Casandra Martin

This morning it’s the quiet, solid, determined words of Paul that are speaking perspective and strength into my soul. Listen. “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)

Do you hear it? Paul looks at his struggles, his hardships, his brokenness, and his heartaches and sees God at work in them all. God doesn’t waste anything. He takes every tear, every prayer, and every pain, covering them with mercy and faithfulness. He uses every moment to draw us deeper into His purpose and more tightly into His love. Grace has the power to weave its way into our desperateness and change our souls. It can be slow. It can be hard. But Paul reminds us that because of Jesus, what seems like a disaster can be a door deeper into His presence.

My Jesus Resolution today is to not lose heart. I know. The burden is heavy, but God is using every turn, every tear, and every trial to teach me about His glory. Each time I choose surrender over sulking, faith over fear, or worship instead of worry I open my heart to renewal. My circumstances may not change, but a changed perspective allows me to hope and not lose heart.