2 Timothy 1:1-2–Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God according to the promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus, 2 To Timothy, my beloved child:

If we think about what we should set our hope on for joy, confidence, and security, every church goer would of course answer Jesus.  But that answer can be interpreted to mean, “I hope in Jesus to give me the kind of life I want.”  Because no one (sanely) seeks out discomfort, sacrifice, and suffering naturally.  So when we find ourselves in any of these, it’s from God “ordering our steps” to then endure those things…(Job 31:4, Psalm 119:133)

To really find our trust and confidence in Jesus, is to live trusting in the promise of the life in Christ Jesus, which is finished and perfect!  Practically for us, it means that whatever God is leading us to walk through, it is for us to see Christ as life in the situation.  Not to grumble at the situation, as if “life” is defined by being care-free with no conflict or problems, that’s heaven!  We should then ask, how is God forming the life of Christ in me from this situation (Galatians 4:19)?

What the apostle Paul understood as the overarching answer to every difficulty he faced, was that it was ordained to bring out faith, in the promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus.  So if there is a season for him to suffer for Christ sake, he did, to encourage for Christ sake, he did, to prosper for Christ sake, he did (2 Corinthians 12:10, Philippians 4:11-13).  That life is in Christ Jesus, not expectations for God to keep me from a problem filled life, but find Him as Life in problems! (Acts 14:22)

As long as we interpret “life in Christ” to mean, “I expect God to prosper everything the way I expect it”, we redefine life.  Because what I want naturally is comfort and ease, which takes no faith at all.  So if God orders my steps to be painful and hard, we can think life is terrible!  But the confidence we have, is that “life and peace” is not in the situation but in Christ, which transcends the situation (Romans 8:6).  It is this promise that allows us to walk by faith and experience Him as Life, even when what we see as life, is not what we desire or expected.

In His Love, Ld