8.28.20
I am so excited to finally be able to share with you these thoughts. Many of you have prayed specifically for me as I have been trying to write and share them. These are some of the things the Lord has been speaking to me lately. Thank you for your prayers!
There have been so many changes and challenges affecting the entire world. This ‘new normal’ includes virtual church services; virtual funerals , not being able to visit parents; loneliness; fear; despair, and the list goes on and on. We have been impacted by many of these and I am sure many of you have been affected by one or all of these things as well. I would like to encourage you to read 2 Corinthians.
Paul shares with us some of the most challenging times he ever faced in his life, and we see God walking with him. I am so encouraged by hearing both his struggles and the way God delivered him by helping him to see things from a different perspective. I want to share with you a short part of 2 Corinthians chapter 1 verses 8-11.
“We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the
troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great
pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life
itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death…“
I am wondering how long it took Paul to gain the right perspective; to be able to share the rest of the verses. Sometimes the deep things that God is working in our lives can take a lot more time for them to sink into our hearts.
Paul continues…
“But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God,
who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril,
and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will
continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will
give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in
answer to the prayers of many.“
Paul is sharing with us the struggles and also the right perspective: ‘to rely on God not on ourselves’. God delivers us again and again, He is our hope, He grants us favor and we can count on the prayers of His people. Amazing!
Later, in 2 Corinthians chapter 4, Paul shares with us… (italics mine)
But we have this treasure in jars of clay…waiting time
to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us… perspective from God
We are hard pressed on every side … waiting time
but not crushed … perspective from God
perplexed … waiting time
but not in despair … perspective from God
persecuted … waiting time
but not abandoned … perspective from God
struck down … waiting time
but not destroyed … perspective from God
We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus… waiting time
so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body … perspective from God
When my perspective of what I can do is small and my perspective of what God is doing is Huge I get the right perspective.
I want to thank you all so much for your prayers for us. You are in our prayers.
Saunders Family Updates 