For this light momentary affliction

is preparing for us

an eternal weight of glory

     beyond all comparison,

as we look not

     to the things that are seen

   but to the things that are unseen.

For the things that are seen

                    are transient,

but the things that are unseen

            are eternal.

                  2 Coninthians 4. 17-18

(We all struggle with something,

but in God's hands

               and in His vision,

--as my grandmother always said--

       "it is not for naught."

God is preparing us

             with His wisdom.

God is equipping us

    with layers of His strength.

God is giving us

                a deeper vision

   than what we see

           on just the surface.

His glory covers

                   even this.)

O LORD,

We are so myopic

that we cannot see

       beyond the momentary.

Help us to be faithful to You,

even what we

            cannot understand.

Empower us with Your strength

     and trust You

                      even in this.

 

But we have this treasure

               in jars of clay,

to show that

  the surpassing power

  belongs to God

          and not to us.

We are afflicted in every way,

              but not crushed;

perplexed,

   but not driven to despair;

persecuted,

   but not forsaken;

struck down,

            but not destroyed...

that the life of Jesus may also

   be manifested in our bodies.

              2 Corinthians 4. 7-10

(No matter what we are going through,

       God's glory overflows.

His power and strength and Presence

              cannot be denied,

       nor be explained away.

Circumstances do not prevail,

               nor are they random,

but are instead opportunities for us

                      (and others)

   to see and acknowledge You.

Help us to live in such a way

            that You are known.)

O LORD,

Help us to be faithful to You,

   no matter what we face today,

no matter the circumstances,

   no matter the difficulty.

Almighty One,

   bring order to this chaos,

   bring Your grace into the fray,

   bring Your glory

              even to the unexpected.

Be manifest in us, dear Jesus,

    that others will come to You.

 

...written not with ink

but with the Spirit of the living God,

not on tablets of stone

    but on tablets of human hearts.

                 2 Corinthians 3.3

(Our lives are a witness to others,

    our hearts transformed

                and engraved

    by the love of Christ.

Do others see us as religious,

  or Christ in me,

              changed forever,

    responding differently

          and abiding in Him?

That is our witness before the world,

     our testimony,

     our story radically changed by Christ.)

O LORD,

We may be the only Bible

    that others read.

May our lives this very day

   point others to You

with the choices we make,

with a generous and loving heart,

and with how we respond

            unexpectedly with grace.

You see our ways

              and number our steps

    as we walk with You.

May others be drawn to You

   by the story You have given us

and by hearts changed forever

                by Your love.

...and by His light

   I walked through the darkness...

                       Job 29. 3

 

(God does not promise

that we will never see darkness

              in this broken world,

but that in His light,

        which cannot be explained, 

we can see differently.

God empowers us to

              see in the dark.

And to know His Presence there.)

Love you bunches.

Praying for you

        as you walk with Him.

O LORD,

There are shadows all about us,

there are dark valleys,

but You are with us.

Your Presence changes everything.

Walk with us 

          in this place,

not just through it.

That we would not miss

       anything of Your glory here.

 

...and through us

spreads the fragrance

of the knowledge of Him

                  everywhere.

For we are the aroma

             of Christ...

             2 Corinthians 2. 14-15

(What lingers in their thoughts?

What is different about us?

A sweetness,

a selflessness,

unexpected grace,

abounding love,

    which draws others to Christ.

Our relationship with Him

   flavors everything about us.

God is using us

   in ways we are not even aware.)

O LORD,

You have drawn us to You.

You have transformed our hearts.

Let Your sweet aroma

   fill us and surround us

to point others to You.

Let our desire for You

     flavor everything about us

and compel others

             to know why.

They may not remember

               what we say,

but they will always remember

       how we loved them.

May they come to know

    how much You love them.

 

But that

was to make us rely

not on ourselves

      but on God

who raises the dead.

 

           2 Corinthians 1. 9

 

(Step by step,

inch by inch,

     relying more on Him.

If life were carefree and easy,

we would not recognize

          our deep need for God.

He is greater and mightier

     even than this struggle.

Did it even occur to me

         to rely on God in this?

On Him, we can set our hope.)

 

O LORD,

Please help us to lay before You

our struggles and fears,

   our burdens and pain,

   our momentary afflictions,

        even our deep wounds,

that You would redeem in ways

   to bring restoration

not just to us

            but to countless people.

Help us to rely on You

    even in this.

If we only knew

what You are doing with this,

        we would not even hesitate.

For. Your. Glory.

 

For I know that

      my Redeemer lives,

and at the last

He will stand upon the earth.

 

                 Job 19. 25

 

(Knowing the LORD,

    not just believing

       that He is there somewhere.

Knowing Him changes the direction

                of our lives,

because God changes our hearts

and how we live,

       no matter the circumstances,

even in the most unlikely places

      and among unexpected people.

God uses our

      story of deliverance

    to bring hope to those around us.)

 

O LORD,

We are blessed by You,

    appointed by You

    to seamlessly live out the gospel

even in what we consider

              an ordinary day,

and even in the really scary stuff.

My Redeemer lives.

That should look very different

            in what we do and say.

Help us to be aware and ready

   for the multitude of doors

   daily all around us

              for the gospel

         and for Your glory.

There are no random encounters.

Help us to respond

       with grace and the gospel.

 

 

Therefore, 

     my beloved brothers,

be steadfast,

immovable,

always abounding 

   in the work of the Lord,

knowing that in the Lord 

    your work is not in vain.

 

              1 Corinthians 15.58

 

(God is at work in us.

God is at work through us,

bearing fruit in every good work,

planting big trees

      to bring Him glory.

Nothing but nothing 

    is insignificant 

    in God’s economy.

Write His name on it.

   Even in the most intricate detail,

         the lowliest duty,

               the high and mighty,

         each and every task,

He completes it.

Even in this.)

 

O LORD,

Please transform 

     our faithfulness 

   into Your fruitfulness,

even when we never see

    the forest You have planted.

We pray Your glory

         all over this,

for the welfare of many people,

for Your victory in many lives

     that they may realize You,

and we would trust You,

                       even in this.

Committing our work to You

   changes everything about it

and changes us in it.