I love Paul’s victorious statements in his letters. Even in the midst of being persecuted and imprisoned the apostle is still winning. That’s because Paul knows this life is temporary and eternal life is…well, it’s eternal. In II Corinthians 4:16-5:1 he writes, “Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal”.
When things go bad in this life we tend to think we are losing and God must be against us. If we are living by faith the opposite is true – we are winning and God is for us. The reason that is true is because of God’s love. God’s love is not some weak, whimsical attribute; rather, it is the pillar and rock foundation of who God is and how He treats us.
So today focus on God’s love. Center your thoughts on eternal things NOT things that are temporary in this life. Have confidence that the love of Christ prevails in difficult situations IF we cling to Him.
Read Romans 8:28-39. Then listen to Love Has Won by Citizen Way.
Romans 8:28-39
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring charges against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, but rather, was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or trouble, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? Just as it is written:
“For Your sake we are killed all day long;
We were regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.