Renewed

Have you ever felt alone in your trials?  I have.  There have been times, even recently, when I felt like my prayers were hitting the ceiling and then just coming right back down.  I felt like God was ignoring me--like He was doing great things for everyone except for me.  I felt like my prayers were not being answered.

Do you see the common phrase in all of those statements?  I felt.  My relationship and trust in God has to be more that feelings.  I recognize that the enemy desperately wants me to lose faith in my God.  He lies to me and tells me that God isn't there.  Sadly, so many times I have believed this lie and grown angry at my Lord because I felt so alone.  

In marriage, there may be seasons where love may not be felt as strongly.  These are the times when one must rely on the commitment that has been made before God and men.  So it is with God.  I have committed my life to Him, therefore, even when I don't feel like He is doing His part, I am called to remain committed to His work and put my faith into action--believing though I can't see...or feel.  

This morning as I was reading a passage that I've probably read a dozen or more times, a truth stood out to me that was so encouraging.  It reminded me that not only am I NEVER ALONE, God is also doing a work in my life.  Here it is:

Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.  

For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, 

While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

We can't always see exactly what God is up to in our lives, but we can know a few things.  Number one, He won't leave us.  Number two, we are to look towards and live for things eternal.  And Number three, we are getting closer to death while getting closer to life.  Every day our physical body is one day closer to death.  Yet also every day our soul is closer to eternal life.  We are decaying outwardly, yet being renewed inwardly.  That's why we should not lose heart.  God has a purpose, and it is for our ultimate perfection when we go to be with Him one day.  He cares about this purpose (truth) so much that He will risk our feelings (false) towards Him to accomplish it.  I am so THANKFUL for His patience with me!!