There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. And the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias!”
“Here I am, Lord!” he said.
“Get up and go to the street called Straight,” the Lord said to him, “to the house of Judas, and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, since he is praying there. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and placing his hands on him so he can regain his sight.”
“Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard from many people about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. And he has authority here from the chief priests to arrest all who call on Your name.”
But the Lord said to him, “Go! For this man is My chosen instrument to take My name to Gentiles, kings, and the Israelites. I will show him how much he must suffer for My name!” – Acts 9:10-16
Catch that?
Suffering for Christ’s sake. Going to the hard places He calls us to and saves us for – this is the way of the Believer, the Apostle, the Chosen - the Christian.
Those born-again of the Spirit are made not to run from, but to stand firm in, and to endure the hard things set in the path God puts before each of us. On this path we will walk in great works of faith done to the glory of God Almighty, for the good of our neighbor, and to our eternal and assured joy.
For those looking to trade true faith and love for God for the idol of comfort and self-adulation here and now - there is another easier way. This is the way that leads to death and destruction. Since the beginning, the world has been teeming with liars, idols, and false prophets who will tell us all the lies we want to hear by distrusting God's word and putting our trust in theirs. Today these health/wealth/prosperity liars have their operators standing by to take your credit card numbers and tithe cards to formalize the betrayal and unbelief that first took place in the Garden.
The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Praise the name of the Lord. God is good all the time, in every way, and in every season. Prepare for hard seasons.
When He takes our legs and we cannot walk by His creation so quickly, use the eyes He’s given you to see deeper and longer into the glory of his creation all around you as you finally stand still.
When He gives you pain and your hands and feet are useless, use the mouth He’s given you to call His name to thank Him for this blessing as He mercifully reminds you that your body is like a tent; soon tattered, well worn, and soon completely gone.
God's purposes for our suffering are deep and wise. Trust Him in the suffering.
Live your life in the tents we're given with your eyes and hands raised up to Heaven, and live your life with a loud voice that shouts praise to Christ the King and speaks the words of life into your neighbor. Live your life with God-blessed feet walking in the good works prepared by Him as you build up the riches of faith as we prepare to enter the Kingdom of God clothed in righteousness sooner than any of us thought.
Receive every God inspired word of the Holy Scriptures, as written in the hand of our suffering Apostle from Tarsus:
For we know that if our temporary, earthly dwelling is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal dwelling in the heavens, not made with hands. Indeed, we groan in this body, desiring to put on our dwelling from heaven, since, when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. Indeed, we groan while we are in this tent, burdened as we are, because we do not want to be unclothed but clothed, so that mortality may be swallowed up by life. And the One who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave us the Spirit as a down payment. – 2 Corinthians 1-5
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