I have heard people comment on how the “God of the Old Testament” is so harsh in the way he sends judgments and allows His people to undergo severe suffering. But, isn’t the fact that God does do this only reveal more of the mercy and the love that God has for his people? He is bringing them back to Himself through the judgments; He is forcing them to trust in him through the suffering! Although it is so hard to see sometimes, all the hardships we go through and all of trials we face are such gifts from God. God, in his mercy is showing us that our joy is not found in earthly things; he is forcing us to look to HIM for our support and trust completely in HIM for EVERYTHING. THAT is Love!!! He is reminding us that what is seen in temporary, and therefore cannot be trusted. He is calling us to fix our eyes on the eternal.

2 Corinthians 4:18 - So we fix our eyes not on what is seen but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

And because we fix our eyes on the eternal, we can go out boldly and do what God has called us to do. Our reputation may be ruined, but that doesn’t matter…it’s temporary; we may lose those we love…but we still have Jesus; Our earthly bodies can be beaten and torn apart…but even our bodies are only temporary vessels in which we are serving God. No matter what we go through, we can rejoice because we are suffering for the name of Jesus!! Our circumstances may seem horrible, but even that cannot take away the Joy that we have in knowing and serving Christ! We can have Joy through EVERYTHING because our eyes our fixed on Jesus!!

God, whatever it takes keep me on the narrow path, keep my eyes fixed on the eternal, on the Glory of Jesus Christ. Do not let me put my trust in anything but you, do not let me find my happiness or joy in anything but you! Whatever it takes…don’t let me stray! I would rather be striped of everything that I have on earth, absolutely everything, if that what it takes to take my trust off of material things and put it in the only eternal God. Jesus, do not let me walk away from you!