Have you ever had one of those nights when all of yesterday’s hard things haunt you like the ghost from Christmas past? The unresolved conflicts, the lack of closure, the things that went south at the office, the injustices that anger you, the loss you ache over, the argument with your teenager, the unfulfilled longings and all the things you wish you could fix. And you wake up the next morning with an irritability-hangover, flustered before the day even starts?

Yeah, me too.

I stumbled downstairs, brewed some tea, plopped in my comfy office chair, glanced at the barren tree outside my bedroom window, picked-up my pen and wrote,

“Lord, something's disturbing my peace and rest. I pray you would help me to know what it is and deliver me from it.” Then, I opened my devotional and read this:

"For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” (2 Corinthians 4:17 NIV)

All of a sudden, my irritability-hangover turned into a curiosity quest, and my screaming feelings were quieted by a whisper, You’re gaining something from this. These troubles are achieving something for you. It was like a key unlatched a lock, opening to a room of purpose and patience.

My soul sighed in relief, realizing the moments I ask God for deliverance--trusting He hears the desperation of my sorrow and believing He’ll deal with it all in His timing and way--these are the moments I get what I want the most... the character to endure whatever comes my way. And this is what walking with Jesus is really all about.

It’s not about getting everything right, never doing anything wrong, feeling positive feelings all the time, or leaning on reason and logic to understand life’s mysteries. Should we pursue doing the right thing? Absolutely. Should we seek to never wrong others? For sure. Should we resist negativism? Indeed. Should we grow in our understanding of how life works? By all means. The problem is when these things become the focus, we miss God's heart and purpose behind the hard.

Living for God is more about letting the struggles of our gritty, present moments work the character of Jesus into us.

It's diving into the mystery of trust instead sinking into oblivious skepticism. It's admitting I'm not enough and I need Him. It’s seeing the compensation in our sorrows. It’s waiting for pain to birth joy in due time. It’s exposing the rough, hard things to tenderness. It’s opening ourselves in our blackest moments to truth’s light. It’s not fretting injustices because we’re confident He’ll vindicate. It’s realizing true victory comes after suffering accomplished its purpose in us.

It's extending a gentle rebuke in the midst of harsh words. It’s crying with someone in their sorrow. It's risking evil’s backlash for someone else’s freedom. It’s letting the possibilities of what He can accomplish become our dreams. It's embracing weakness, so His strength shows. It’s giving more than you get. It's smiling at your grumpy coworker. It's love in action. It’s leaning into the knife of suffering for someone else’s healing. It’s cheering our brothers and sisters and making Jesus our heartbeat. Ultimately, it's about being raised from death to life in real time... being made new right here, right now.

I got up from my comfy chair with a renewed understanding that struggles are intentionally used to transform us, open spaces in our souls to become more like Him, equip us for every hardship that comes our way, and inspire us to sing in the face of our sorrows.

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What transformations are you longing to see in your life?

How can you open space in your soul to become more like Him?

What are your struggles achieving for you?