KEEPING THE FAITH DURING THE DIMINISHING SEASONS OF LIFE
2 Corinthians 12:8-10
Click Here to download the lesson
Introduction: “The Power of Sufficient Grace (2nd Corinthians 12:8-10)
Hello Everyone! First let me say how thankful and grateful I am for all of you! Your many prayers, cards of encouragement, phone calls, visits, and many helps have kept me and my family afloat and strengthened us during this difficult physical trial. For those of you who are just joining us, a little over 4 months ago I had a large gallstone stuck in my Biliary Duct that was causing my liver to shut-down and drained me of ALL of my physical and mental energy. During the course of the four procedural treatments to remove the stone I developed Pancreatitis. We are still in the midst of the journey and waiting to see when the Gallbladder will be removed. I am currently on infusion therapy through a PICC line for total nutrition that has brought my energy level up significantly to the point that I can at least write again… I will keep you informed as the situation unfolds, but I can honestly say I think this is a point in my life where I have never felt weaker and more helpless not even losing a limb was as debilitating as the last 4 months have been in dealing with this illness!
I’ve asked myself many times, like many of you have in your trials… “Where is God in the midst of this?” “Of what use am I in my current weakened state when I can hardly get out of bed?” “What is God trying to tell me?” And…That’s why I’m beginning this new series today… “Keeping the Faith During the Diminishing Seasons of Life.”
Diminishment, weakness, solitude/isolation, patience (long suffering), our living within the fading glory of mortal humankind, these are all areas of our faith walk with Christ that as American Christians we do not like to discuss. I mean when was the last time you heard a sermon series on Ecclesiastes- especially Chapter 12? No, we would much rather hear series out of Joshua, Nehemiah, and Acts! We like messages on triumph, strength; people doing and accomplishing GREAT and inspirational things as heard from the pulpits of the celebrity Pastors and Podcasters of this world. Yet, we find in Scripture a rich and encouraging theology and anthropology of remaining faithful, of a persevering Faith that comes through God’s strength and displayed glory by our weakness even as our earthly vigor fades… The Bible shows us the way God sees us in our weakness and earthly diminishment and as a result the way we should see ourselves not just as “losers” (people experiencing loss and grief in this life to the point of death- but as a people and a person set apart for Him- slowly emptied out that He might fill us with the great gain of His glory and all the wondrous treasures of Heaven from here to eternity!
Brother Philip told me a story about a Church Youth Group that wanted to embrace and embody this theology (see Ecc 12, Job 19:25-27, Isaiah 40, Phil 1:6, 1:20-30, 1 Cor 15:42-58, 2 Cor 4:3-18, 1 Peter 1:23-25) so they named their Youth Group “Losers for Jesus.” Needless to say, they didn’t get many students that joined! Perhaps a better illustration is that of my Dad during his service in the Vietnam War. The US Air Force sent my Dad to the war with a 150 lbs of gear. He couldn’t even stand up let alone trek through the jungle and rice paddies! Yet the Air Force was convinced he needed to hold onto all that gear; besides he was traveling by plane and air transport… What the Air Force forgot is that he had to march 20 miles with an Army platoon between those transports. The Army was quick to remove 70lbs of equipment right away and the further Dad hiked the more equipment he let go of and left behind on the trail after it had been used till he had only and exactly what he needed at the end for the final mission. The Christian life is like that… God, like a wise Army Major, gives and takes away according to our need and for His glory. He has greater things in store than what we can possibly imagine (Eph 3:16-21); will we trust Him when we don’t see His plan and AS He takes away what we consider “vital” things in our lives?
For most of our lives we are taught “don’t just stand there, do something!” Victory is achieved through our efforts; we must strive and give if we want to receive. But the Grace of God teaches us a different story… “Don’t just do something, STAND HERE AND RECEIVE.” “Don’t just do something, or begrudge your losses, STAND HERE AND BE LIGHTENED of your earthly burdens that you might be enlightened by the Spirit and hear His voice and know His presence” then you can will go and bear much fruit as you respond in Faith to not only what you have received but what you have had taken away as well!
So what does this all mean? It means we don’t measure our Faith by earthly standards or our accomplishments in Christian service nor do we carry the burden of our forgiven failures into the present- we let our past go and continue to live in and under the perspective of the Grace of God today: following His promises and commands as your loving Father and we trust Him- believing fully that He knows what He is doing with our lives. As our diminishment increases so does the opportunity to see more clearly God’s grace, glory and sovereignty in and over our lives if we will simply look for it- to see the “eternal” at work in the midst of our crucial yet short and “transient” time here.
As a little boy, my Mother used to always tell me that I was made “special” and in the Image of God; it was something that I held onto a lot as I dealt with bullying for my cleft-lip and palate and the taunts of my peers: “you’re funny looking… You’re a mistake.” But that wasn’t and is not true! We can praise God because every human being is “fearfully and wonderfully made…” (Psalm 139). I can praise God because I am fearfully and wonderfully made- and God knew EXACTLY what He was doing for my good and the good of others when He made me, placed me in time and space where He wanted me, and gifted me with His eternal presence when I accepted Christ as my Savior and LORD (not just “then” but NOW and not just now but for tomorrow and forever as well).
Part of my suffering and trial this last 4 months has been the unique placement of my anatomy- making treatment of gallstones very difficult for the doctors. There’s not been a normal pathway for treatment and surgery; surgical instruments that the physicians would use are useless when your liver, intestines, spleen, pancreas and other internal organs are not in the same places as other people… I’ve had two responses from the medical community as a result: from unbelieving doctors I get, “You’re a jerry-rigged machine- we don’t even understand how your Mother carried you to term- let alone how you have lived 54 years!” I know, you know and the believing Doctors know- I’m not a mistake or jerry-rigged, I’m fearfully and wonderfully made because God has a plan! What others call a mistake, a curse, a catalyst for trouble and suffering, God can, does, and will use for His glory…
It doesn’t mean I like it, and I pray daily for this trial to end! However, God is with me and I have learned and am learning that His presence is enough! His grace is sufficient for every trial and ordeal… James gives us the fruit of our joy in suffering and trials (James 1:2-4) but it is Paul who gives us the reason for our joy and thanksgiving in diminishment and difficult circumstances… It is because of God’s sufficient grace and presence that we can “count it all joy!” Whatever trial we face He- Himself- God is there and the Faith, Hope and eternal love of the LORD is enough!
This is not “the end”- far from it! OUR END here is our beginning with Jesus ultimately in a place He has prepared for us for over 2000 years (see John 14:1-6). As believers we need not fear the end while at the same time understanding WHY we are here currently. We are here to stand and deliver testimony of WHO God is and WHAT He has accomplished and we do it through His strength, His command, and His presence in and with us. Are you convinced today that where you stand is the exact starting point for your witness of God’s grace in your life? Don’t think about your mistakes of yesterday, or regrets for the “good ol’ days.” While it’s ok to lament in your suffering don’t dwell there allow your laments (like David in the Psalms and the 144,000 in Revelation) to center you back on God’s faithfulness in order that you may remain faithful. And finally think of what’s coming, of what you have received, and count it all joy as you live for Him from that place of diminishment, from the sunset of life to the dawn of Heaven! And as always, all the best to and for you! For His Grace is sufficient!
Love in Christ,
Darrin.