Be Spiritually Sound

While reading my bible last night I turned to these scriptures...

2 Corinthians 4:8-11 + 16-18

⁸ We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; ⁹ persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; ¹⁰ always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. ¹¹ For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

¹⁶ So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, ¹⁸ 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.

Last night I was just needing to find some peace of mind and honestly...inner strength.  Before I opened up my bible last night I was finding myself in some severe inner stress.  Basically...not being able to deal with life I was...overwhelmed!  I sat down at my desk and just kept going over the events of "life" and seriously didn't want to participate anymore.  Not that I wanted to die...I just didn't want to deal anymore.  I had to make decisions...plans...and I was at a loss.  When I finally made a choice I wasn't sure if it was the right one.  Anyway...while sitting thinking and stressing over the whole thing a single thought kept coming to my mind.  Read. Your. Bible.  Every few seconds this thought just kept popping in!  So finally...I picked it up.  First I turned to 2 Chronicles where I have been reading about Hezekiah.  Great...great stuff there.  

2 Chronicles 32:7


⁷ “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or dismayed before the king of Assyria and all the horde that is with him, for there are more with us than with him. ⁸ With him is an arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God, to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people took confidence from the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

This verse is awesome.  Why...because "the Lord our God" is awesome!  I saw this last night and loved it but this morning...I'm really getting it!  I have been fighting these battles within myself...things that seem insurmountable to me...and I just need to stop and let the Lord take over.  I cannot do this on my own.  But like I said...it didn't really sink in at that point!  So somehow...but God...I ended up in 2 Corinthians.  Yes...

We are living broken...the world around us and our own personal selves.  Life is hard.  But guess what...It always has been and always will be.  We have to learn to trust God in our problems just like all Christians have had to do...always.  Verse 16 tells us to not give up.  Some of our bodies are in terrible shape...we have afflictions...illness.  Our "outer self" is falling apart!  But...our inner self...our spirit...our soul...is being strengthened and renewed continually!  Life is hard...talk to the Lord...read His Word...grab hold of Him and don't let go for any reason!!  Let the Lord renew your inner self...your mind...soul...day by day! 

The two words that came to me this morning were these...Spiritually Sound.

It's not most important to be physically sound it is most important to be spiritually sound!  We can live with broken bodies...we can live with minds that just aren't as capable as they use to be but...what we must not live without is a continual sound...deeply rooted...spiritual walk with the Lord.  That is what will keep us going when life is hard...harder than you think you can deal with.  

So today...

Don't lose heart...God is in control of your life.  Let Him help you with the hard things.  Don't be afraid or discouraged because He is with you always...fighting your battles and holding onto you!

"until we see JESUS...face to face"