Advent December 4th
Isn’t it fantastic news that Jesus invites us to bring Him all our worries and concerns? What a privilege it truly is to know that He is concerned about whatever we are concerned about. Sometimes we may feel weighed down by the mere awareness of what someone we care about is facing. From relationship struggles to financial worries to health issues, life can be painfully discouraging. Unlike us though, Jesus never reaches capacity. He is never out of emotional bandwidth.
What’s more is that He promises to use all of these struggles to refine us. The C.S. Lewis Institute devotional today says that “through the fires I have learned that Jesus is my companion in the blaze and the Refiner controlling the thermostat.” Is it a comfort to know that Jesus is always by your side? And that His attention to the proper refining temperature is never diverted. There’s never any “oops, baked that a smidge too long.” The fire may feel oppressive but in the end we will see that it was just right.
We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed…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 4:8-9 and 16-18
Digging Deeper:
Who in your life is particularly needy right now? How can you show them you love them?
What personal burdens to you need to take to Jesus?