Life Interrupted or just Life?

As I rushed home today to prepare my home for our 46th showing, I was frustrated. Weary. I keep thinking, "I can't wait until my life is just normal. No more interruptions like this." Then, the thought crossed my mind that my life may never be my idea of normal. In fact, it probably won't. But I am working on finding contentment in this place and every other interrupted moment in my future. I am reminded of some thoughts from a Bible study that I recently did...

*God did not save us to make us happy in the temporal sense - He saved us to "redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good." (Titus 2:14) To choose a pathway of holiness will sometimes require sacrificing our personal comfort and convienience. But any sacrifice that we make is temporary, and cannot be compared with the joy and fullfillment we will gain in eternity. Only through seeking to be holy can we ever expect true happiness.

*What matters most to Him is that every created being reflect His glory. His agenda is to do whatever is necessary to conform us to His image. Some of the problems that cause us to chafe the most are actually instruments He has designed to fulfill His ultimate purpose in our life. How foolish and shortsighted it is to reject or resist problems that may be the very means He has designed to mold us into the image of his Son.

*Suffering takes on a whole different perspective when we realize that it is an essential tool in the hand of God to conform us to the image of Jesus. The process of sanctification takes place as we embrace our suffering, rather than running from it or resenting it.

*All suffering is purposeful and intentional. Gos has a specific objective in mind for our suffering. He knows exactly the intensity and duration that are needed to fullfill His purposes. He will not allow our suffering to last any longer or to be any more severe than is necessary to accomplish His will.

*Once we agree with God that we exist for His pleasure and glory, we can accept whatever comes into our lives as part of His sovereign will and purpose. We will not resent the "hard things", but will embrace them as friends, sovereignly designed by God to make us like Jesus and to bring glory to Himself.

Though there are so many different levels of suffering, I believe that these things hold true for all people in all types of interruptions. Of course, I am "preaching to the choir" when I write down these thoughts. I am miles away from being content in my suffering. But that is my goal - to accept His soverign purpose in my life no matter what that is and no matter how uncomfortable that makes me.