Paul Saw

Galatians 4:8-16 But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature are not gods. 9 But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage? 10 You observe days and months and seasons and years. 11 I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain. 12 Brethren, I urge you to become like me, for I became like you. You have not injured me at all. 13 You know that because of physical infirmity I preached the gospel to you at the first. 14 And my trial which was in my flesh you did not despise or reject, but you received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. 15 What then was the blessing you enjoyed? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your own eyes and given them to me. 16 Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth?

I heard a great sermon series recently; a lot of it was about Paul’s life before Christ, and then the changed testimony after that Damascus Road encounter with Christ. I have heard about the years between that encounter, of how God worked on Paul. Memories are always stirred when I hear sermons such as these of how God breaks those for his purposes. God cannot use a prideful man, for he will rest upon what is his god, himself. God breaks those he wants to use for his purposes so that they may rest on Him, not on their own strength. It has been said of many of our Lord’s greatest servants always walk with a limp.

I have been doing a lot of reflecting recently, looking back trying to learn why God has me struggling now. I see the patterns of highs and lows, by worldly and spiritual standards. I see the patterns of sin and season of less; I see the relations of God’s sovereignty and free-will in them. I see intimacy and mis-guided focus. I see blessing and sufferings. I see spiritual warfare throughout all of my recent years to a point it scares me. God opened my eyes sometime in this walk of sanctification to glimpses of the unseen, and to be honest it is scary sometimes. I see how Satan uses those closest to us. I see how every spiritual high is followed by a spiritual attack. I see how many times I have fallen prey to the enemies tactics and failed to keep my eyes on the victory I have in Christ. Satan is your greatest foe, your greatest enemy, your adversary on a level you might not grasp, but he is defeated.

Are you feeling the pressures of the world? Are you feeling like you are far from God and alone? Does life just have you at a really tough place, and you don’t know where to turn? God is showing you your need for him. God is showing you that he may be removing something from your life that is taking your eyes off eternity. God may be using this really tough spot you feel like there is no end to, to draw you to a deeper personal relationship with the Creator, Sustainer, and Ruler of this world than you can possibly imagine. Let your tough spot, be a blemish that you can testify to the power of God to others. Deuteronomy 4:29 But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul. Keep looking, Paul was able to see too eventually. It took an encounter with Christ, scales, a physical infirmity that tormented him, years of suffering, but he saw eternity and what awaited him there with Christ.