Afflictions

The life of those who follow Christ, is one marked by suffering.  It is to do as Jesus said and "take up your cross, and follow him." And as much as we know that psychologically, it still sucks - we can be honest with that.  Because we once were on the team of the Devil when we were in sin, after passing through the waters of baptism he has aimed his anger towards us.

One way to look at it is like an endorsement deal.... We are representations of the brand of the Church - the brand of Christ.  And if you look at it that way, then suffering is the logo we seem to need to sport each and every day(in smaller and larger ways).  By enduring these momentary afflictions, not only are we purified but we also become symbols of hope to the world around us.

A lot of times you guys only see the highlight reel online... The one minute clips from talks, without the times spent with families or with young people crying in their anguish... The 3-4 minutes of music, without the hours of creating the instrumentals, vocal recording, and mixing... The financial planning with my wife, as opposed to the perfectly cropped pictures used for instagram.  The struggles with family, and in ministry, etc is what you don't see - however I persevere in the joy of Christ("heh-ha").

I encourage you in your suffering to push on.  As I carry my cross, walk with me and carry yours as we move forward to heaven. Amen.

- The Symbol
- All is Love