It's gonna be worth it...

1 Peter 4:12-16: “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trials you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 

Why am I surprised when I suffer???  And more than that....why am I troubled by it? 

I would venture to say that when our eyes are fixed on the reality of heaven NOTHING  MATTERS but the surpassing glory of Christ.

So...that brings me to say.....what if all we did in this life is suffer.  Now when I say suffer, I don't mean our spirits.... I am talking about working with people that HATE us, husbands that are absent, children who have died, houses that have been taken away, people who have been neglected, hopes that have been shattered, promises that have been broken.......

Some would say...that's terrible....and by no means I am NOT saying that it isn't.... all I'm saying is WHAT if we recognized that this is our ONLY time in all of eternity to experience suffering and still choose Christ.  ALL OF THE REST OF ETERNITY will be exceeding joy and bliss and this is the ONLY time throughout all of eternity that we will be able to have the opportunity to LOVE our Emmies, REJOICE in the midst of PAIN, and TRUST God when we have NO idea how it's gonna turn out!!!!

WOW...this is it...this is our chance to exercise faith...to POUR out love on people that are seemingly UNLOVABLE...even repulsive at times!     

When we get to heaven...I think it WILL matter..no it's not about performance but rather being so changed by our heavenly father...so living out a place of intimacy and eyes fixed on eternity that it will be so worth it!  We may remember the good memories...but don't you think what we and our Jesus will REALLY remember is when we choose love when our flesh wanted to hate...when we chose to spend time at the feet of our king, rather than WASTE OUR TIME with our frivolous nothingness!  

It's ALL for Him, or it's ALL for nothing    period.

If we just got  a glimpse of eternity we would gladly do it....we would gladly suffer for the name of Jesus...because we know that this is the most unique time in all of eternity......to have exercise FAITH!!!!

Our greatest calling in this life is to serve and LOVE everyone around us with the passionate love of Jesus flowing out of us...to live sacrificially...to love RELENTLESSLY, to walk in faith in seemingly UTTER DARKNESS...and GLORIFY our Jesus through it all!  

This is our destiny.

We must FIX our gaze continually on Him..that's our only hope.  

"In the presence of the Lord, there is fullness of joy!"  

We were created to glorify God...to have NO RIGHTS...NO AGENDA...just pawns of our Lord Jesus Christ, slaves to His master plan........

Oh Jesus...YOU are WORTH IT...It's gonna be worth it!!!  

You are worth of all of our time, all of our money, all of our thoughts, all of our affections.....

I want to be a pure and spotless bride...

"Take me through the fire,

take me through the flame,

take me through the testing,

I'll do anything......"

You are all the matters..

Reveal Yourself to us...remove the veil from before our eyes...

I want to love you...I want to love others...even if it hurts...even if it kills me.........

Because your worth it.