Life Is At Work In You

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

2 Corinthians 4:7-18

We all love bubbles. Some of us even have bottles of bubbles close to us. Sometimes we just need a bubble laugh. Bubbles are like the ocean. They can be counted on to bring us things that can be counted on.

God is the same way. He can always be counted on. He always cares. He can use the smallest experiences and briefest moments to bring joy to our lives.

Maybe one day our troubles will seem like bubbles – momentary in light of eternity for “what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

Jesus provides an oasis of grace in the desert of trials.

Our Daily Bread – September 5, 2016