too long

It has been 2 months since I have posted a blog. Oh my, it has been a very full time, and I have missed the chance to pause, sit at the keyboard and reflect on Christ's presence in our joys and sorrows. While I never stop thinking in that vein of thought sitting down to type it out in words is sometimes another thing.

I have been reflecting  a lot lately on the past 10 years and how far I have come in my understanding of joy and sorrow mingled together in our walk as believers in Christ. I have learned that through some of the deepest valleys I have discovered some of the greatest joys. That could be described as either an oxymoron or the paradox of the Christian life like what Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 1:18-31. Let's listen in a minute to Paul as he speaks about the wisdom of the world and the power of God. Although this passage is not specifically addressing suffering in the Christian life, I think we will see a parallel of reasoning as to the way the world thinks and what the life of the believer in Christ really is.

 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.  For it is written,

"I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”

Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?  For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.  For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom,  but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;  God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. He is the source  of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom and our righteousness and our sanctification and redemption. Therefore, as it is written,"Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord."

As Christ walked the path of suffering that led to our redemption, so we must follow him on that path. The place where I have found rest, hope, and trust in this seeming paradox is found in Philippians 3:7-11,

But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.  Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,  that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

Dear reader, do you get the connection? This path we follow as believers in Christ is nothing like the path of worldly wisdom. We have a Savior who has gone before us paving the way for us. Every crag or bend, sharp turn or cliff we encounter on the path of life has already been trod for us. We can trust the One who has gone before us completely, so that we can proclaim, as the Psalmist did centuries before us,

My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

 For behold, those who are far from you shall perish;
you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you.

 But for me it is good to be near God;
I have made the Lord God my refuge,
that I may tell of all your works.

Psalm 73:26-28

I have mentioned in the past that I would like to feature guest writers. Today is a blog moment. I would like to share with you how two friends  have journeyed by faith through trials in their lives. You will be greatly blessed and encouraged by their steadfast trust in God. May you find strength in your weakness and hope and trust in the promises of God.