“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” II Corinthians 4:17
Our faith is our positioning ourselves in dependency upon the Lord. Surrender is a requirement for having a relationship with God. To know God’s glory, we must yield our hearts to Him, giving Him control. Like a seed, we must come to an end of ourselves, so we can know His life.
Salvation goes beyond an initial conversion. To know God day by day, it involves pursuing God’s desires and sacrificing our own. Romans 12:1 says that we are to be a living sacrifice. One definition of the word sacrifice is “the surrender or destruction of something prized or desirable for the sake of something considered as having a higher or more pressing claim.” When we make a sacrifice, we are giving up what we value in exchange for something of even greater price. Knowing the glory of God is worth giving ourselves for.
I Corinthians 4:7 says, “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.” We are containers of God’s glory, given to us to not only experience personally, but to shine for others to see the splendor of whom He is.
There are times when God causes us to go through difficulties in order to work out our self-sufficiency and control of our own lives. Trials are referred to as a fire, refining us into God’s image. The more we yield to the Lord the more of His glory we will know. I Peter 5:10 says, “But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered awhile, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.” When you face difficulty, let God have His way and yield control of your life to Him. Knowing the Lord and His power is worth any suffering we go through. Each day is a new day to experience God’s glory in a greater measure.
Application: Read I Peter 4:12-14 and consider your own life. Is the Lord allowing you to go through a difficult time to give you an opportunity to die to yourself? If so, weigh what is important to you. Is it more important to be in control of your life or to allow the glory of God to break through in you?