Thinking On Scripture

Second Corinthians 6:3-12 talks about Paul’s hardships thathe experienced.  Now I don’t know if myhouse burnt because I am a follower of Christ, but I do know that as Christfollowers, we do experience hardships. My house burning to a pile of rubble is a hardship.

A side note:  Thishouse fire is hard for my little Rayna, who came crying to me 12 days after thefire, “Why did our house have to burn down?” She asked me over and over again. She’s three and just does not understand.

Anyway, I found this passage of Scripture encouraging andstrangely comforting.

“We faithfully preach the truth.  God’s power is working in us.  We use the weapons of righteousness in theright hand for attack and the left hand for defense.  We serve God whether people honor us ordespise us, whether they slander us or praise us.  We are honest, but they call usimposters.  We are ignored, even thoughwe are well known.   We live close todeath, but we are still alive.  We have been beaten, but we have not beenkilled.  Our hearts ache, but we stillhave joy.  We are poor, but we givespiritual riches to others.  We own nothing, and yet we have everything.”  (2 Cor. 6:7-10, emphasis mine)

Some days, some moments, we feel like we have been beaten,like we can’t get up, like this is just too hard, another thing we have to getthrough.  I praise the Lord daily thatevery one of the little ones in my care made their way safely out of the house,that NO LIVES were lost in our February 7^th fire.

My heart aches for my little ones who just don’t understandwhy we have to live in “this house” and not our “real house”.  My heart aches for my little boy who wasecstatic to receive a small box of building blocks.  And I am filled with joy and rejoicing overthe abundance of donations.  I amoverwhelmed with the generosity of our friends, neighbors and completestrangers who have given to my family, in our time of need.  As I sit and type this, I am warm, I amclothed, I have a clean, safe house; my children each have their own bed andbedding.

And I think of the people who sent these items, and I havetears streaming down my face.  I can holdback no longer.  I am blessed beyondmeasure.   By many standards we ownnothing, and yet we feel as if we have everything.