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But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 2 Corinthians 4:7-10
Men face difficulty. For the Jesus-follower, there is a limit to adversity.
The bad news is that we can and should expect to face crushing circumstances. The good news is that there is a limit to what a man of God will face. Every day I wake up and see a new day in front of me. Often, in the midst of a day’s difficulty, it can feel crushing. Anything from an unmet expectation to a situation that goes completely sideways can cause lots of despair. The temptation for me is to cut loose full-blown anxiety as if the current circumstance has no limit. The truth is that we can expect an end to adversity and we must keep that in mind.
The man who seems unphased during what most would consider a harrowing circumstance is a man who knows there is a limit. It is keeping the end in mind. Start by acknowledging, based on what Paul says above; you will be hard pressed. There will be days that temptation is overwhelming or following Jesus seems like an impossible task. Knowing that the outcome will be the very life of Jesus revealed in our body should fuel a perseverance that would not make sense to the world. Lean in and prepare for adversity, but press on knowing what the end will be. Victory.